Pomp, Circumstance and Fine Swedish Table Linen.
Although the history to fine Swedish table linen is impressive
enough, the current reverence for its past can be seen in many
international functions.
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony has taken place in
Stockholm, Sweden on December 10 (the anniversary of Albert
Nobel's death). This is a ceremony that recognizes the brightest
and most innovative minds in the world with prestige and honor.
With speeches and grand presentations, the Nobel Prize dinner is
one of the biggest dinners in the world each year, and the most
secret as well. Not only are winners and their families invited,
but the Swedish Royal Family is in attendance as well. His
Majesty the King of Sweden presents each of the winners with a
diploma and a medal.
Upon each table are fine demonstrations of fine Swedish table
linen-from the tablecloths to the napkins. And with about
thirteen hundred guests, that's quite a few pieces of fine
Swedish table linen to provide. This guest list is strict,
including only a few hundred students and over ninety members of
the royal family.
Each table is set with special Nobel tableware that was created
for the ninetieth anniversary of the Nobel Prize (which was in
1991). The Swedish designers that created the pieces of
tableware were Ingrid Dessau, Gunnar Cyren, and Karin Bjorquist.
It is interesting to note that Sweden is the only country that
uses a particular place setting for events that include the
royal family.
The Nobel Prize dinner hall's sixty five tables are blanketed
with about four hundred and seventy meters of fine Swedish table
linen. On the fine Swedish table linen are many thousands of
porcelain dishes, glasses and silverware pieces.
Although there are many suppliers of fine Swedish table linen in
the country, Ekelund can profess to be the chief supplier of
fine Swedish table linen to the Swedish Royal family since 1692.
But Klaessbols is another linen company that provides the fine
Swedish table linen for the Nobel Prize dinner, as well as to
the royals.
The Swedish Royal Family not only uses fine Swedish table linen
at all of their formal occasions-gala dinners, meetings with
other heads of states, but also in their daily lives. In past
history, maps and other decorations were painted onto linen and
hung in the royal halls.
But you don't have to wear a crown to enjoy the luxury of fine
Swedish table linen. When an everyday person embraces Swedish
table linen as a part of their everyday life, then they are
welcoming years of history and prestige into their own homes-a
certain sense of royalty within themselves.
Thankfully fine Swedish table linen was not something that was
carelessly tossed aside and replaced with modern technology.
Family weaveries still exist in small towns of central Sweden
today to give the new millennium its own piece of history and
charm.
Whether as a wedding gift or a gift to ones self, fine Swedish
table linen will tell the story of your life as it is shared by
generations.