Welcome!

Meet 100 years of Clas Ohlson history, the gadgets that have been sold – and flip through all our catalogues! Scroll and browse – and why not start with with Clas Ohlson’s historical film.

Share your memories!

Do you have recollections of our catalogues or products? Or another story linked to Clas Ohlson? We’d love to hear it!

Tell your story here.

Filmcamera

The affordable and easy-to-use Kodak Brownie-series came out in 1900. The models that followed became many people’s first still camera, like star photographer Slim Aarons. This film version, for 8-millimetrefilm, came 1955. The last in the series came 1986.

Find more gadgets here!

All the catalogues

Every year since 1918 Clas Ohlson has published a catalogue. That’s a century of catalogues that show both our gadgets – and our society – has evolved.

Here are ALL our catalogues.

The company

In 1918, 23-year old Clas Ohlson started a mail order company in Insjön. He named the company after himself. After all, it had worked for his cousins who had started nation-wide retailer Åhlens a few years earlier. Much has happened since then.

Read the Clas Ohlson Story

Beloved gadgets

The book “Älskade prylar” (Förlaget Näringslivshistoria, 2017), or “Beloved Gadgets,” builds on 100 years of Clas Ohlson’s catalogues.

Buy the book here (in Swedish only)!

Our gadgets during 100 years

Do-it-yourself1920

Screwdriver

The first recorded use of a screwdriver dates back to the 1400s. Today, flat blade (or spotted) screwdrivers have been almost completely replaced by, among other types, keystone tip or Philips screwdrivers. (From the catalogue 1927.)

Because I want one1980

Loom

An ancient product. Known especially for your grandmothers’ rugs. (From the catalogue 1985.)

1920

Yardstick

The yardstick has come in handy during construction since the days of the ancient Greeks. Swedish engineer Karl-Hilmer Johansson Kollén is considered the inventor of the modern version. In 1883 he showed the first jointed-yardstick to the world. His invention was the basis for the Swedish company Hultafors AB. Today’s models are graded in centimetres and made from wood, glass fibre or aluminium. This version measured one meter and was made in yellow polished wood. (From the catalogue 1929.)

The Clas Ohlson Story

Organization

With continued growth since 1918, Clas Ohlson has always had a dynamic and expanding organization. Read more about company's development, about new offices and distribution centers that were always needed as the organization grew. Read more

Products

Starting with educational textbooks and drawings, the product catagories that Clas Ohlson offered to its customers quickly grew. Soon Clas Ohlson became everyone's go-to-place for finding the latest and most practical ways to solve our everyday dilemmas. Read more

People

Many profiles have left their mark in the annals of Clas Ohlson. Between founder Clas and today's CEO Lotta have passed almost exactly 100 years. In between are all the people that have made Clas Ohlson what it is today. Meet the customers, the coworkers and the suppliers who have built Clas Ohlson over a century's time. Read more

Paulina Kolm

“Clas Ohlson is known for smart and good products.”

Paulina Kolm supplies the product Apponwall to Clas Ohlson.
Read about the cooperation

Björn Haid

“I think Clas would have been shocked if he knew that we have more stores than Åhlens.”

Read the story about our founder Clas!

More about our founder Clas Ohlson

Read Johan Pella’s book about the company, Insjön and Clas Ohlson.

Buy the book here.

Pod from history buffs Blå Hästen

Listen to the history of gadgets in the podcast Beloved Gadgets.

Listen to the pod (in Swedish):

Share YOUR story

Do you have a Clas Ohlson-story of your own? We’d love to hear from you. Short memories, long stories, letters, images… And if you have historical material about Clas Ohlson that you’d like to share, please contact the Clas Ohlson Museum in Insjön.

Contact us

Gadget Archive

Efter andra världskriget såldes överblivna metalldetektorer ut och många privatpersoner...
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Motive-ID: metalldetektor11

Image caption: Efter andra världskriget såldes överblivna metalldetektorer ut och många privatpersoner gav sig ut på skattjakt. I dag är metalldetektorer förbjudna i Sverige, människor får inte leta arkeologiska föremål. Men i Danmark är det en laglig och mycket populär hobby. I katalogen 1985
Världens första filmvisning med filmprojektet genomförs av bröderna Lumiére 1895...
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Motive-ID: Kinematograf

Image caption: Världens första filmvisning med filmprojektet genomförs av bröderna Lumiére 1895 i Paris. Från sekelskiftet finns projektorer i svensk handel och kostar då cirka 50 000 kronor i dagens penningvärde. Drygt 30 år senare är priserna mer överkomliga. Från katalog 1928
Den tidstypiska och smäckra rundstrålande högtalaren är inte bara en...
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Motive-ID: högtalare

Image caption: Den tidstypiska och smäckra rundstrålande högtalaren är inte bara en fröjd för ögat – med innovationen nådde nu ljudet ut jämnare i hela rummet.
Samlingen med inspelade blandband var både privat och viktig. Att...
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Motive-ID: kasettbandliten

Image caption: Samlingen med inspelade blandband var både privat och viktig. Att ge någon ett av sina blandband var nästan som att dela med sig av sin allra hemligaste hemlighet. Kassettbanden levde långt efter cd:ns inträde på marknaden kvar i bilarnas kassettbandspelare. Från katalogen 1988.
00.96, 00.94, 01.00 – där satt den. Tidtagaruret funkade inte...
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Motive-ID: Tidtagarur

Image caption: 00.96, 00.94, 01.00 – där satt den. Tidtagaruret funkade inte bara som äggklocka. Under 1980-talet var det ett stort nöje att få exakta tider vid tävlingslopp, hålla koll på hålla andan-rekordet och stanna klockan på exakta hundradelen. Från katalog 1987.
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