Oops! Some of the Expo pieces were named, at least some made for the centenary of Orrefors in 1998, which were made in editions of 100 and 200. I found this out when I tried to figure out where I had read about Expo pieces. I didn't find much and so I wonder if someone with more knowledge than me in this area, Bill Geary, for example, might know more about Expo glass.
Ivo Haanstra in 'Glass Fact Files' writes about it being "exhibition quality glass." Mark Friedman has a different view of the purpose of "Expo" glass. He writes that Orrefors would "annually introduce new designs, produced in limited numbers by each of its artists. These pieces would be designated and signed 'Expo.' A relatively few of these designs would be incorporated into the firm's regular production." Judging by the numbers given by Ulrika Ruding in Orrefors, some designers created between 1 and 92 (Landberg in in 1956) each year. If each number signified a piece produced even in limited quantities, Palmquist created 448 Expo pieces and Landberg 170. That's a lot of glass. I wonder if they are pictured in Ricke's Swedish Glass Factory Production. Anybody with a copy help out here, please?
It would be an interesting collection to start as it might not be too expensive (I didn't pay that much for the Palmquist and Ohrstrom pieces I have), and it would be a great place to trace the development of two key designers in glass.
David