Grannas A. Olsson
Grannas Anders Olsson (nicknamed Pelle) was the oldest of 9 children and at an early age learned how to take responsibility and help make the family's living. In 1920, when he was 24 yeas old, he received a large order and in his family's bakery he started to produce black and white spotted wooden horses standing on a plate with wheels.
In 1922 he turned to producing Dala horses and in the same year the company was established. Besides the wooden horses, even tools for weaving, curtain rails etc. were manufactured. The selling was carried out by a travelling agent, for instance Anders Henriksson from Nusnäs, who has related that already in 1926 he went around and sold Dala horses from Grannas Anders production.
Both of the younger brothers Nils and Jannes helped their big brother to make the horses after school. Together with the other brothers and sisters they also helped to pull a band saw, which Anders had bought. The band saw was an important investment in order to rationalise the production of the wooden horses. During the latter years of the 1920s the machine was equipped with a motor.
In 1928 Anders married Maria and moved into the village with his business. The two boys, Nils and Jannes, now 13 and 15 years old received a cardboard box with wood sawn in 13cm pieces which made the start of their wooden horse production.
Anders mostly hired carvers in Nusnäs, but in 1937 when he wanted to make a 5cm sized horse he had to go to Vattnäs and their recognised talented woodcarver to get help. Ten years later the Nusnäs carvers succeeded in making an even smaller horse, 3 cm , in a series production.
In 1939, the same year as the great world exhibition in New York, the first carpentry building was erected on the spot where the company is today.
In 1922 he turned to producing Dala horses and in the same year the company was established. Besides the wooden horses, even tools for weaving, curtain rails etc. were manufactured. The selling was carried out by a travelling agent, for instance Anders Henriksson from Nusnäs, who has related that already in 1926 he went around and sold Dala horses from Grannas Anders production.
Both of the younger brothers Nils and Jannes helped their big brother to make the horses after school. Together with the other brothers and sisters they also helped to pull a band saw, which Anders had bought. The band saw was an important investment in order to rationalise the production of the wooden horses. During the latter years of the 1920s the machine was equipped with a motor.
In 1928 Anders married Maria and moved into the village with his business. The two boys, Nils and Jannes, now 13 and 15 years old received a cardboard box with wood sawn in 13cm pieces which made the start of their wooden horse production.
Anders mostly hired carvers in Nusnäs, but in 1937 when he wanted to make a 5cm sized horse he had to go to Vattnäs and their recognised talented woodcarver to get help. Ten years later the Nusnäs carvers succeeded in making an even smaller horse, 3 cm , in a series production.
In 1939, the same year as the great world exhibition in New York, the first carpentry building was erected on the spot where the company is today.
