Established 2002
Axel Salto (1889-1961) was a prominent Danish artist with international recognition in the field of ceramics. Salto was a versatile artist who worked in several art forms, including painting, graphic design, book illustration, jewelry, and textiles.
During the 1920s, Salto changed his artistic focus from painting to ceramics, creating around 3000 stoneware works between 1923 and 1950. A significant part of his ceramic works were created in collaboration with Carl Halier in his ceramic workshop in Frederiksberg. His early ceramic works included the polychrome porcelain, which he created in collaboration with Bing & Grøndahl in the years 1923-1925. This porcelain was presented in the Danish pavilion at the World Exhibition in 1925. Later, Salto worked with stoneware in collaboration with Carl Halier (1929-1930) and Saxbo ceramics (1931-1932). From the mid-1930s onwards, he concentrated mainly on his collaboration with the Royal Porcelain Factory in Copenhagen.
Salto was constantly experimenting with his ceramic works, developing unique glazes and organic shapes. He is especially known for three ceramic styles, which are characterized by their ornamental simplicity, either with the fluted style, which is based on repeated simple patterns, the budded style, which was inspired by natural elements such as chestnuts and eucalyptus fruits. Or the budding style that reflects the natural growth principle in plants. Salto used a wide range of glazes, including Chinese and classical glazes such as solfatara and sung, to create his distinctive works.
Axel Salto left behind an impressive legacy in Danish ceramic art and was recognized as one of the most significant artists in the field in the 20th century.
Axel Salto from the studio of Carl Halier - 1929
Height 8,5 cm. (3,3")
Width 24,0 cm. (9,5")
Painted logo of Carl Halier studio
Incised "SALTO 1929"
Unique
Axel Salto from the studio of Carl Halier - 1930s
Height 6,0 cm. (2,4")
Width 9,0 cm. (3,5")
Incised "SALTO"
Purchased at Tajan Auction House, Paris, Lot 36, November 2021
Unique
Axel Salto from the studio of Bode Willumsen - 1933
Height 9,0 cm. (3,5")
Width 12,0 cm. (4,7")
Painted "SALTO 1933"
Unique
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1940s
Height 9,0 cm. (3,5")
Width 11,0 cm. (4,3")
Painted three waves
Incised "SALTO"
Purchased at Hindman Auction, Chicago - October 2023 - former Collection of Judith and Philip Sieg, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1949
Height 36,0 cm. (14,1")
Width 26,0 cm. (10,2")
Painted three waves
Printed "Royal Copenhagen Denmark"
Incised "SALTO"
Purchased at Helsingborgs Auktionsverk - August 2018
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen
Height 3,5 cm. (1,4")
Width 4,7 cm. (1,9")
Painted three waves
Incised "SALTO"
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1941
Height 7,0 cm. (2,8")
Width 9,2 cm. (3,6")
Painted three waves and "5464"
Printed "Royal Copenhagen Denmark"
Incised "SALTO" and "1941"
Purchased at Auktionshuset Hørsholm, Lot 131,
April 2015
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1957
Height 7,5 cm. (3,0")
Width 12,5 cm. (4,9")
Painted three waves and “20566"
Incised "SALTO" and "H029"
Printed “Denmark”
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1965
Height 20,0 cm. (7,9")
Width 9,5 cm. (3,7")
Painted three waves and "20670"
Incised "SALTO"
Printed "Royal Copenhagen Denmark"
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1950
Height 12,0 cm. (4,7")
Width 19,5 cm. (7,7")
Painted three waves
Printed "Royal Copenhagen Denmark"
Incised "SALTO" and “20676”
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1965
Height 5,0 cm. (2,0")
Width 10,5 cm. (4,1")
Painted three waves and "20681"
Printed "Denmark"
Incised "SALTO"
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1964
Height 5,5 cm. (2,2")
Width 8,0 cm. (3,1")
Painted three waves and “20683
Printed "Royal Copenhagen Denmark"
Incised "SALTO"
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1961
Height 15,0 cm. (5,9")
Width 7,3 cm. (2,9")
Painted three waves and “20685
Printed "Royal Copenhagen Denmark"
Incised "SALTO"
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen
Height 6,0 cm. (2,4")
Width 9,0 cm. (3,5")
Painted three waves
Incised "SALTO" and "20686"
Purchased from Lauritz.com Auction,
Lot. 4998487, May 16th. 2018
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1951
Height 15,5 cm. (6,1")
Width 22,0 cm. (8,7")
Painted three waves
Printed "Denmark"
Incised "SALTO" and "20709"
Purchased at Lauritz.com, March 2011
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen
Height 14,5 cm. (5,7")
Width 14,5 cm. (5,7")
Painted three waves
Incised "SALTO" and "20710"
Purchased at eBay.com, September 2010
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1961
Height 23,5 cm. (5,7")
Width 18,5 cm. (5,7")
Painted three waves
Incised "SALTO" and "20329" (21329*)
Purchased at Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneer
Part of the Bonhams network
Auction 922/662, September 19, 2024
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1957
Height 13,0 cm. (5,1")
Width 12,0 cm. (4,7")
Painted three waves and "21451"
Incised "SALTO" and printed "Denmark"
Purchased at Tradera.com, March 2024
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1957
Height 22 cm. (8,7")
Width 15 cm. (5,9")
Painted three waves
Printed "Denmark"
Incised "SALTO" and painted "21452"
Purchased at Tradera.com, April 2011
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1957
Height 8,0 cm. (3,1")
Width 19,5 cm. (7,7")
Painted three waves and "21457"
Printed "Royal Copenhagen Denmark"
Incised "SALTO"
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1980-84
Height 10,5 cm. (4,1")
Width 8,0 cm. (3,1")
Painted three waves
Printed "Denmark"
Incised "SALTO" and "21473"
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1964
Height 10,3 cm. (4,0")
Width 7,5 cm. (3,0")
Painted three waves
Printed "Denmark"
Incised "SALTO" and "21473"
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1958
Height 8,0 cm. (3,1")
Width 6,5 cm. (2,6")
Painted three waves
Printed "Denmark"
Incised "SALTO" and "21475"
Purchased at Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneer,
Auction 2409/750, February 27, 2024
Axel Salto for Royal Copenhagen - 1966
Height 5,0 cm. (2,0")
Width 9,5 cm. (3,7")
Painted three waves
Printed "Denmark"
Incised "SALTO" and painted "21477"