Established in 1898 in the Swedish region, Småland, Orrefors became the most prominent producer of Swedish modern art glass in the 20th century. At the height of Orrefors’s popularity in the 1930s through 1960s, the firm’s designers boasted prestigious awards from many world’s fairs. The firm is associated with the development of the Graal and Ariel glass techniques, both considered distinctly Swedish styles of art glass. Since 1997, the firm has operated under the Danish design manufacturer, Royal Scandinavia. The Småland-based manufacturer closed in 2013.

Initially trained as a painter, Oscar Simon Gate studied at the Konstfackskolan (University College of Arts, Crafts and design), the Tekniska Skolan, and the Kungliga Konsthögskolan (Royal University College of Fine Arts), all in Stockholm. Gate began designing for Orrefors Glasshouse (est. 1898) in 1913. Gate’s designs featured a breadth of styles, from figural engravings to sleek unadorned modernist vessels. His work is often associated with the development of “Swedish Grace” glass stylings that garnered much praise at the 1925 “Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes” in Paris, where Gate won the Grand Prix for his Parispokalen, or Paris Cup.