This week's Mid Century Monday feature almost didn't make it on Monday, but I'm squeezing it in. Got a last minute offer on babysitting this morning, so I ran off to the Labor Day sales at the thrifts!
Glassware has got to be the vintage area that I know LEAST about, so this week's feature will be short!
Orrefors is a Swedish glass company that began to focus on crystal glassware and art glass in the early 1900s. The company is still around and making pieces today.
The mid-century period of Orrefors glass is described on their own website. "Intensive experimentation and a continuous search for new means of expression generated results. Orrefors participated in the New York World Fair in 1939 and launched the concept of Swedish Modern. The exhibition was a major success for modern Orrefors glass – colorful, vigorous and exotic. In 1947, Ingeborg Lundin became the first woman designer at Orrefors. She gave a new, dynamic aspect to engraved glass. Nils Landberg’s “Tulip Glass” and Ingeborg Lundin’s “Apple” illustrate the graceful, daring glass of the 1950’s, which together with Palmqvist’s centrifuged bowls created a worldwide stir. Gunnar Cyren, a silver- and goldsmith, came to Orrefors in 1959 and responded to the trends o the 1960s with such works as Pop Glass."
I didn't go out looking for Orrefors- you could say the piece above found me. Like I said, glassware is not my main area of interest, but being newly interested in mid-century mod style, I've been doing my research. I've been looking through shops on Etsy and reading blogs. So when I saw the above piece at a thrift store (I think it's a votive holder) I knew it had that LOOK.
I flipped it over and saw the signature. The name sounded familiar. A quick search on my phone confirmed it was Swedish so it came home with me.
My research continued but I've hit a brick wall. I can't find this piece anywhere. The only other place I've seen it is in someone else's mid-century modern webstore. They hadn't been able to identify it either. I'm hesitating listing it until I can learn more, so I think I'll email Orrefors and just ask 'em!! What do you think?
