ERIKA LAGERBIELKE ‘MIRROR’ VASE FOR ORREFORS

A heavy thick walled lead crystal vase from the 'Mirror" line designed by Erika Lagerbielke for Orrefors Glasbruk, Sweden. ORREFORS GLASBRUK was founded in 1898 on the site of an earlier ironworks, also named Orrefors, which means 'the Orre waterfall'.  It was not until 1913, when the Consul Johan Ekman bought the factory, that Orrefors started to produce things such as drinking glasses, vases and other items. Up until that time, Orrefors mainly produced bottles and glass for windows. Johan Ekman was a wealthy man and also owned a cellulose factory. This was also the reason why he bought Orrefors glasbruk – with the factory he purchased extensive woodlands. Ekman brought in the manager of his cellulose factory, Albert Ahlin, to manage Orrefors. Ahlin hired Oscar Landås, Eugen and Knut Bergkvist (both came from Kosta), Fritz Blomqvist and Heinrich Wollman. The latter came from Bohemia, where there has been a long tradition in (art-)glassmaking. The first attempts at more modern glass w