Knot of Friendship Svenskt Tenn
Josef Frank

Vänskapsknuten

Josef Frank designed Vänskapsknuten (the Knot of Friendship) as a symbol of friendship and peace at a time when Europe was filled with turmoil. The very first sketch of the candelabra dates back to 1938, just a year before the outbreak of the Second World War. Today the Knot of Friendship has become an iconic object in Svenskt Tenn’s range. In 2018, after a careful assessment of Josef Frank’s original drawing, the candelabra regained its original form from 1938.

The production of the well-known and widely-loved candle holder takes place at Humstorp Metal in Västergötland. Here, a part of Svenskt Tenn's pewter and brass range is manufactured; creations that require a thorough methodology and great craftsmanship. The workshop was initiated in 2011 by Oskar Hammar, who then took over some of the production from his parents' company "Skaraborgs Hantverk" founded in 1978.

Manufacturing process

When Vänskapsknuten takes its form, the manufacturing process begins with the brass rods. These are supplied in lengths of four meters and therefore need to be sawn, drilled and threaded. They are then polished before they are bent to the correct shape.

The finished branches are attached to the centre by silver soldering, before the whole candlestick is polished; a work performed by three people at once. The candlestick is then hand polished to access all angles.

In parallel with this work, other details are manufactured. The rings around the candle holders are punched out with a tool in two steps before being polished. The candle holders are cut out of tubes and soldered together with a plate at the bottom.

Then it is time for polishing and quality inspection. When all details are approved, the candle holder is assembled and packaged. During the production process, the entire company is involved in various steps, which means that a total of eight people are involved.