Åfors 1950's Young Woman Nude Engraved Glass Vase, Ernest Gordon, Handblown Swedish Crystal

A rare and significant piece from Ernest Gordon, the young woman is delicately portrayed in silhouette, engraved with the traditional copper-wheel process. Signed and numbered, this beautiful little vase is 2.5" x 3" wide and 5" tall.

Ernest Gordon Adsetts was born in Sheffield, England, on Boxing Day, 1926. He went to Stockholm in early 1954 to work in glass, first designing for Kosta with Vicke Lindstrand, and then later that year for Åfors, where he worked until 1961. He was known as Ernest Gordon whilst working in Sweden.

Åfors glassworks was built in Åfors in 1876 by Carl-Albert Fagerlund . Recent owners include Eric Johansson, who eventually adopted the Åfors family name after the mill and the resort, and was the director in 1916–54.

In 1978 the glassworks was purchased by Upsala-Ekeby AB, and in 1990 by the Orrefors Kosta Boda Group. In 1978, there were about 150 employees. In February 2012, the Group announced the closure of the mill as a result of the problems in the world economy, and in the summer of 2013 all operations were closed down.