Presentation Vessel, GAB Tenn, Sweden, 1939–1940

 
Presentation Vessel, GAB Tenn, Sweden, 1939–1940
 
Measures - 34 cm in height 
 
Presentation Vessel, GAB Tenn, Sweden, 1939–1940
Pewter, cast and engraved
Stamped: GAB Tenn
Engraved: Einar Skoglund / Lvakan Kursen / 1939–1940 / Trelleborg
This pewter vessel was produced by GuldsmedsAktieBolaget (GAB), one of Sweden’s most prominent metalware manufacturers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Likely a commemorative gift or trophy, it was awarded to Einar Skoglund on completion of the Lvakan Kursen, an officer training course associated with Sweden’s anti-aircraft artillery, held in Trelleborg during the early years of the Second World War.
Formal in structure yet playful in detail, the vessel combines the clean lines and functionalist aesthetics typical of mid-century Swedish design with a sculptural handle surmounted by a faun — a figure from classical mythology often associated with mischief, music, and wild nature. This unexpected decorative flourish may suggest an element of camaraderie or humour among the course participants, contrasting the formality of the object’s military context.
GAB’s pewter pieces from this era are known for their craftsmanship and occasional eccentricity. This object offers a unique intersection of myth, modernity, and militaria within Swedish design history.