Elme Glassworks
Elme glassworks was founded in 1917 in Almhult. It was owned by the Swedish Nobel-laureate Gustaf Dahlen, who invented the gas-lit lighthouses. It was the only glassworks owned by a Nobel-laureate. Consequently, Elme started out by producing lighthouse lenses and glass lenses used for light signalling. In the years after the first World-War, in order to make use of a gap in the market, the company produced a lot of light fixtures. However, the company went bankrupt in the early 1920s, but made a re-start focusing on blown and pressed household glasswares. Edvin Ollers, who had previously worked at Kosta, worked at Elme from 1926 to 1930 designing high quality pressed glass as well as engraved and cut art glass. Many of his designs were signed and also had the company name pressed into the bottom of the piece. His design code was “O”. In the 1930s, Emil Weidlich, a glass engraver who came from Orrefors, spend some time at Elme. His engraved pieces are usually signed with either his initials “EW” or “W” with a production number, or by his full name “E. Weidlich”. In contrast to Ollers, his designs are usually not signed “Elme”, so it can be difficult to distinguish between pieces he made at Elme and at Orrefors. In the period of 1940 until it closed down in the 1970, the company changed hands several times, but was owned for most of the time by the Borgarp family. Designers during that time include: Carl-Olov Borgarp, Kjed Jordan, John Hall, Hjordis Olsson and Charlotte Rude.