Estonia’s first glassworks was founded by Jacob de la Gardie on the island of Hiiumaa which in those days belonged to Sweden. The first master of the factory came from Germany in 1628. He was followed by the German Pavel Gaukunckel in 1634, who arrived from Trestenhult in Småland. The glassworks followed forest glass traditions, and was in operation until the mid-1660s. In Hüti, Hiiumaa, plenty of window glass and for example Passgläser were produced. After the melting furnace of Hüti had cooled down completely, glassmaking did not begin again in Estonia until the beginning of the 1740s, when the production of glassware, especially bottles, for the St Petersburg market started.
