The Wooden Horse Factory In Nusnas, Sweden

Few symbols of Sweden are more famous than the painted wooden horses from the province of Dalarna, in the Swedish heartland. I actually have a vintage Swedish wooden horse that was in my parent’s home growing up, so I have my own association with this very loveable symbol as well. Fast forward to our summer trip to Sweden, I booked a place in Mora, without really knowing we’d be just next to Nusnäs the main town where the wooden horses are made today.

I resisted buying any souvenirs before arriving in Mora, knowing that wooden horses would be the thing to bring back home, and I was not dissappointed, the only challenge was trying to decide how many horses to buy, and what colors! One can purchase raw wooden horses (I bought one largish one) as well as horses painted in a solid color but not with decorations, so the choices are a bit overwhelming for someone like myself. I suggest you prepare yourself ahead of time, namely just decide how much you’ll spend and stick to that!

People have been carving wooden horses as toys and decorative items for hundreds of years, but it was in the early 1800s in Sweden that the Dala horse began to take its classic shape, with bright colors and painted flowers. The production of Dala horses was basically in four villages outside Mora, especially the small community of Nusnäs, where they are still produced today. In 1939, the Dala horse gained worldwide recognition after a giant version was placed outside the Swedish pavilion at the World’s Fair in New York. The following year, 20,000 Dala horses were produced for shipment to New York. And thus the Dala horse entered the hearts of so many!

The Olsson brothers of Nusnäs began carving horses as a way to help supplement their family’s income. Eldest brother Grannas Anders began producing Dala horses in 1922, aged 26, along with other items that he sold through traveling salesmen. Younger brothers Nils and Jannes would help out by carving horses after school. In 1928, when Nils was 15 and Jannes 13, they started a small factory, taking out a loan in order to buy a saw. The risk paid off, and the descendants of the Olsson brothers are still making Dala horses in Nusnäs nearly a century later.

As it turns out there are two Olsson wooden horse stores/factories, though we passed by the smaller of the two, Grannas Olsson, and opted to visit Nils Olsson, which has a larger operation though may also be a bit pricier. If I’m even back in that neck of the woods, which I hope to be, I’ll surely check out Grannas Olssen, as well as the competition in another town. In the mean time, I’m happy with my wooden horses and can’t wait to start decorating them with little blankets for Chanukah or other festivities.Classic wooden horses painted orange and awaiting their decorative painting.

Horses before being dipped in colored paint,
Love it, I bought one like this as they are much cheaper of course than the finished product.
These all look great too, I opted for a white one and a tiny black one.
A decorative painter at work.

A rainbow of Dala horses, wow. I just love visiting factories that make traditional souvenirs, so much fun! Now when you see a Dala horse you’ll know where they come from!

Stay tuned for more Swedish adventures! And check out all my posts here.