Orrefors

Orrefors glass works, named after the small southern Swedish village in which it was founded, was established in 1898 when glass production was added to the local ironworks and sawmill complex. Initially, the glass factory produced medical and domestic glassware, such as jars and bottles. It was not until 1913 when skilled artisans and designers were employed to develop collections that an iconic new era of Swedish glass production began.

Ten years later following the decision to go in a more creative direction, Orrefors had expanded into the international market and gained a reputation for excellence. This success was definitely highlighted in 1925, when Orrefors and their designers were awarded the Grand Prix at the highly influential Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

The post-war era ushered in a more sculptural and modernist aesthetic. The resulting simple and subtle forms rendered the Orrefors brand synonymous with fine Swedish glass. During this period, a number of ingenious glass making techniques were developed also, making production more efficient and available to a larger market. One such example is the Fuga technique, which was created by designer Sven Palmqvist.

One of Orrefors’ well known designers is Nils Landberg (1907 – 1991). He was most famous for his ‘Tulip’ and ‘Dusk’ series, which have become icons of Swedish Mid-century Modern design. Both designs consist of handblown sommerso glass, whereby colour appears suspended or immersed in a single piece of clear crystal. Landberg was greatly praised for ‘Tulip’, which was awarded a gold medal at the XI Triennale in Milan in 1957 and belongs to the collections of both the National Museum in Stockholm and MoMA in New York.

In addition to Landberg, many other celebrated designers, such as Edvin Öhrström and Ingeborg Lundin, greatly contributed to Orrefors’ propensity for elegant yet, innovative glassware. Today, a museum displaying this rich heritage remains on the original site of the glass factory and the company, now operating as Orresfors Kosta Boda, is the largest glass works group in Scandinavia.