Estrid’s Memorial Site – Hamngatan, Hjo

Estrid Comes to Hjo

At only one month old, Estrid moved with her family from Öregrund to the small wooden town of Hjo. On 17 October 1894, the Ericson family settled at Hamngatan 12, plot no. 31 B, where Estrid’s father, Adolf, had leased the hotel in the building known as Hotell Royal, or “Rullan”, as it was affectionately called by locals.

Adolf ran Hotell Royal from 1894 to 1899 under lease, then bought the property and business. He remained its proprietor until his death in 1924.

A Large Family

Soon after their arrival in Hjo, Estrid was joined by several siblings: Elsa (1895), Christina (1896), Sven (1897), Bele (1901), and Irma (1906). Their mother Helga had a daughter from a previous relationship, Therese, who was raised together with the rest of the siblings by Helga and Adolf.

Hotell Royal – The Heart of the Family’s Life

The hotel building was erected in 1844 and housed a restaurant and a grand hall known as “Kullberg’s Salon”, after the former owner S.P. Kullberg. This was Hjo’s first large-scale entertainment venue, frequently hosting theatre performances.

Adolf Ericson was the hotel’s proprietor for over 25 years. He was often seen sitting on the steps outside, watching the street life unfold.

Family Legacy and Decline

After Adolf’s death, some of the Ericson siblings continued running the hotel. Christina stayed on until around 1961–1962. The hotel carried on for a few more years but eventually closed in the late 1960s due to financial difficulties. The site is now home to Hotel Bellevue, built in Hjo Town Park in the 1970s.

Remembering Hotell Royal – Through Family Eyes

Estrid’s cousin, Nils Fredriksson, later recalled the hotel in vivid detail:

“The entrance to Hotell Royal was at the northwest corner, where Hamngatan bends. The facade was about 30 metres long. The ground floor facing the street housed the dining room and a veranda looking out onto the garden. Upstairs was the grand hall, with heavy velvet curtains – I loved standing there as a child, watching the traffic and hearing the clatter of iron-rimmed wheels on the cobblestones...”

“There was a glass grotto made from wine bottles near the garden entrance, giving off a green glow. There were outbuildings along the southern edge – a washhouse, storage and an old stable that once housed a tame roe deer, seen in a photo with some of the children around the turn of the century.”

“Inside, the porter’s lodge came first, followed by a cloakroom and then a serving room leading to the kitchen. From there, a corridor led to the Ericson family’s private dining room and parlour, which opened onto the garden. There were doors to two gable rooms – one belonged to Adolf and Helga, and the other to some of the children.”

—from “The Tale of Estrid Ericson – Founder of Svenskt Tenn, A Story That Begins and Ends in Hjo” by Lennart Nilsson

Fun fact: the dining room at Hotell Royal was redesigned in the 1930s by Josef Frank, who would later become Estrid’s most famous design partner.

Estrid’s Studies and the Birth of Svenskt Tenn

Before founding her company, Estrid studied at the Technical School in Stockholm (now Konstfack) to become a drawing teacher. During this time, she lived as a lodger with author Bo Bergman, and formed lasting friendships with artist Tyra Lundgren and others.

She even returned to Hjo for one term, teaching drawing at the co-educational school, now Kulturkvarteret Pedagogien, where the Estrid Ericson exhibition is housed today.

In 1924, Estrid inherited money from her father, which became the seed funding for Firma Svenskt Tenn.

“I started Svenskt Tenn utterly unworldly and rather impractical – trusting in the uncertain future of good taste.”
—Estrid Ericson

She partnered with pewter artist Nils Fougstedt, opened the first shop on Smålandsgatan in Stockholm, and soon became one of Sweden’s leading figures in design.

In 1934, she hired Austrian architect Josef Frank, beginning one of design history’s most legendary collaborations. Together, they coined the expression “the philosophy of happy chances” – their timeless mix of European elegance and Swedish functionalism continues to define Svenskt Tenn to this day.

Read more about the history of Svenskt Tenn »

Estrid passed away in 1981. She and her husband Sigfrid are buried in Hjo.

Estrid’s Memorial: “The Source”

At Hamngatan 12, where Estrid grew up, you can now visit Estrid’s Memorial Site, titled “Källan” (The Source).

The memorial and sculpture were created by Yvonne Nimar, an artist based in Hjo. It consists of a gently flowing water urn, a Japanese cherry tree, an apple, and a place to sit – all forming a site for reflection and recreation.

Materials used include diabase and local limestone. The design was inspired by one of Estrid’s quotes, in which she spoke of the joy of doing simple things – like planting a tree or picking an apple.

Self-Guided Tour

Take a stroll and explore the historical architecture and craftsmanship of Hjo at your own pace.

Quick Facts

• Number of stops: 17

• What to do: At each stop/sign, scan the QR code

• Starting point: Any stop

• What you need: Mobile phone and QR code scanner

• Duration: Around 1 hour

• Walking distance: Approx. 1.5 km

• Season: All year round

• Price: FREE