Sweden - Expo Paris 1889
The Swedish government did not grant any subsidies for the Paris Exhibition, so participation is very limited. There is no need to dwell on this for long.
The whole Swedish exhibition is contained in a very pretty varnished pine chalet, built naturally after the type of architecture of the country.
This chalet, situated to the left of the Eiffel Tower, as you enter the Champ de Mars, arrived from Stockholm in pieces ready for assembly. It comes from the building sites of Mr. Ligua, one of the great carpenters of the capital.
In short, it is a one-storey dwelling, into whose rooms a dozen exhibitors have sent their products.
Thus on the ground floor, to the right of the entrance, there is the fur exhibition of Mr. Albert. L. Bergstrôm of Stockholm, which has some very nice and well-stocked display cases.
In the middle is a colossal elk head. In the next room there are samples of Swedish cutlery. Swedish steel is renowned throughout the world and is used to make razors of exceptional quality.
To the left of the entrance, there is an exhibition of old silverware. Here you can see some very interestingly worked pieces of truly original ornamentation.
In the next room, which is an exact copy of a local craftsman's room with a steeply pitched roof (rygg-as-stuga), is a table where four silversmiths are working and shaping objects in front of the visitors. This whole part of the house is furnished with very old-style chairs and benches, decorated with naive paintings.
On the first floor, reached by a staircase with a curious banister, are the offices of Mr. Ligua, who is the organiser of this tiny section.
And that is all; but when one comes out of this really interesting exhibition, one is surprised that Sweden has not been represented in a more complete way, and what one sees makes one regret that one cannot see more...
© Guide Bleu du Figaro et du Petit Journal 1889