Dating Orrefors Ariel Glass

Dating Orrefors Ariel Glass Pieces

Below you will find the information on the date codes and coding system used by Orrefors for Ariel glass pieces from 1937 until 1982. From 1982 all pieces were signed “Gallery” together with a model number and generally the amount of pieces produced, for example 13/60 which means that this is number 13 out of 60 pieces produced. Almost all famous artists such as Edvin Ohrstrom, Edvard Hald, Vicke Lindstrand, Ingeborg Lundin, Olle Alberius, Lars Hellsten, etc. have worked in the Ariel technique. 

The Ariel pieces were generally signed by hand using a diamond pen. The signature usually consists of the following parts:

1. The name “Orrefors”, sometimes with “Sweden” or “Suède” added.

2. The technique used: “Ariel”

3. The serial number or date code.

4. Sometimes the year it was made. After 1950 the year was replaced with a letter that was added to the model number.

5. The name of the designer.

In order to determine when your Orrefors Ariel glass piece was made, look for the seriel number / date code with which your Orrefors Ariel piece is signed in the table below. On the left side you can see the year in which it was made. 

1937 – 1 to 74

1938  – 75 to 90

1939  – 91 to 219

1940  – 220 to 230

1941  – 231 to 238

1942  – 239 to 353

1943  – 253 to 271

1944  – 272 to 319

1945  – 320 to 349

1946  – 350 to 391

1947  – 392 to 427

1948  – 428 to 568

1949  – 569 to 865

1950  – 51 B to 52 B and 53 E to 832 E

1951  – 833 E to 1450 E

1952  – 1451 E to 1755 E

1953  – 1756 E to 2022 E

1954  – 2023 E to 2203 E

1955  – 50 F to 242 F

1956  – 243 F to 408 F

1957  – 409 F to 572 F

1958  – 100 G to 226 G

1959  – 100 H to 267 H

1960  – 268 H to 711 H

1961  – 100 K to 653 K

1962  – 101 L to 616 L

1963  – 100 M to 656 M

1964  – 101 N to 790 N

1965  – 100 O to 968 O

1966  – 100 P to 103 P and 104 A to 852 A

1967  – 100 B to 679 B

1968  – 100 C to 537 C

1969  – 100 D to 571 D

1970  – 100 E to 636 E

1971  – 101 F to 686 F

1972  – 100 G to 653 G

1973  – 100 E3 to 665 E3

1974  – 101 E4 to 650 E4

1975  – 100 E5 to 640 E5

1976  – 100 E6 to 605 E6

1977  – 100 E7 to 653 E7

1978  – 100 E8 to 538 E8

1979  – 100 E9 to 385 E9

1980  – 500 F1 to 621 F1

1981  – 500 F2 to 563 F3

1982 – Only Gallery Pieces