Helsinki snack glasses from Durobor (set 6)
Set of 6 snack glasses "Helsinki" from the Belgian glass factory Durobor. These "verrines" have a decorative relief, a full bottom and they taper out. Also very nice as shot glasses.
This is a design from 2004 (not vintage yet) but production has been stopped because the factory is permanently closed, so we added it to our selection anyway. It's Belgian and it's nice. Perfect right?
About the manufacturer:
Durobor Glassware, based in Soignies Hainaut, employed up to 300 people. When it went bankrupt in 2019, it was the very last Belgian manufacturer of drinking glasses.
In 1928, the Compagnie Internationale de Gobeleterie Inébréchable was created from the capital of Solvay and the American Libbey Glass Manufacturing Company. Mechanical glassblowing was a rapidly growing sector and La Gobeleterie quickly became a leader in Europe. From 1935, it was called Dur-O-Bor and mainly produced ashtrays, glasses and bottles. Until 1957, when the first stemmed glass was released, the Napoli.
In 1960, multinational Owens-Illinois acquired 99.3% of the shares and in 1975 Durobor launched their signature heavy stemmed glasses with an air bubble inside. By 1980, Durobor exported to +80 countries.
From 1983, the Belgian holding company SADEMAT bought in, until it owned the entire company in 1989. The unsuccessful takeover of the British Ravenhead Glass in 1993 led to the closure of the British branch in 2001 and to a series of financial difficulties.
Things improved for a while when Durobor invented the "verrines" or snack glasses in 2004 and was also able to produce printed glasses from 2005. More rounds of takeovers and capital injections followed until the company came into the hands of the Dutch group Herman Green in 2017. Durobor finally closed for good in May 2019.
Period: 2004
Brand: Durobor
Made in : Belgium EU
Carefully selected in: Belgium EU
Material: glass
Condition: excellent used condition
Dimensions:
Diameter glass: 5.5cm
Glass height: 8cm
content: 7cl
Weight per glass: 115g