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Orrefors Barware

The Swedish design philosophy of “beautiful things for everyday life” is actualized in the vintage glassware of Orrefors. Founded in 1898, this glass manufacturer was one of the leading companies in the Scandinavian modernism movement and is revered by collectors for the fine craftsmanship and innovation of its superlative art glass.

Orrefors began making art glass — works that, distinct from mass-production pieces, are made in small numbers to showcase the skills and talents of artists and artisans — in 1913. Two of the first artists hired by the firm were Simon Gate and Edward Hald, who worked initially in the organic Art Nouveau style, and later proved adept with the geometric imagery of the Art Deco period.

Hald and Gate worked closely with glassblowers to refine traditional glassmaking methods, creating new materials such as "graal" glass. In the graal technique a design made with colored glass is encased in layers of transparent glass, preserving the image while the overall glass form is worked and shaped. Orrefors won an international following when it presented such pieces in Paris in 1925 at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes — the design fair whose name gave rise to the term Art Deco.

In the years following that success, Orrefors attracted more dynamic and experimental artists such as Vicke Lindstrand and Edvin Ohrström, who joined the company in the 1930s. Lindstrand and Ohstrom worked with glassblowers to create the "ariel" glass technique, an innovation that produces deeper, richer imagery that seems to morph and flow as light is refracted by the glass.

As you will see from the items offered on 1stDibs, there is a special aesthetic quality to vintage Orrefors glass. Whether a vase or a set of wine goblets, the work of this premier Swedish company represents the apex of functional artistry.

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Creator: Orrefors
Nils Landberg For Orrefors Crystal Ship Decanter 4200-731
By Nils Landberg, Orrefors
Located in Chicago, IL
Heavy crystal ship decanter by Nils Landberg for Orrefors, number 4200-731. The shape of the decanter, with the weight being spread out at the ba...
Category

1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Orrefors Barware

Materials

Crystal

Orrefors Crystal Drinks Decanters by Nils Landberg 'Individually Priced'
By Orrefors, Nils Landberg
Located in Austin, TX
A fine pair of large crystal drinks decanters or ship's decanters for wine, whiskey, and spirits, designed by Nils Landberg for Orrefors, Sweden, wh...
Category

20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Orrefors Barware

Materials

Crystal

Art Deco Revival Crystal Decanter by Orrefors Sweden, Signed
By Orrefors
Located in Esbjerg, DK
A fine, heavy and thick stock very clear crystal decanter for your cognac, whiskey or port. Distinct Art Deco styling with multiple facets and deep grooves. It was made by Orrefors i...
Category

20th Century Swedish Art Deco Orrefors Barware

Materials

Crystal

Vintage Mid-Century Orrefors Crystal Decanter with Stopper
By Orrefors
Located in Soquel, CA
Elegant Mid-Century Modern vintage crystal decanter with stopper by Orrefors (Swedish, founded 1898), c. 1960's. Engraved signature to base Orrefors HM 2498 - this particular style was by Edvard Hall. Includes original red Orrefors Sweden sticker with logo. "Orrefors HM 2498" etched into base. Measures 11.5" H x 3" W x 3" D. Orrefors Glassworks was founded in 1898 on the same site where ironworks operations had been run since 1726. In the same year that the glassworks was founded, a hot shop was built for making technical, medical and household glass and stemware to make use of waste wood and labour. Glass now replaced the less profitable ironworks operations. In 1913, Consul Johan Ekman from Gothenburg became the new owner of Orrefors Glassworks. He appointed Albert Ahlin as manager of the glassworks and this marked the start of a new era. In 1914, Orrefors started manufacturing crystal products, and as well as cut crystal according to purchased patterns and samples, Orrefors made art glass using the overlay technique with etched decoration. The new management quickly saw that artists were needed in the business, so Simon Gate was employed in 1916 and was joined by Edward Hald a year later. That same year, Gate and Hald made their first tentative attempts at figure engraving. They also experimented with the new innovative graal (grail) glass technique that was developed at Orrefors by the master glassblower Knut Bergqvist. The major successes were achieved a few years later at the Gothenburg Exhibition in 1923, and in particular at the Paris Exhibition in 1925. The thin engraved glass was admired by the surrounding world, and both Orrefors and the artists themselves were awarded the Grand Prix. The successes of Simon Gate and Edward Hald in Paris in 1925 constituted the start of the long Orrefors tradition of creative design closely combined with genuine and innovative craftsmanship. Since then, new designers and skilled glassmakers have continued in the spirit of Gate and Hald. Vicke Lindstrand and Edvin Öhrström with the new glass technique called Ariel in the 1930s. Sven Palmqvist with Kraka and Ravenna in the 1940s. And in the 1950s with Fuga, which, along with Nils Landberg’s slender tulip-shaped glass “Tulpan” and Ingeborg Lundin’s apple-shaped vase “Äpplet”, are now seen as symbols of the renaissance of Swedish design. The 1960s are associated with Gunnar Cyrén’s Pop glass, and in the 1970s, Eva Englund, Olle Alberius, Lars Hellsten and Jan Johansson as well as Cyrén worked at the glassworks. Since the 1980s, designers such as Anne Nilsson, Erika Lagerbielke, Helen Krantz, Matz Borgström, Per B Sundberg, Martti Rytkönen, Lena Bergström, Ingegerd Råman, Malin Lindahl and Efva Attling...
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Orrefors Barware

