LAST-MINUTE RESCUE FOR THE UNIQUE ORREFORS GLASS COLLECTION

Around the world Orrefors is associated with unique glass articles, art glass, and custom glass that all add beauty to our everyday life. For almost one century the close contact between artists and craftsmen has produced a splendid result and new techniques have developed and created opportunities for amazing colours and forms that have never been seen before. Orrefors has been an international leader of innova-tive design since its major breakthrough at the 1925 Paris World´s Fair and the exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York 1927. The history of the company is preserved in a unique collection of glass objects in an attractive museum close to the glassworks as well as in its store rooms with thousands of items from around 1900 to modern times. Over the years many scholars and curators have come to Orrefors to conduct research in the comprehensive archives and the glass collections.

Since 2005, Orrefors is a part of the New Wave Group (www.nwg.se), whose primary operations are in the garment, accessory and gift sectors. New interesting glass is still produced at Orrefors, but both the historical glass collection (more than 5 000 objects) and the paper archives now are for sale. For keeping this glass collection intact and for saving the old documents The Glass Kingdom´s Treasures cooperative association (GKT-ass) was founded in 2009. GKT-ass has the intention of purcha-sing the whole glass collection and the paper archives for 12.5 million SEK by offering subscription of shares to the public, companies, governments and councils.

The goal is that the glass museum with its comprehensive exhibition shall remain in Orrefors also in the future. Not exhibited objects shall be stored in an appropriate building close to this museum but will be available for research and for temporary exhibitions both in Sweden and abroad. The paper archives will be moved to The Design Archive, where the drawings and all the other documents will be examined, catalogued and digitalized. Since 2006 The Design Archive is located in new premises only 10 miles from Orrefors (www.designarkivet.se). Its pur-pose is to spread knowledge about the history and development of modern design in Sweden (including glass design).

Still 7 million SEK are missing and as time is short the board of GKT-ass is kindly asking for help in preserving this important Swedish cultural heritage. For more information about The Glass Kingdom´s Treasures cooperative association, the board and this project please see www.glasriketsskatter.se (click at “Prospcetus” for an English version). If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me at gunnel.holmer@telia.com or at tel: +46 (0)70 558 34 61, +46 (0)470 70 42 00.

The price per share is 10 000 SEK and subscription and purchasing can take place up to 15th September 2009. For purchasing shares please send an email to the head of GKT-ass, Mr. Ola Wilhelmsson ola.bi@telia.com. Write your name, address, telephone number, email address and how many shares you would like to purchase. Money for the shares can be transferred directly to the bank account of the GKT-ass: IBAN account number:
SE98 5000 0000 0562 8100 9479
BIC-kod: ESSESESS
(Bank: SEB, Box 128, SE-382 22 NYBRO, SWEDEN)

Sincerely yours,

Gunnel Holmér

Board member of The Glass Kingdom´s Treasures cooperative association and Senior Curator at Smålands museum – Sweden´s Museum of Glass, Växjö
www.smalandsmuseum.se