Norway Engraved Vase, Pale Blue Glass with Topless Dancer Randsfjord Hadeland Magnor

Randsfjord Glassworks most likely created this decorative vase in their signature ice blue glass, and engraved it with a topless dancer. The vase is unsigned, but it is similar to another Norwegian piece I had that was marked. The diameter is 3.5" and it is 9" tall; it weighs just about 2.5 pounds. There are very few scratches, it has been well cared for. It's looking great for a vase of this age, probably the 1960s.

Randsfjord Glassverk began in 1950, in Jevnaker, Oppland County, Norway. The company first made glass insulators and then everyday glassware, employing engravers and cutters. “Spesialkyrstall,” a blue shimmered glass created by adding 0.6 grams of cobalt to 150 kilo melt, was created in 1953/54. In 1967, Benny Motzfeldt began designing glass for Randsfjord. Work by other designers soon followed. In 1997, Hadeland Glassworks bought the company and moved production to its plant.

Hadeland Glassworks, founded in 1762, is the oldest industrial company in Norway that can claim continuous operation since its foundation. In later years, however, most of the production is done abroad. The glass works today represents an industry undergoing constant development, with an increased focus on cost-effective production, but also significant operations linked to the Visitor Centre. There is still a development section at the site and this, together with the option for visiting artists to make their own glasswork, makes a thriving environment for innovative ideas. In May 2012, King Harald marked the 250th anniversary of Hadeland Glassworks.