Orrefors
Fuga (1954), Sven PalmqvistFounded in 1898 on the site of an older iron works, Orrefors glassworks mainly produced window glass and bottles. In 1913, when Consul Johan Ekman bought the factory, Orrefors started to produce drinking glasses, vases and other house-ware items.
Developed by Sven Palmqvist, a significant designer for Orrefors, the iconic Fuga technique was enabled to mass-produce cheap domestic glasswares. Palmquist poured molten glass into a spinning mould that, through its centrifugal spinning force (‘fuga’), presses the glass outward and upward. The whole process can be done automatically and takes less then one minute. When the glass pops out, it is completely finished and does not need to be polished or did not need manual finishing in any other way.
Trivia:
* Fuga pieces were produced in large quantities, which contributed to their iconic value but not to their intrinsic value. Pieces in other techniques, such as Ariel, Graal, Slipgraal, Kraka, Ravenna, Fabula or Litograal are much rarer and command higher prices than Fuga pieces.
Care has been taken to trace the ownership of any copyright material and to contact the owner. The author does not intend to infringe on anyone’s copyright for text, photos or otherwise. Anyone who feels that any item in these pages may have inadvertently breeched their copyright should advise the author via the contact sheet, including a link to the page, so that appropriate remedial action can be taken.
