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History of Gemla craftmanship

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Our history

 
Passing through the beech forests and the small village of Diö by the river Helgeå, you will not only find Sweden’s oldest furniture
manufacturer, Gemla Fabrikers, founded in 1861. You will also encounter a curiously rich history, characterized by inventiveness
as well as stubborness, said to be typical of the region of Småland.
 
In the 19th century, craftsmen from Bohemia arrived in Diö, bringing the know-how and experience from Thonet’s factories
with them. Thereby, they were the first in Sweden to introduce the art of shaping wood, to make Vienna furniture. These craftsmen
did indeed lay the foundation of this art, which has developed ever since here at Gemla.
 
Throughout the years we have been through factory fires and changes of ownership, as well as several alterations in direction
and production. We have tamed the wood, shaping it into beautiful chairs, cinema arm chairs and even hockey sticks and tennis rackets. We have
quite simply developed and refined this technique, which we are now the only ones to master in the whole of Sweden.
 
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