Since the mid-1920s Swedish glass has been synonymous with excellence in design and craftsmanship. It has become the most highly acclaimed product of the Swedish applied arts industries in the international marketplace, virtually unrivaled by glassmakers elsewhere. Through a series of ten essays, this book examines the emergence of Swedish glass against an historical, socioeconomic, and art-historical background.

This book also presents a wide selection of 157 works, shown in color, that trace the development of Swedish glass during the interwar years. In addition to the superlative art glass, there are examples of domestic glassware, stemware, scent bottles, light fixtures, and other forms, all of which represent themes and variations that encompass the Swedish response to modernism.

The texts that accompany these objects examine the complex technical aspects of glassmaking and the aesthetic possibilities of glass as a medium.