Materials

Crystal

Vintage Swedish Glassware 1960s Set 5
By Sven Palmquist, Orrefors
Located in Asaa, DK
Vintage Swedish glassware 1960s Set 5 Mid-century modern barware. A stylish and colorful addition to the bar cart or bar cabinet. This set ...
Category

1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Orrefors Barware

Materials

Glass

Pair of Chic Swedish Decanters Sven Palqvist
By Orrefors
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A chic pair of water clear Swedish crystal decanters. The bulbous bottoms with panel cut long necks with slender faceted stoppers. Signed Orr...
Category

1970s Swedish Modern Vintage Orrefors Barware

Materials

Crystal

Set of 11 Signed Orrefors Hand Painted Enamel Goblets W/ Whimsical Decoration
By Orrefors
Located in Great Barrington, MA
A wonderful set of 11 large goblets, made by Orrefors with panel cut and polished columnar stems. Each signed glass is individually hand painted with whimsical and playful "drawings"...
Category

1950s Swedish Vintage Orrefors Barware

Materials

Blown Glass

Orrefors Gin And Tonic Glass 4-Pack
By Orrefors
Located in Wilkes Barre, PA
Gin and Tonic from Orrefors has a large, balloon-shaped bowl that holds 22 oz, which provides space for plenty of ice and garnishes, like rosemary or bla...
Category

2010s German Orrefors Barware

Materials

Crystal

Pair of Heavy Crystal Bowl Vases by Orrefors
By Orrefors
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Pair of fine crystal vases bowls by Orrefors of Sweden.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Orrefors Barware

Early Modernist Cut Crystal Ice Bucket by Orrefors
By Orrefors
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
Early rare cut crystal ice bucket attributed to Orrefors, circa 1950. Great design and repeating pattern. Looks incredible from any angle.
Category

Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Orrefors Barware

Materials

Crystal

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Previously Available Items
Circa 1960s Orrefors Glass Ship Decanter
By Orrefors
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Danish Modern Dyrlund Teak Bar Caddy with Orrefors Crystal Liquor Bottles
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Set of 11 Signed Orrefors Handpainted Enamel Goblets W/ Whimsical Decoration
By Orrefors
Located in Great Barrington, MA
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Orrefors Cut Glass Decanter
By Orrefors
Located in Stamford, CT
1990s Orrefors cut glass decanter. Signed on the bottom.
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Vintage Orrefors, Sweden Crystal Decanter
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Pair of Clear Glass Orrefors Decanters by Vicke Lindstrand Mid-Century Modern
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Orrefors barware for sale on 1stDibs.

Orrefors barware are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of stone and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Orrefors barware, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 9 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 1 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original barware by Orrefors were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider barware by Kosta Boda, Erik Höglund, and Arne Jacobsen. Prices for Orrefors barware can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $80 and can go as high as $4,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $890.
Questions About Orrefors Barware
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    If the Orrefors piece was made using the Ariel technique, then yes, the piece will be signed by the artist and will also have a serial number and date code to help specify the production date. Shop a collection of expertly vetted Orrefors designs from some of the world’s top boutiques on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023
    Orrefors is from Sweden. The glassworks opened in Orrefors, Småland, in 1898 and began producing drinking vases, drinkware and other home goods in 1913. Shop a range of Orrefors glassware on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertJune 30, 2023
    Yes, Orrefors is Swedish. The glassworks produces its luxury crystalware at a factory in a village called Orrefors, located in Småland, Sweden. It has operated there since 1898. On 1stDibs, shop a range of Orrefors crystal pieces from some of the world’s top sellers.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 17, 2023
    To identify Orrefors, look for a signature on the bottom of the piece. All pieces made after 1930 typically show the Orrefors name, a serial number and the word "Graal," which refers to the technique used to produce the maker's crystalware. You may also see the word "Sweden" or "Suède" on some pieces. Prior to 1947, Orrefors also indicated the year of production under the signature. If you're still uncertain of the authenticity, consider using the services of a certified appraiser. Find a variety of Orrefors pieces on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023
    Whether Orrefors crystal is lead-free depends on its age. Since 1951, the brand hasn't used lead in its pieces. Earlier crystal ware may contain lead. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of Orrefors crystal glassware and decorative objects.

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