Biri Glassworks

What was Biri Glassworks?

Biri Glassworks, also written Biri Glasværk, was a Norwegian glass producer at Biri in what is now Gjøvik municipality. The municipality’s history distinguishes establishment in 1761 from full operation from 1766. Production ended in 1880.

Production and evidence

Its products included window glass and bottles. The National Archives’ account of early Norwegian glassworks highlights Biri’s production of simpler window glass. Norway’s National Museum also records a blown bottle with Biri as its place of manufacture, dated to the second half of the eighteenth century, accession number OK-10944.

Identifying individual objects

A factory’s history does not by itself attribute an unprovenanced bottle. Record form, dimensions, neck, rim, base and manufacturing traces. Compare with specific catalogues and museum objects, and explain the actual basis of the comparison.

When origin is uncertain, describe the piece as older glass rather than assign a definite factory. Colour and presumed age alone are insufficient evidence for Biri.

See our glass and crystal category.

Sources

Gjøvik municipality’s history, Store norske leksikon: Biri Glassworks, National Museum: bottle OK-10944 and Arkivmagasinet 1/2013, pages 34 to 37.