Kingdom of Crystal

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Shopping examples from the Kingdom of Crystal Glasriket-Smaland.jpg
Shopping examples from the Kingdom of Crystal

The Kingdom of Crystal (Swedish: Glasriket, The glass realm) is a geographical area today containing a total of 14 glassworks in the municipalities of Emmaboda, Nybro, Uppvidinge, and Lessebo in southern Sweden. [1] [2] [3] The two municipalities Emmaboda and Nybro belong to Kalmar County and Lessebo and Uppvidinge belong to Kronoberg County. The area is part of the province Småland, and Nybro is considered the capital of the Kingdom of Crystal area. [1] The Kingdom of Crystal is known for its handblown glass with a continuous story since 1742. [4] The glassworks have become part of the culture of Sweden; examples can be found in many Swedish homes, recognisable by a small sticker at the bottom with the name Orrefors, Kosta, etc. The height of glass production was the end of the 19th century during which 77 glass factories were established with more than half of them situated in Småland. [5]

Contents

When touring the forested province of Småland in Sweden, it is normal to visit at least one of the glassworks. The larger ones have adjacent museums and are open for visitors to see the glass blowing hall, normally looking down from a platform. Food is available as well as shopping for various glass products such as glasses, bowls, vases and unique glass ornaments. The Kingdom of Crystal is a popular and a well known tourist destination. [3] The Regional Council of Kalmar County conducts a study every four years to survey the Swedish public regarding their knowledge and awareness about Kalmar County, its places to visit and tourist attractions. The survey was conducted by Kantar Sifo and included 1500 respondents aged 20–79 years old. The survey results found that the Kingdom of Crystal area was the most visited tourist attraction in the Kalmar County attracting a wide range of people. One in five aged 40–79 years old had visited the area in the last five years. The visitors had no significant difference in terms of geographical belonging, income or gender. The only difference that could be noted was that the group visiting the area tended to be of older age rather than young. Among the respondents aged 40–65+ years old only 3% claimed they never heard of the Kingdom of Crystal. [6]

The more notable are Orrefors Glasbruk, with the adjacent National School of Glass and Kosta Glasbruk, which is the basis for the Kosta Boda company. Each one of the glassworks have distinctive design traditions, character and atmosphere.

Companies

Glassworks

In the Kingdom of Crystal, there are a large number of small businesses in the glass industry, which are often spin-offs from some of the larger companies. Activities of these businesses include:

Training

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalmar County</span> County (län) of Sweden

Kalmar County is a county or län in southern Sweden. It borders the counties of Kronoberg, Jönköping, Blekinge and Östergötland. To the east in the Baltic Sea is the island Gotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmaboda Municipality</span> Municipality in Kalmar County, Sweden

Emmaboda Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, in south-eastern Sweden. Its seat is located in the town Emmaboda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nybro Municipality</span> Municipality in Kalmar County, Sweden

Nybro Municipality is a municipality in Kalmar County, south-eastern Sweden, with its seat in the town Nybro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kronoberg County</span> County (län) of Sweden

Kronoberg County is a county or län in southern Sweden. Kronoberg is one of three counties in the province of Småland. It borders the counties of Skåne, Halland, Jönköping, Kalmar, and Blekinge. Its capital is the city of Växjö. While Kronoberg is an inland county, the southernmost fringes are about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the coastline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lessebo Municipality</span> Municipality in Kronoberg County, Sweden

Lessebo Municipality is a municipality in eastern Kronoberg County in southern Sweden, where the town Lessebo is seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmaboda</span> Place in Småland, Sweden

Emmaboda is a locality and the seat of Emmaboda Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden. It had 4,824 inhabitants in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nybro</span> Place in Småland, Sweden

Nybro is a city and the seat of Nybro Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 13,583 inhabitants in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosta Glasbruk</span>

Kosta Glasbruk, later known as Kosta Boda, is a Swedish glassmaking company founded by two foreign officers in Charles XII's army, Anders Koskull and Georg Bogislaus Staël von Holstein, in 1742. The name is a portmanteau of the founders' surnames, Ko(skull) + Sta(el). It is located in Kosta, Sweden, which was named for the company. The surrounding region has become known as the "Kingdom of Crystal" and is now a tourist site which attracts a million visitors annually.

