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Sven Palmquist

Sven Palmquist (1906-1984) was one of Scandinavia's significant designers of glass and inventors of glassmaking techniques. He joined Orrefors in 1928 as a trainee at the Orrefors' engraving school. He continued his studies at the Stockholm College for Art, Craft and Design and the Royal Academy for Art. Palmquist was hired by Orrefors as a designer in 1936.

It is the invention of the Kraka, Ravenna and Fuga techniques of glassmaking that define Palmquist's importance. Kraka uses a fine wire mesh in conjunction with sand blasting to creat a network of fine bubbles trapped between layers of colored and clear glass. Ravenna (inspired by the stained glass windows of Ravenna, Italy) uses sand blasting to carve deep channels in multilayer, colored glass which is then decorated with contrasting, crushed glass. Fuga is a mechanical method for making quality, commercial glass by the aid of centrifugal force.

Palmquist retired from Orrefors in 1972. He was awarded a grand prize at the Milan Triennale in 1957.