A fabulous and highly collectible 1960s Dutch glass cookie jar by Royal Leerdam / Kristalunie, associated with renowned Dutch designer Floris Meydam.

This wonderfully modern piece combines beautifully clear, substantial glass with striking cobalt blue glass accents. The cylindrical clear glass body stands on a bold blue pedestal foot, while the fitted clear glass lid is topped with a wonderfully sculptural, disc-shaped cobalt blue finial.

The design has an interesting history. The original Leerdam cookie jar form was designed by Jacques Boon in the 1930s. During the early 1960s, under Floris Meydam’s design leadership, the design was modernised, including a change to the knob, and versions were produced incorporating blue and green glass.

The result is a superb example of Dutch Mid-Century Modern design — simple, functional and incredibly striking.

Although originally designed as a biscuit or cookie jar, today it would look fantastic used as a decorative storage jar, sweet jar or simply displayed as a piece of vintage European art glass.

Details

Designer/attribution: Floris Meydam / earlier form by Jacques Boon
Maker: Glasfabriek Leerdam / Royal Leerdam – Kristalunie
Origin: Netherlands
Date: circa 1960s
Material: Glass
Colour: Clear with cobalt blue
Style: Dutch Modernist / Mid-Century Modern
Diameter: approximately 17 cm
Overall height: approximately 15 cm

Comparable blue-and-clear examples are documented at around 16 cm diameter and 13.5–14.5 cm high, which places this example firmly within the known range.

Condition

Good vintage condition overall.

There are a few very small flea-bite chips/nibbles to the underside/inner edge of the glass lid, as clearly shown in the close-up photographs. These are predominantly concealed when the lid is in position and do not detract significantly from the overall appearance.

There are also light surface marks and signs of use commensurate with age.

Please study all photographs carefully as they form part of the condition description.

A beautiful and increasingly collectible piece of 20th-century Dutch design, particularly appealing to collectors of Floris Meydam, Royal Leerdam, Kristalunie and European Mid-Century Modern glass.