The National School of Glass in Orrefors is an educational center focused on glass arts, design and entrepreneurship in the field of glass. It was located next to the Orrefors glassworks in the Orrefors with the same name, at the center of what is known as the Kingdom of Crystal in Småland in Southern Sweden. The glassworks in Orrefors closed in 2012. The school then moved to Pukeberg in Nybro, which has become one of the main remaining glassworks centres in Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orrefors</span> Place in Småland, Sweden

Orrefors is a locality situated in southern Sweden and part of Nybro Municipality, Kalmar County, with 719 inhabitants in 2010. The township belongs to Hälleberga parish and is primarily famous for its glassworks with the same name. Orrefors is part of the province Småland and the area known as Kingdom of Crystal. The area is famous for its glassworks and include the municipalities of Emmaboda, Nybro, Uppvidinge, Växjö and Lessebo in southern Sweden. Orrefors glasswork is one of the most notable with the adjacent National School of Glass and Kosta Glasbruk, which is the basis for the Kosta Boda company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boda glasbruk</span> Place in Småland, Sweden

Boda Glasbruk is a village situated in Emmaboda Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden. It had 201 inhabitants in 2005.

Alstermo is a locality situated in Uppvidinge Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 829 inhabitants in 2010.

Kosta is a locality situated in Lessebo Municipality, Kronoberg County, Sweden with 884 inhabitants in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Småland</span> Historical province of Sweden

Småland is a historical province in southern Sweden. Småland borders Blekinge, Scania, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. The Latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages. The highest point in Småland is Tomtabacken, at 377 metres (1,237 ft). In terms of total area, Småland is similar in size to Belgium and Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smålands Fotbollförbund</span>

The Smålands Fotbollförbund(Småland Football Association) is one of the 24 district organisations of the Swedish Football Association. It administers lower tier football in the historical provinces of Småland and Öland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orrefors Glassworks</span>

Orrefors Glassworks is a glassworks in the Swedish village Orrefors in Småland. Orrefors manufactured crystal glassware and art glass. The range consisted of crystal stemware, barware, vases, and sculptures and lighting products in crystal. The glassworks in Orrefors closed in 2012.

Per Bertil Sundberg is a Swedish ceramic and glass artist. Until 2005 he worked at Orrefors glassworks, and has subsequently been a professor at Konstfack and an independent artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">For Zealous and Devoted Service of the Realm</span> Award

For Zealous and Devoted Service of the Realm is a reward medal awarded to one who has been a Swedish State employee for 30 years and has shown "zealous and devoted service". As an alternative to the medal one can choose a wristwatch or a crystal bowl/art glass. Originally awarded by the King in Council, it is since 1976 awarded by the Swedish Agency for Government Employers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markus Åkesson</span> Swedish painter (born 1975)

Markus Åkesson is a Swedish artist working with painting and glass sculpture. He lives and works in Nybro, Sweden with his wife, the ceramist Ellen Ehk. His painting studio is in the former Glass Factory at Pukeberg in Nybro and he collaborates with the glass studio Kosta Boda. He is one of the most prominent international painters in the neo-figurative style.

References

  1. 1 2 "Glasriket". semer.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2017-07-10.
  2. ↑ Lindahl, Urban. "Glasriket i Småland - Glasbyn Målerås". maleras.nu (in Swedish). Retrieved 2017-07-10.
  3. 1 2 "Glasriket är HÄR! Om kulturmiljöernas betydelse för att uppleva och uppliva Glasriket– en vård- och åtgärdsstrategi" (PDF). www.kalmarlansmuseum.se. Retrieved 2017-07-10. (in Swedish)
  4. ↑ "The Glassworks | Glasriket". www.glasriket.se. Retrieved 2017-07-10.
  5. ↑ "Glasrikets Historia | Glasriket". www.glasriket.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2017-07-10.
  6. ↑ Månsson, Orbe, Cecilia, Johan. "Positionering Kalmar län - resultatrapport Regionförbundet i Kalmar län" (PDF). www.rfkl.se. Retrieved 2017-07-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ "Pukeberg - Glasriket". Archived from the original on 2013-09-25. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  8. ↑ [ permanent dead link ]


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