Limited Edition Object + Totem Bottle Vase

Have you heard of online startup Of A Kind? If not, bookmark it now. The online retailer commissions limited-edition pieces from emerging designers, and until now, it's been a mix of clothing, jewelry, and accessories. We hear they're moving into the home goods sphere, and this week's edition is a good sign for ceramics enthusiasts.
Text by

Of a Kind has tapped Julianne Ahn—a RISD graduate who holds an MFA in fibers and materials studies from the Art of Institute of Chicago—who founded Object & Totem in 2011. The studio is based in Philadelphia, where Ahn moved back home, post-college, in order to figure out her career track. A stress-busting wheel-throwing class led to the formation of her own modern ceramics studio: think therapy via clay. Check out the process behind Object + Totem's Indigo Chrome Bottle Vase ($36) here, and buy it here. And for a behind-the-scenes look at the Philadelphia studio, head to Sight Unseen.

Limited Edition Object + Totem Bottle Vase - Photo 1 of 2 -

Julianne Ahn of Object + Totem explains, "I have a few different glazes that I work with. It’s interesting because you can glaze them all the same and they will all come out differently. It has to do with the foundation and its reaction to the glaze. It’s just a matter of brushing the glaze on really evenly and turning your hand. It’s obvious when it’s hand-painted versus dipped or poured."

Limited Edition Object + Totem Bottle Vase - Photo 2 of 2 -

The Indigo Chrome Bottle Vase (which, with cork included can also work as a bottle) combines speckled clay, ombré striping, and a metallic chrome glaze—all done by hand from Object + Totem's Philadelphia studio.

Kelsey Keith
Dwell Contributor
Kelsey Keith has written about design, art, and architecture for a variety of print and online publications.

Published

Last Updated

Get the Dwell Newsletter

Be the first to see our latest home tours, design news, and more.