The primary purpose of the Bergdala Glass Technology Museum is to tell the story of the Swedish glass industry and traditional glassmaking techniques. We display machinery from the past and highlight its impact on working conditions and the work environment. As a visitor, you’re welcome to try out all the machines in our exhibition.
Even when the Kosta Glassworks was founded in 1742, the intention was to create an industry.
So what, then, is an industry? Encyclopedias state that an industry is characterized by large scale—that is, many people working in the same place—as well as by specialization and mechanization.
Most glassworks began by producing window glass and packaging glass (pharmacy bottles and jars). Drinking glasses were also produced early on, but accounted for only a small portion of production. Tableware, as we know it today, did not become common until the late 19th century.
In line with this specialization, production evolved to take place within work teams (called workshops) consisting of 5–8 people, each of whom had their own specific task: the catcher, the blower, the stem maker, the base maker…
As mechanization advanced, tools were developed; molds for blowing identical objects (glass packaging must be of predetermined sizes) are likely the first example.
Eventually, “machines” such as presses, bottling machines, and so on were introduced.
We also have a few 19th-century machines for decorating glassware.
For the most part, the glass industry in Småland remained largely manual well into the 1970s.
Come experience a destination that showcases both the history of the Kingdom of Glass and a part of Sweden’s industrial history!
