Orrefors Lundin 1965 Pussy Willow Design, Copper Wheel Engraved, Swedish Crystal Vase, Perfect Gift

Ingeborg Lundin was the first female artist hired at Orrefors. She worked there from 1947 to 1971, and may be best known for her large, delicate, very round, hand blown, "Apple" vases. By contrast, this sturdier piece is blown into a mould and copper-wheel engraved. Lundin's engraved motifs always show a touch of whimsy, and these pussy willows are no exception.

This unique vase is 5" wide, 2.75" deep, and 4" tall, and heavy for its size, weighing just over 2 pounds. The design code 4008 tells me it was designed in the mid-1960s, the date code D4 means that this particular piece was made in 1965. The last initial refers to the engraver, which would be Ove Bjerding, who worked at Orrefors from 1928 to 1970.

The Orrefors story began in 1726, when an ironworks and smith was built near “the beautiful river that flows into Lake Orranäs” in the Swedish countryside. It was given the name Orrefors, which means “the Orre waterfall.” ("Orre" is the Swedish name for the black grouse, which is the bird seen on their iconic labels.) The foundry was converted to a glassworks in 1898, as the demand for iron decreased. By the mid-1920s, Orrefors was celebrated for the quality and beauty of its glass. The company employed master artists and craftsmen, some of whom worked their whole careers of 40, 50, or more years at Orrefors.