Swarovski Giftware Suite Letter Opener Prototype Discovered

Giftware suite was a division of Swarovski primarily in business in the 1980’s through the early 1990’s.  Giftware Suite is most well-known for the Swarovski Christmas ornaments.  However, the Swarovski Giftware Suite division can also be credited with a number of other popular crystal products, like useful desk objects.

One such crystal figure was the Swarovski Giftware Suite  Letter Opener.  The Giftware Suite letter opener was marketed and sold in three different colors: red, green and black.  All the letter openers were identified with a single Swarski part number 72809.  While I was not able to locate official introduction or retirement dates, a Swarovski Block SC logo would indicate an introduction date of 1988 or earlier.  A Swarovski Swan logo would indicate a production date 1989 or later.  And the fact that Giftware Suite seemed to cease in 1992, would indicate retirement no later than 1992.

Now, with some background information about the Swarovski Giftware Suite division and Swarovski letter opener, I share the news about the letter opener prototype that arrived at Crystal Exchange America in the course of a transaction.  The letter opener was packaged in an original Swarovski box.  For the Giftware Suite products, the box was mostly white.  This Swarovski box even has the correct identification sticker on the lid. When I removed the foam and letter opener from the box, I was surprised to see that it was not painted with red or green or black trim…it was white trim.  Not knowing what to expect, I enquired to the seller for more info on this unusual color.  I learned that a family member was employed by Swarovski many, many years ago and purchased it in an employee clearance sale.  From my understanding, prototypes and discontinued figurines would sometimes be made available to employees at discounted prices, and that was how this one was acquired.  It was not clear how many Swarovski prototypes with white trim were made, but it was never produced for public distribution.

The Giftware Suite letter opener was sold separately and as a part of an executive desk set.  Other items in the executive desk set include a ball point pen, bookmark, letter opener, and card holder.

Crystal exchange America, located at www.CrystalExchange.com  has some Giftware Suite figurines available in their online store.  The Christmas Ornaments can be found in the Christmas and Ornamentt category.  The other more functional units, pendants, and key rings / key chains, can be found in the Vintage category, Giftware Suite sub-category.