Ilves can: from a household glass to a decorative object

Glass preservation cans from Finnish glass factories from the 1900th century are popular interior items. Riihimäki Lasinkin's cans adorn the shelves of many homes.

In recent years, photos of interior design blogs have shown sturdy glass jars filled with anything: sometimes with sand, sometimes with berries, sometimes with Legos, for example. At a quick glance, these glass jars could be any number of jars, but a careful observer will notice the picture on the side of the jar.

Due to their modesty, glass jars are suitable for many types of interior decoration and purposes. Some decorators are very particular about what kind of jars they let into their apartment, and the jar must have just the right picture. Some people prefer the bear cans from Karhula Glass, while others prefer the Lynx and four-leaf clover cans from Riihimäki Glass.

Ilves was the trademark of the Riihimäki glass factory established in 1910 and was designed by architect Oiva Kallio. Other Finnish glass factories also produced jars.

However, the true value of glass jars can only be understood when you know their history.

Growing working community

- I'm a basic glass factory worker, says Anita Elomaa, who started working at the Riihimäki glass factory at the age of 17.

There is a bit of modesty in the sentence. Elomaa's father was Aimo Okkolin, who was a well-known engraver and designer of Riihimäki Glas.

Elomaa grew up in the surroundings of the Riihimäki glass factory in Hyttikortteli city block, which at its best had twelve buildings for the factory's workers. Today, he is retired, but he still leads familiarization tours in the area of ​​the old glass factory.

Riihimäki Lasi was an important employer in the early 1900th century. At the beginning, there were 57 employees at the factory, at most there were about 1200 employees. Other large employers in Riihimäki were, among others, the Paloheimo factories, the Sako arms factory, the State railways and the garrison.

- People went around working in these factories. They always aim for where they got the best salary, Elomaa says,

There was a sense of community in the area of ​​the glass factory.

- In the area, everyone looked after and commanded everyone's children. Many different people and interesting personalities lived in Hyttikortteli city block, but no one was left alone, not even the elderly. Water was carried for them and they were taken care of. It was a very nurturing community, Elomaa recalls.

In such an environment, Ilves jars began to be manufactured in the 1910s. Of course, glass cans had been blown in Finland since the 1700th century, but mechanized manufacturing enabled branding between factories. It was visible to consumers as pictures on the side of the cans.

Durable economic glass

Ilves cans are household glass. Economic glass had two requirements: it had to be as simple as possible, but also as durable as possible. There were no refrigerators, so glass jars were used for preservation. There were different sized jars for different purposes and they had their own names. For example, Ihanne jars were straight-shaped and were manufactured by different factories.

- Ihanne jars were made both low and tall. The low model was intended for pickles and jams. The Ihanne jar didn't have a tin lid yet, but they were so-called rantupurki, i.e. string jars. They were put in butter paper as a cover and cloth as protection, which were tied with string, Elomaa says.

Tin lids for jars were obtained in the 1930s. Cans were in active economic use until the 1970s, when freezers became common in homes. The history of glass cans therefore becomes part of the history of Finnish family life.

Caption: Glass cans were the basis of everyday life in Finland from the 1700th century to the 1970s, because they preserved food.

Kati Ala-Ilomäki