Norwegian art glass - not antique

Hello!
I recently purchased this 4" tall glass penguin. While it is clearly signed and has its original sticker ID, I cannot find any info about the maker/company which I thought was "Glasshytta" (seems to translate to glassblower or glass cabin, depending on the source). I'm seeing "fossen" as waterfall. None of this is helping at all ... and on top of this, there is a small metal and enamel plaque on the front of the base with some logo that I cannot make out (thought that it was the glass company's logo at first ... but I don't see a "G" in there at all)

Is anyone familiar with the glass maker or the mystery logo?

 

Here’s an old postcard from the place:


And the June 2015 realtor’s ad here – re: building for sale - seems to suggest that maybe the glassblowing operation has been closed for a while:

Glasblower by falls in Sauland was listed in 2001 and was then a modern glassblowing business, the operation was abandoned after a few years and the venue has since been looking for various sales exhibitions.

http://www.dnbo.no/bolig/DNBO/object_page/index.php?id=538431&soffset=0&totalAdCount=5841

I don’t have time to look for more info right now, but maybe this is a start? I will check back later.

 

Thank you, SBSVC for finding that ... every bit of information is helpful and I appreciate that you posted a link to that real estate listing.

 

I’m expecting a call that hasn’t come yet, so while I’ve been waiting, I figured I’d look a little more…

If I’m understanding it correctly, this rather badly translated article from Sept 2000 seems to indicate that Glasshytta Fossen was a venture only started in 2000.

From: http://www.ta.no/pulsen/satser-to-millioner-pa-handverkssenter/s/1-111-534037

Bet two million Craft Centre
ByTORE HVAAL

Published:On 13 September 2000

- We are constantly keen to develop around Fossen Kro, and hope that the planned crafts center, "Glass waterfall", to around two million will represent a cultural boost, says Torgeir Holla which opens the doors to the 300 square meter building at Christmastime.

Primarily, the building house a glassblowing workshop.

Glassblower Odd Ingar Karl Engen are already hired.

He has 25 years experience.12 years at Hadeland Glassworks and 13 years as the man behind "HallingGlass."

- Beside the production, the Karl Engen could offer training in the subject.We see it as a necessity to train the people who reside in the community.Shortly ads we for one or two people who will get a complete education, and with pay for training time, says Torgeir Holla on.

- We want to build a center for the whole of East Telemark where quality will be central.In addition to glass blowing, we could provide premises for knife makers, painters, potters, a silver smith and we have good fancy a working wood.
- Says you a carte blanche for the happy amateurs?

- No.We want to associate with us people who have chosen handicrafts as leveveg.I already have a couple of good names on the block.If we look at the number of people who visit Fossen Kro, actually 100,000 during the year, I expect that these will be tantamount to a good effect for those who establish themselves.And vice versa.

Tabletops that TEMA
Holla further says that "table" will be a recurring theme.That is all that is used to cover a table.All use artists should keep that in mind.
- For example, we partnered with "Telemark form and identity" to identify products.
- Like what?
- We have several exciting things.In fact so interesting that I did not dare to reveal what it is.To put it bluntly, I am afraid that others will come to steal ideas.However, I must say that we are aiming at products that combine the different crafts businesses.

- Tell a little about the economic.How is built funded?
- The cost is referred to two million.SND has entered with 400,000.The rest is all partly funded by Fossens patties.We are all very keen to plow money back into serving operation, says Torgeir Holla to TA.

Building Exhibition: In this concrete pin will our new Craft Centre, "Glass waterfall" rise up, says Torgeir Holla to TA.

************************

The “for sale” ad I posted earlier suggests that the venture was not the success the planners hoped it would be.

I also found a couple of photos – some glass beads & maybe an ornament made there:

 

Thanks again!
That hurt my brain trying to figure out what was being said ... but it did contain some names which could be useful.
I Googled the Telemark area ... Good God - that's a beautiful region!

 

Just on a hunch, regarding the red and gold crown logo, with whatever that is under it, I scrolled through all kinds of Norwegian coat of arms, crests, heraldry, etc.
Aack! Found nothing that matched.

 

i think the little coat of arms may be from Fossen Kro, the previous article mentions that the glasswork is centered around Fossen Kro (the Fossen inn), and even tho my 5 minuttes on google didn't reveal anything except that Fossen Kro have burned down, it still a plausible idea its not a design i would expect from norweigian heraldy tho

 

Thank you, mch4444, you may be onto something ... it does kind of look like an intermingled F and K. I Googled this darling little restaurant/tavern but couldn't find if they used any specific logo - while they were operational -

 

Thanks for looking into that angle, lauragarnet!

Probably nothing as 'grand' as a coat of arms or the like ... just a plain ol' plebeian logo I suspect

One of the articles I found about the glass house was that they had the capability to make corporate gifts (or so the translation seemed to state)

 

can you remember what the actual quote was? im danish, so norweigian is not too dificult for me to understand

 

Thank you ... I'll go see if I can find it again. It may take a while to go through my browsing history ... (gee, why didn't I think to save that page?)

 

K with a crown in Scandinavia usually means King (Kong) This might mean they make items for the royal household, just as in England items will say "Purveyors to HRH" (Her Royal Highness)

 

That wasn't too hard to find ... second link I tried.
Here's the area of text which contained that statement
Her vil det bli salg over disk. Ingen form for engros og levering til andre utsalgssteder. Slike legger på prisen tre ganger. Vårt mål er å lage glasskunst til brukbar pris uten fordyrende ledd.
- Hva skal dere lage?
- I første omgang blir det alt innen fat, boller og vaser. Gjerne som firmagaver. Vi har muligheten til å overføre logoer i tre farger. Senere vil vi bevege oss inn mot vinglass. Dessuten jobber jeg med et produkt som blir helt unikt i Norge. Et fullstendig middagsservice hvor Telemarksrosa går igjen som dekorasjon.

 

Of course. LOL. I can't understand a bit of Norse.

 

hmmm in my opinion thats a bit gennerallized we do have a lot that say ''kongelig hof leverandør'' which means they deliver to the royal court.

 

What else could the K mean? Is it maybe a logo for something that's been government approved?

 

yub, they say (among other things) that they will make an asortment of different thing, and would gladly supply the kind of gifts companies will give to their employees. then they want to move towards wine glasses and such, and they also wat to make a unique dinnerservice bla bla bla and si on

 

well my previous suggestion is that its the logo for the inn Kro means inn, and the logo seems a bit like an F and an K intertwined, perhaps for the Fossen Kro

 

As I agreed in post #8 (which I think it got buried by my post immediately following it)

 

The "K" is Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk (Kongsberg Armsfactory) -your piece is mostlikely a corporate gift.
brgds
OeJ