Wood, iron, mother of pearl
Late-17th/ early-18th century
Dalarna or Uppsala, Sweden
Gift of Ormond Rambo Jr. 1982.716
Cane Axe (Käppyxa)
After a decline in traditional usage, cane axes saw a renaissance by the late 1600s. Young noblemen at Uppsala University wielded these axes not in battle or mining but instead as fashionable accessories. This particular axe—with its ornate mother-of-pearl veneer and runic inscriptions—was likely part of this rebirth.
Brass, steel, wood
c. 1880
United States
Gift of the United Engineering Trustees Inc.
John Ericsson Solar Model
Gravitational energy, solar steam engines, and tidal power … sounds like science fiction, right? Think again! Swedish-American inventor, John Ericsson, was ahead of his time when he researched such theories in the mid to late 1800s. Ericsson invented this solar-powered steam engine, for example, to reduce the use of coal.
Anders Zorn, after a portrait by Zorn
Ink on paper
Sweden
1899
Gift in memory of Mr. Harry C.W.S. deBrun
Etching of Grover Cleveland
The American Swedish Historical Museum is only one of six museums in the United States with a collection of Anders Zorn’s work. Our collection includes his well-known etchings of American presidents Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Howard Taft, among a number of other figures.
Iron, wood
9th – 12th century
Sweden
Gift of Ivar Thord-Gray
Viking Sword
While we often consider the Vikings as raiders, they were also crafty merchants and brilliant navigators. Spears and shields were more common weapons for Vikings while only the wealthiest warriors carried swords.