Handmade vases by Klaas Kuiken

The handmade glass vase has become wildly popular in recent years. The online range is huge, the stories are diverse, and no two vases are alike. At the same time, the techniques, production, craftsmanship, provenance and durability of the vases are sometimes vastly different.

What makes a handmade glass vase so special?

A handmade vase, stands out because no two are the same. Small air bubbles, subtle differences in colour or minimal deviations in shape in the glass are not mistakes, but traces of the artisanal manufacturing process. This makes each vase a one-off: a literally unique specimen, with its own character and story. Moreover, the attention to detail is much greater: craftsmen take the time to perfect each item, something that is impossible in mass production. Colour, clarity, thickness and shape; everything is checked and corrected by hand. Finally, personalisation is important: many people value the idea that their vase has been made “by real hands”.

Whereas mass production assumes speed and uniformity, a handmade glass vase is all about craft, attention, and tradition. Each item takes on a soul, making it not only a utilitarian object, but also a showpiece with emotional value. Not for nothing are handmade vases often given as gifts on special occasions or kept as heirlooms.

How is a glass vase produced?

The traditional production process of a handmade glass vase is intensive and involves several steps, from mixing the raw materials, to melting and blowing or shaping the glass. Well-known techniques are mouth-blowing, pressing and casting. There is a lot of information on the internet about this traditional process.

However, designer Klaas Kuiken makes his vases in a completely different way. His starting point for the project was his search for what a mass product actually is. Can a mass product convey the emotion of a handmade product? Is every product always the same? Is it possible to give a familiar, standardised mass product a personal story?

He found that there were indeed differences and irregularities in glass bottles: the wall thickness of the glass differs in some places, there are often air bubbles in them and there are small deviations in the shape. Now, for a simple product like a glass bottle, this is acceptable.

To highlight these differences, he developed his own glass-blowing technique. To do this, he rebuilt a ceramic kiln; he moved the heating elements and he added a compressor connection.