Collection: Kumela Glass (Finland)

Kumela Glass grew out of a family glass-decorating business in Riihimäki, Finland, during the early 1930s. The brothers initially painted and engraved glass obtained from other producers before establishing their own furnace in 1937. This distinction separates the workshop’s beginnings from the glassworks itself, which the Finnish Glass Museum dates to 1937–1985.

The factory produced practical household glass alongside decorative pieces. Its output included drinking vessels, carafes, bowls and vases, with the variety of its later work reflecting the changing tastes of the post-war decades rather than a single house style.

During the 1960s and 1970s, heavier forms, textured surfaces and sculptural combinations became an important part of its identity. Kai Blomqvist is associated with substantial textured vessels, while Pentti Sarpaneva’s work combined glass with patterned metal mounts. These contrasting materials give many pieces a particularly tactile expression of Finnish modern design.

Kumela was acquired by Humppila in 1976 and continued producing under the Kumela name. Production ended in 1985. The relationship between the two businesses can complicate identification, so a maker’s signature, label or documented model is more useful than assuming that all similar glass belongs to one factory.

For collectors, Kumela offers a varied view of Finnish glassmaking: everyday domestic objects sit alongside coloured art glass, deeply worked surfaces and glass-and-metal designs. Its history is best understood as that of a distinct Riihimäki producer, rather than folded into the ownership history of unrelated Finnish brands.

Read more about Kumela at the Finnish Glass Museum here.