Time hasn’t passed The impression of footprints in time, the sense of tradition that infuses the venerable old glassworks – it’s all here: in the blowing room; in the tools; in the furnaces; in the skilled hands of the craftsmen who form and fashion, cut and polish; in the native vigour of the surrounding forests. Johansfors, which was founded in 1891, is perfused with a quiet spirit of enterprise. Even today, framed black-and-white photographs hang on the walls to give a face to past generations who have worked here. Originally, Johansfors had four shops, or chairs. The master blowers came from Kosta, Boda and Åfors. The work available at the glassworks was vital to the livelihood of the people in the surrounding village. At first, production concentrated on painted glass and later on cut and engraved crystal. By the heat of the furnaces, using only simple tools, the craftsmen produced a wide variety of products that bear witness to their skills. Several of these early pieces are on show in the museum, which is situated in the glassworks grounds. At Johansfors, tradition lives on and is today the basis for innovative, forward-looking design.