Dating Orrefors Kraka Glass
The name Kraka was invented together with the Swedish Handicraft Association to celebrate their 100 year jubilee. Orrefors Kraka pieces are usually not dated, and their age can only be identified by their serial number. The signature usually consists of the following parts:
1. The name “Orrefors”.
2. The technique used: “Kraka”
3. The serial number.
4. The name of the designer: “Sven Palmqvist” or “S. Palmqvist”. Mass-produced Kraka pieces were only signed “P” or “PU”.
Up until 1947, the characteristic color scheme of Orrefors Kraka pieces as we know it today did not exist. Kraka pieces up until that time usually had just one color, white being used most often. Only after 1947 was the characteristic color scheme of golden-yellow and blue being used.
Sven Palmqvist designed and produced Kraka pieces for Orrefors until 1972. However, Orrefors produced Kraka pieces until 1986. Between 1960 and 1986 several models of Kraka pieces were mass-produced.
Below you can find all the date codes for Orrefors Kraka pieces, also the ones that were mass-produced.
Kraka 1944 – 1986:
1944 – 1 to 19
1945 – 20 to 34
1946 to 1948 – 35 to 71
1949 – 72 to 96
1950 – 97 to 135
1951 – 136 to 168
1952 – 169 to 212
1953 – 213 to 277
1954 – 278 to 338
1955 – 339 to 354
1956 – 355 to 357
1957 – 358 to 363
1958 – 364 to 379
1959 – 380 to 426
1960 – 427 to 439
1961 – 440 to 443
1962 – None manufactured this year
1963 – 444 to 450
1964 – 451 to 452
1965 – 453 to 453
1966 – 454 to 455
1967 – 456 to 471
1968 – 472 to 481
1969 – 482 to 491
1970 – None manufactured this year
1971 – 492 to 521
1972 – 522 to 561
From 1960 until 1986 several Kraka pieces were mass-produced by Orrefors. Four models of the Kraka series were actually produced in mass quantities. These models have the model number 3364 until 3367 and are signed PU. Although exact quantities are not known, it is safe to say that a lot of these four were produced. One can easily distinguis between the Kraka pieces made by Sven Palmqvist and the ones that were mass-produced. The latter are marked with 3364, 3365, 3366, 3367 or 9414 plus the series / design number below. Mass-produced Kraka pieces are usually signed P or PU instead of the full name.
Below you can find the series / design number of most of the mass-produces Orrefors Kraka pieces:
P 251 – Bowl
P 322 – Vase
P 342 – Bowl
P 349 – Vase
P 387 – Vase
P 398 – Vase
P 401 – Vase
P 403 – Vase
P 411 – Vase
P 418 – Vase
P 422 – Ashtray / Bowl
P 428 – Vase
P 431 – Bowl
P 436 – Bowl
P 473 – Vase
P 474 – Vase
P 475 – Vase
P 526 – Vase
P 529 – Vase
P 530 – Vase
P 533 – Vase
P 537 – Vase
P 540 – Vase
P 556 – Bowl
P 558 – Bowl