Topic: Help identify Decanter and glasses please

[alichatfield]

Hi there, I was given this decanter?? and 2 glasses as a gift, can anyone help me identify them.  A label on the decanter has Randsfjord but I cant find anything about how old they are or who made by.  Any help would be appreciated.

Mod: Duplicate photo removed

[KevinH]

Hi alichatfield, welcome to the Board. I have removed the second photo you showed as it was the same as the first. Did you mean to put up a different second image?

As for the decanter and glass, I cannot help with any detail. There are however, several posts in the Board for "Randsfjord" items (use the Search function to check them out) but sadly I could not see one for a clear decanter and glasses.

[alichatfield]

Thank you Kevin, I was having a little trouble uploading the image.  I will use the search as per your suggestion.
Kind regards

[ahremck]

Love the Polar Bear stopper.

Ross

[alichatfield]

Thanks Ross it is cute.

Have trawled through all 45 pages on the forum but no luck in finding anything like this!

[Paul S.]

Hi - regret I too know nothing about this Norwegian glass house - though it seems unfortunate your piece is clear glass  -  most of their production looks to have included colour in some form or another, and according to the books it looks like it might have been easier to find the designer for coloured pieces.

According to Pina & Vigier "Fire & Sea' and 'Smoke & Ice" - most pieces are labeled  -  the colour and text of the labels frequently being the clue/informing the designer's name.            Obviously your label is without this information, but despite this it might be of interest to folk here to see a close-up photo of your label, it might mean something to someone.
Some time in the 1980s the company was taken over by a competitor Hadeland, but according to the books by mid 1990s production had ceased.               It's not guaranteed, but I'm assuming that after that event Randsfjord labels were still used, and possibly even until their demise, so we can possibly say your decanter was produced prior to 1995, and possibly from the 1980s even.

All a bit vague really - but living with less than certainty is often a way of life with glass.

[ahremck]

Randsfjord Glassworks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Randsfjord Glassworks was a Norwegian glassworks . It was purchased by Hadeland Glassworks in 1997.

Prøvedrifta at Randsfjord Glassworks started in January 1950. The glassworks had a modern grinder that performed pattern grinding and engraving . On October 1, 1950, the glassworks burned down, probably due to leakage in an oil pipeline. However, on January 21, 1952, work was resumed.

The Glaasverket had a high production, but it was economical until Benny Motzfeldt was employed in 1967. Randsfjord Glassworks was thus able to carry out extensive modernization. Jonny Hansen took over the operation on October 1, 1980 and ran it until it was sold. In 1982, the company had 35 employees, and the main market was prizes for sports competitions. Several snowy winters in the late 1980s led to a fall in premium sales, and in May 1990 the board went to the court of law and offered to be bankrupt . However, it is possible to continue the operation under the name of Randsfjord Glass .

In 1997 Randsfjord Glass was acquired by Hadeland Glassworks and four years later production was transferred there.



It looks like it is possible that your decanter was designed by Benny Motzfeldt as she did design birds, and a polar bear stopper is quirky and perhaps her style.

Ross

PS.  I have a trio of pale blue glass vases by Randsfjord (see photos)

[Paul S.]

I agree, always possible this piece might have been designed by Benny Motzfeldt though I find Ross' connection, via the bear sculpture, not entirely convincing.                   Weighed against the likelihood this was her design, is the fact that together with Hanna Hellum and T. Torgersen, those pieces known to be from these particular designers - and possibly others - carry labels which show each individual designers name, unlike the generic label shown by Ross.            On the basis of a lack of label id, my opinion is that the jury must remain out regarding the designer of this piece.     

Again, coming back to Pina & Vigier, these authors comment that Motzfeldt was with Randsfjord for only a short period from c. 1967 to 1970, after which she went to Plus Workshop.       

[alichatfield]

Thank you all for your help and advise, I will keep looking

[ahremck]

Email me Ali and I will tell you how to get in touch with a man I know who loves Norwegian Glass and is very knowledgeable.

Ross