An incredibly striking and highly investment-grade mid-century modern hand-blown art glass statement vase by the legendary Blenko Glass Company. Designed by celebrated design director Joel Philip Myers as Model #6815, this iconic piece features an organic, heavy teardrop or urn-style body that transitions into a beautifully flared trumpet neck. The vessel is rendered in a radiant, sun-drenched "Lemon" yellow and masterfully treated with the factory's signature allover internal ice-crackle finish. Winding dramatically around the widest point of the belly is a heavy, applied glass spiral trail wrap in a high-contrast fiery Tangerine color, creating an electric, sculptural pop-art aesthetic. What makes this particular find exceptionally unique and highly prized by collectors is its extreme rarity; this specific Lemon color was restricted to a remarkably short production run, manufactured exclusively for two years in 1968 and 1969. Intact, vividly colored, and exceptional at diffusing natural sunlight, this rare late-1960s piece is an absolute standalone crown jewel for any premier mid-century American studio glass collection.

Historical & Style Details

• Subject / Sitter / Source: Mid-Century Modern Studio Art Glass / Blenko Applied Coil Design
• Artist / Maker / Author: Joel Philip Myers for Blenko Glass Company
• Period: Mid-20th Century / High Mid-Century Modern Design Era (Introduced in 1968)
• Origin: Milton, West Virginia, USA
• Material / Technique: Hand-Blown Art Glass / Dip-Molded Crackle Technique with Applied Hot-Glass Trail Coil
• Materials: Potash-lime glass, cadmium-selenium mineral colorants
• Markings: Unsigned as issued; features a prominent, classic rough-snapped hand-blown pontil scar on the concave base
• Decorative Details: Flared trumpet neck profile, allover internal webbed crackle network, heavy dimensional Tangerine glass coil wrapped three times securely around the lower body
• Dimensions: Approximately 10 inches tall
• Colour & Surface: Saturated transparent lemon yellow body contrasted against a thick, high-gloss Tangerine orange applied spiral; features an intense mirror-like exterior gloss with a highly stable fractured interior
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; the crackle network is perfectly stable with zero structural cracks, fractures, or internal bruising; the applied Tangerine glass trail is completely smooth and intact with no chips or separation; interior glass is pristine with no hard water deposits or cloudiness
• Seller's Note: The 6815 is a quintessential example of Joel Myers' late-60s work. Because this specific color combination was only produced for two years (1968 and 1969), finding one in such flawless condition is an extraordinary opportunity for the serious Blenko connoisseur.

History

First introduced to the public in the landmark 1968 Blenko Glass Company catalog, this iconic #6815 silhouette was designed by legendary artist and design director Joel Philip Myers. Myers completely transformed Blenko's post-war production lines by infusing traditional mid-century functional shapes with the playful, bold, and unapologetic ethos of the emerging American Studio Glass movement. The complex manufacturing process behind the 6815 required incredible speed and teamwork from a multi-artisan shop floor: after the primary Lemon yellow body was blown and plunged into cold water to achieve its internal "crackle" fracturing, a second master gaffer quickly gathered molten Tangerine glass on an iron rod, drawing it out into a continuous dimensional thread and wrapping it around the hot vessel to fuse the two elements permanently together. Today, collectors deeply covet pieces from this specific 1968–1969 catalog run; the short-lived, two-year lifespan of this vibrant color blocking perfectly captures the peak, transitionary golden age of Appalachian art glass craftsmanship just as it collided with the global psychedelic pop-art movement.