Saturday 6 July 2013

The House of Glass (II)

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On Friday, my brother and I visited The House of Glass, a glass museum at Limmared; a village about 35 km south east of Borås. Limmareds glasbruk, founded in 1740, is Sweden's oldest still running glassworks – maybe best known as manufacturer of the Absolut Vodka bottle. (The third largest brand of alcoholic spirits in the world, according to omniscient Wiki.)

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The entrance to the glass museum. (The bottle to the right I copied from Google Images. I’ve never even tasted the stuff.)

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Old glassworks equipment

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A model of the glassworks and village in 1902.

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Where the magic takes place…
Live demonstration.

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The same photo as in yesterday’s blogpost,
somewhat straightened up (for Adrian!)

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The same glass case seen from the other side,
looking towards the windows.

 

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This one is for Sandra!

 

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Painted white glass.

 

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Edvin Ollers (1888-1959)


Swedish designer and artist who
designed a lot of products for Limmared
from the late 1920s into the 1940s;
among other things perfume bottles.
He also made designs for other glassworks;
and also worked with other materials
like tin, silver, ceramics and oil painting.

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Close-ups of some of the smaller objects.

 

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Modern installation art: Bottle Post

The House of Glass also contains an exhibition hall for contemporary art, a small shop and a café. There will be some more pictures coming up in later posts.

Linking this post to Shadow Shot Sunday

13 comments:

  1. This is great.
    Everyone needs an editor.
    The revised shot of the case is beautiful. Nothing you can do about the wonky candle except ask them to straighten it up.
    A really good trip round.
    Vodka doesn't taste in my limited experience. I'll get a bottle and let you know.

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    Replies
    1. Glad the improved picture met with your approval, Adrian ;)

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  2. Vodka is my preferred base for cocktails, but I can't drink the stuff on its own.

    I know this is silly, but what impressed me most (well, maybe not most, but a lot) in these pictures of the glass museum is the beautiful hair of the lady demonstrating the magic of glass-making.

    The painted white glass vases are wonderful, I would have sworn they're china!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Meike, hair like that and working with fire is quite a daring combination, isn't it!

      I don't drink alochol at all and know very little about cocktails.

      I agree with you about the vases, I would have taken them for china if there hadn't been a sign to say they were white glass.

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  3. It was nice to see a lady actually involved in glass making.
    Many years ago when I visited a glass works company in Venezuela, only men were involved.
    I store all of my filtered water in Absolut Vodka bottles.....it tastes far better when stored in glass bottles in the fridge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bought a postcard with an old photo from the glassworks and in that picture they are all men. I'm sure back then it was heavy work - and dirty. Nowadays I suppose handblown glass is counted as art rather than industry.

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  4. I like the last two the best, and would love to buy one of those pretty boxes. In fact, I would love that whole big art piece in my kitchen, is is a WOW factor. The equipment looks midevel, almost like torture implements or something. I think I see your brother's reflection!

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  5. The glass bottles and the small objects are wonderfully made. Glass like that sings with beauty to me. I just read a great mystery with lots of scenes set in an art glass factory on a Venetian island, Donna Leon's "Through a Glass Darkly".

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  6. Intriguing photos! I have had this Absolut vodka before, so it great to know where the glassware originates. The last few photos of all the different glassware styles are so enchanting! Love them!

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  7. oh wow wow on the last two photos. i love everything in those photos.. and would like to have any or all of it... i like the front door is shaped like a bottle. i would love to watch the girl making the glass... of course it could be because i see FIRE in there...

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  8. What a wonderful way to spend a day! I have a weakness for glass dishes! I am loving the photographs!

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  9. I love glass in its functional forms and some of the cut and decorated glass from my parents and grandparents is exceptionally beautiful and is still in use in my house on a daily basis. However as a purely decorative art form I've never been attracted to it and much prefer ceramics. I'm not quite sure why. I'd still very much enjoy going round the museum.

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  10. I'm ashamed to say there is a glass museum very close to us in St Helens and I've never been in it. I did once watch some glass-blowing at a small glassworks that made tourist articles. It was fascinating and appeared so skilfu;.
    I love that painted white glass. And I'm a sucker for any sort of model village.

    ReplyDelete

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