Le Bois d’Ylva Vase Galet Vase
Le Bois d’Ylva Vase Galet Vase

Galet Vase

$1,232

Made by Le Bois d’Ylva

Sculpted from Arolla Pine harvested in the Southern Alps, the Galet Vase takes its name from the smooth river pebble, then subverts that quietude with fire. Each piece is hand-turned and torched, coaxing a crackled surface from the wood that recalls the ancient Japanese practice of Raku pottery, where heat and chance collaborate to form something unrepeatable.

Designer Natacha Heitz applies color into the cracks themselves, so the marbled finish becomes inseparable from the object's structure. No two vases carry the same pattern. The process, as much as the form, is the work: Heitz grounds her practice in the Zen principles of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.

  • Material: Arolla Pine (Southern Alps)
  • Technique: hand-turned, torched, marbled color finish
  • Each piece is unique and made to order
Style
Style: Galet 1

Typically ships in 12-14 weeks.

Pairs well with

Product Details

Details
  • Carved from sustainably sourced wood from the Southern Alps.
  • The vases' cRAKoUs or cracked texture is special to the particular wood species used when going through the torching process.
  • A perfect modern vase for stems or small branches though it can stand alone as a piece of art as well.
Measurements

H × Dia

4.75 × 15.75 in.
12 × 40 cm.

  • Pine Wood
Shipping & Returns

Please refer to our shipping and return & exchange policy.

Warranty

Luminaire is an authorized retailer of Le Bois d’Ylva. The product comes with a full manufacturer warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Arolla Pine and why is it used for the Galet Vase?

Arolla Pine, also known as Swiss Stone Pine or Pinus cembra, grows at high altitudes in the Southern Alps and is prized for its fine, consistent grain and warm, resinous character. Its density and stability make it well-suited to hand-turning, while its natural tone responds vividly to the torching process Natacha Heitz employs.

How does the torching process create the crackled surface?

Controlled flame is applied directly to the turned wood, causing the surface fibers to contract and split in organic, unpredictable patterns. Heitz then works color into these fissures, so the crackled texture becomes both the decorative surface and the structural record of how the piece was made.

What is the connection between the Galet Vase and Raku pottery?

Raku is a Japanese ceramic tradition originating in the 16th century, characterized by low-temperature firing, hand-forming, and the embrace of imperfection as an aesthetic value. Heitz draws a parallel in her wooden pieces, where fire, chance, and restraint produce surfaces that are irreproducible and deeply individual.

Is each Galet Vase unique?

Yes. Because the cracking pattern is determined by the wood's grain and the unpredictable behavior of flame, no two pieces are identical. The vases are made to order, which further ensures that each object is produced with singular attention.

Can the Galet Vase hold water or fresh flowers?

The Galet Vase is conceived primarily as a sculptural object rather than a functional vessel. It is best used with dried botanicals or as a standalone piece, as prolonged contact with water may affect the wood and its finish.

Brand

Le Bois d’Ylva
Galet Vase

Le Bois d’Ylva

Founded in 2013 in Molines-en-Queyras, France, Le Bois d’Ylva specializes in sculpted and turned wood objects, vases, and decorative pieces defined by fire-worked textures, natural materials, and poetic craftsmanship.