American Manufacturers - Emil Larson

Emil Larson Rose Emil Larson (attributed), circa 1930s

Larson Paperweights

Emil Larson was born in Sweden in 1879. His family immigrated to the United States when Emil was about nine. His father, a glassworker, had been promised a job in White Mills, Pennsyvania at the Dorflinger factory.

Christian Dorflinger, born in Alsace, France, and schooled in the art of glassmaking at the St. Louis factory in Lorraine, founded the Dorflinger Glass Company in White Mills, Pennsylvania, which manufactured tableware until 1921. Larson began working at Dorflinger perhaps from the age of thirteen, and continued there for 30 years. He learned the glass trade by observing and copying techniques from others. Dorflingers made and advertised paperweights during Larson's tenure there.

After Dorflinger closed, Larson worked for Pairpoint Glassworks for several years. The company never recovered from the 1930's Depression. Iit became Gundersen Glass works in 1939-1957. The last manager, Robert Bryden, moved the firm to East Wareham in 1856, left for Spain, but returned in 1970 to reopen Pairpoint. It remains in existence today in Sagamore, Massachusetts.

Larson also worked at the Durand Glassworks, Vineland, New Jersey. He had a factory behind his house in Vineland where he made all of his paperweights. He became famous for his crimped upright roses. According to Larson, only he and Ralph Barber made magnum-size rose weights. After spending 25 years in Vineland, he retired to Florida in 1949.