Stainless steel table fork, part of a stainless steel and gilt brass cutlery set, designed by Gunnar Cyrén and manufactured by Yamazaki Kinzoku Kogyo for the Nobel prize winners committee. Sweden, 1990s.

Fork of die stamped stainless steel, the straight sided handle with rounded edges and a flat tip, the lower two thirds of the handle treated with a matt finish, the upper third brightly polished and attached to a rectangular bowl with slightly tapered sides; four tines.

Given by Alghults Glasbruk.

Gunnar Cyrén (1931-2013) was a Swedish silver, glass, and industrial designer. After completing an apprenticeship in silversmithing and a period of study at the Konstfackskolan in Stockholm Cyrén worked as a silversmith in Uppsala. In 1959 he was appointed to the Orrefors glassworks, where he mastered the new medium. He soon attracted critical attention through work exhibited at Svensk Form in Stockholm in 1961 and 1963. Working closely with the factory's glassblowers his work became widely known for its use of bright colours that were vividly seen in his Pop glasses of 1966. He was awarded the prestigious Lunning Prize in the same year. Following a period as artistic director at the company he returned to his home town of Gävle in 1970 and began designing for Dansk International, a firm with a high reputation for Scandinavian tableware. In 1973 he once more took up silversmithing, establishing a studio and shop and from 1976 worked for Orrefors on a freelance basis.

Fumatoki Yamazaki started his small family metal-crafting business in 1918 in Tusbame, Japan, producing wares in copper, silver, and brass. In the 1930s Yamazaki introduced stainless steel to Japan, and subsequently the area became known worldwide for its stainless-steel production. At the same time, the Yamazaki Kinzoku Kogyo Company established itself as an expert in designing and creating outstanding stainless-steel flatware and was sought after by many high-end companies to produce tableware under their names. In 1980 Yamazaki branched out to produce fine flatware under its own label using only the highest quality stainless steel. These signature flatware patterns feature graceful and intricately designed handles along with perfectly sharpened knife blades, polished tines on forks, and rounded bowls on spoons, making all utensils worthy of setting a table for a first-class meal. In fact, in 1991 the company was recognized by the Nobel Foundation for its design and technical prowess and received the honour of being the first company outside Sweden to produce flatware for the foundation's award ceremony. The company expanded its line in 2003 to include a signature series of stainless-steel gift and tableware items.

Gunnar Cyrén (1931-2013) was a Swedish silver, glass, and industrial designer. After completing an apprenticeship in silversmithing and a period of study at the Konstfackskolan in Stockholm Cyrén worked as a silversmith in Uppsala. In 1959 he was appointed to the Orrefors glassworks, where he mastered the new medium. He soon attracted critical attention through work exhibited at Svensk Form in Stockholm in 1961 and 1963. Working closely with the factory's glassblowers his work became widely known for its use of bright colours that were vividly seen in his Pop glasses of 1966. He was awarded the prestigious Lunning Prize in the same year. Following a period as artistic director at the company he returned to his home town of Gävle in 1970 and began designing for Dansk International, a firm with a high reputation for Scandinavian tableware. In 1973 he once more took up silversmithing, establishing a studio and shop and from 1976 worked for Orrefors on a freelance basis.

M.7:4-2002