Orrefors Collections 2009 - Made in Sweden
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The birth of art glass in 1917
Simon Gate came to Orrefors in 1916. During the first years beautiful custom and dish glass were produced, but these artists started to also experiment with Grail glass, which was the beginning to Orrefors Glass Factory's first period of greatness. The production of Grail started late into 1916, but quickly grew bigger during 1917.In April 1917 art glass and custom glass were displayed at NK in Stockholm. The epoch making Home Exhibition at Liljevalchs presented glass under the term "more beautiful articles for everyday use".
During autumn of 1917 Orrefors had exhibitions in Norway. In December Edward Hald made a debut in Kristiania, where grail by both Gate and Hald was sold. Some fathomed that something great was happening within the glass industry.
The classicism of the 1920s
During the end of the 1910s and the whole 1920s the engraved glass dominated the Orrefors assortment. Standard production, testimonials, and the various exhibitions show a thin glass covered with skillfully engraved decor in a taunt language of design. A great advancement during this period was the Paris Exhibition in 1925 - the occasion where the Orrefors glass made its international breakthrough. As the only glass factory, Orrefors received the Grand Prix Medal, as did the artists Simon Gate and Edward Hald.Functionalism fever
The glass for Stockholm's exhibition in 1930 was not sketched before production but the design was experimented with directly in the foundry together with the gaffers. The glass now became thick and massive and was not uncommonly seen with a black base. The engraved decor became more sparse. One wanted to bring forth the indwelling beauty of the glass itself. The Grail technique was developed with both fish grail and cut grail.Vicke Lindstrand came to the factory in 1928 and made a debut at Stockholm's exhibition with among other things vases and bowls in enamel painted decor but also with engraved pieces. Edvin Öhrström came to Orrefors in 1936 as a young sculptor, with the assignment of enriching the factory's profile before the world exhibition in Paris in 1917.
Post-war glass
Sven Palmqvist returns to Orrefors after having studied some years at the Technical School and Arts Academy in Stockholm. In 1944 he presented his new art glass series, called Kraka, with a decor that covers the surface like a net. The name comes from the Old Norse Saga of a young girl in love who was to come to her loved one "neither dressed nor undressed", therefore she dressed herself in a fish net. The Ravenna series, which similarly was a big success was launched in 1948 and has received its name from the beautiful mosaics in the city of Ravenna.Helsingborg Sweden
In a large part of the 1950s in Sweden was characterized by a renaissance for architecture and form within the modern home culture. The Swedish art industry including everything in the glass field succeeded in joining beauty with usefulness and thereby achieved great international success. Ingeborg Lundins vase - The Apple - has come to symbolize this time.The Pop-period
The silver forger Gunnar Cyrén was hired in 1959. His "Pop-glass" came to be associated with the 60th century. During the 70th century it became evident that artcrafts were coming back and around the end of the decade high demands were placed on advanced handicraft skills. The Grail technique became once again popular through among others Eva Englund who had come to the factory. She learned the technique from the dean himself - Edward Hald. Other artists at the factory, alongside Gunnar Cyrén, were Olle Alberius, Lars Hellsten, and Jan Johansson.Focusing on the skillfulness
Artcrafts made a powerful return during the 1970s. At the end of the decade, high demands were placed on the degree of skill in handicrafts.The Grail technique became popular anew, when the young gifted designer Eva Englund came to Orrefors. The dean himself, was her schoolmaster. Around this time, workers at the factory included Olle Alberius, Gunnar Cyrén, Lars Hellsten, and Jan Johansson.
The post-modern 80s
In 1986 it was decided to stop the production of glass drawn by designers no longer working for Orrefors. Instead the Gallery concept was introduced, which meant collections of art glass in limited series designed by the current artists at the factory. The first collection in 1988 was a great success. Among other things, Eva Englunds figurative grail glass met approving response both in Sweden and abroad, due to its personal and strong subject world. The following gallery collections were released in 1990 and 1992. During this decade a new, young generation of artists joined Orrefors: Anne Nilsson, Erika Lagerbielke, and Helén Krantz.The 1990s
Following some revolutionary years during the 90s, glass design has entered a new phase. Three younger artists joined Orrefors in the middle of the 90s and allow us to open the door to the design world of the new millennium and tomorrows art glass culture. These are Lena Bergström, Martti Rytkönen, and Per B Sundberg.New designers
In 1998 Orrefors celebrated their 100-year anniversary with several remarkable art glass exhibitions around the world. At the turn of the millennium the well merited glass designer and professor Ingegerd Råman was hired.Since then many new designers joined Orrefors and have made significant contributions to the current collection. The following are brief biographies of these gifted and talented artists.
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