{{short description|Austrian-born, Swedish botanist, art historian, knitwear designer, entrepreneur}} '''Emma Charlotte Stiasny Jacobsson''' (1883 – 1977) was an Austrian-born Swedish botanist, art historian, knitwear designer, and entrepreneur. She was a founder of the Bohus Stickning knitting cooperative, and the executive director during its thirty years of operation.

== Early life == Jacobsson was born into a Jewish family in Vienna, Austria. Her parents, Franz Clemens Stiasny and Anna Stiasny, were members of an intellectual community in Vienna that included Sigmund Freud.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Bohus Stickning: på nytt = the revival|last=Overland|first=Viveka|last2=Bohusläns museum|date=2015-01-01|isbn=9789176862681|page=12|oclc = 932126336}}</ref> She earned a doctorate in botany in 1913;<ref name=":0">{{Cite book | title = Poems of color: knitting in the Bohus tradition | last = Keele | first = Wendy | date = 1995-01-01 | publisher = Interweave Press | isbn = 1883010128 | location = Loveland, CO | page = 12 |oclc = 32738261| language = en }}</ref> her dissertation, [https://archive.org/stream/sitzungsberich1221913kais/sitzungsberich1221913kais#page/1091/mode/1up/search/emma+stiasny Versuch einer histologisch-phylogenetischen Bearbeitung der Papilionaceae], concerned the phylogenetics of the flowering plant subfamily Faboideae or Papilionoideae.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Versuch einer histologisch-phylogenetischen Bearbeitung der Papilionaceae | last = Jacobsson-Stiasny | first = Emma | date = 1913-01-01 | publisher = [s.n.] | location = [S.l.] |oclc = 68123260| language = de }}</ref> While studying in Berlin, she met Malte Jacobsson, whom she married in 1912. They settled in Gothenburg, Sweden.<ref name=":0" /> Although she did not continue with a career in botany, she published several academic papers on subjects relating to art history.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Typus und Individuum: Studien zur Typenbildung und Individualisierung der antiken Kunst | last = Stiasny-Jacobsson | first = Emma | date = 1934-01-01 | publisher = Krystall-Verl. | location = Wien |oclc = 250213878| language = de }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | title = Formprobleme der antiken Kunst. | last = Stiasny-Jacobsson | first = Emma | date = 1931-01-01 | publisher = Krystall-Verlag | location = Wien |oclc = 17794186| language = de }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | title = Poems of color: knitting in the Bohus tradition | last = Keele | first = Wendy | date = 1995-01-01 | publisher = Interweave Press | isbn = 1883010128 | location = Loveland, CO | page = 9 |oclc = 32738261| language = en }}</ref>

== Career == From 1912 until 1950, Emma Jacobsson was married to Malte Jacobsson, who became governor of the province of Bohüslan, Sweden in 1934. As wife of the governor of Bohüslan, Jacobsson used her position to provide community leadership and improve economic conditions in the province by establishing a cottage industry in 1939. It became known as Bohus Stickning, a cooperative that attained international stature and was in operation until 1969 with Jacobsson as its executive director.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Poems of color: knitting in the Bohus tradition|publisher = Interweave Press|date = 1995-01-01|location = Loveland, CO|isbn = 1883010128|language = en|first = Wendy|last = Keele|oclc = 32738261}}</ref> Bohus Stickning provided economic support for knitters in Bohüslan and became known in Sweden and abroad. Jacobsson was herself a designer for Bohus Stickning, particularly during the cooperative's early years. Many of her designs were inspired by objects on display in museums, such as Peruvian textiles, decorative arts from China, and antique Swedish woven textiles with heraldic motifs.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Bohus stickning 1939-1969 | last = Häglund | first = Ulla | last2 = Mesterton | first2 = Ingrid | date = 1980-01-01 | publisher = Föreningen Bohus Stickning | isbn = 9174861581 | location = Göteborg | pages = 49–53 |oclc = 8136030| language = sv }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | title = Poems of color: knitting in the Bohus tradition | last = Keele | first = Wendy | date = 1995-01-01 | publisher = Interweave Press | isbn = 1883010128 | location = Loveland, CO | page = 13 |oclc = 32738261| language = en }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024268853|title = Mönsterprov. 10 Samples for Bohus Stickning|access-date = 20 February 2016|website = DigitaltMuseum|publisher = Bohusläns Museum Image Database}}</ref> As director of Bohus Stickning, Emma Jacobsson participated in the design process by editing the submissions of other designers, suggesting alterations, and having final decision-making authority. She exhibited in Sweden and internationally, including the Milan Triennale, in 1951, 1954, and 1960.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A treasury of Scandinavian design|last=Zahle|first=Erik|publisher=Golden Press|year=1961|location=New York|pages=277}}</ref>

Emma Jacobsson’s vision for the company’s fashion brand and guidance led Bohus Stickning to achieve international name recognition.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BOUQAAAAIBAJ&pg=5867%2C1291520|title=Emma Jacobsson Put Knitting Needles to Work: She Rescued a Province, Founded a Unique Industry|date=7 September 1966|work=Eugene Register-Guard|page=13|access-date=2 March 2016|via=Google News}}</ref> An entrepreneur, Jacobsson forged commercial connections for the Bohus Stickning cooperative with Nordiska Kompaniet in Stockholm<ref>{{Cite book|title = Du är NK!: konstruktioner av yrkesidentiteter på varuhuset NK ur ett genus- och klassperspektiv 1918-1975|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=TVDtAAAAMAAJ|publisher = Ekonomisk-historiska institutionen, Stockholms universitet|date = 2004-01-01|isbn = 9789122020912|language = sv|first = Karin|last = Åmossa|pages = 162–179|chapter = Mellan stenhuggarhustrur och dollarturister: Bohus Stickning på NK 1939-1969}}</ref> and Gillblads in Gothenburg,<ref>{{Cite book | title = Bohus Stickning: på nytt = the revival | last = Overland | first = Viveka | last2 = Bohusläns museum | date = 2015-01-01 | isbn = 9789176862681 | page = 31 |oclc = 932126336}}</ref> and working through an export trade distributor, sold products to department stores in the United States such as Neiman Marcus.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Poems of color: knitting in the Bohus tradition | last = Keele | first = Wendy | date = 1995-01-01 | publisher = Interweave Press | isbn = 1883010128 | location = Loveland, CO | pages = 20–21 |oclc = 32738261| language = en }}</ref> Notable clients included Ingrid Bergman and Grace Kelly.<ref>{{Cite book | title = Bohus Stickning: på nytt = the revival | last = Overland | first = Viveka | last2 = Bohusläns museum | date = 2015-01-01 | isbn = 9789176862681 | page = 28 |oclc = 932126336}}</ref> She led the company for thirty years until it closed in 1969. Jacobsson died in 1977.

== Notable Patterns Designed by Emma Jacobsson for Bohus Stickning == {| class="wikitable" !Swedish Name !English name !Year !Notes |- |[https://digitaltmuseum.se/021025913938 Stora Nejlikan] |[https://digitaltmuseum.se/021025913938 The Large Carnation] |early 1940s |Paneled woolen cardigan embellished with embroidery. |- |[https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024286104 Ormen] |[https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024286104 The Snake] |1947 |Short or long sleeve pullover in dark burgundy or green<ref>{{Cite book|title = Contemporary Swedish design; a survey in pictures|publisher = Nordisk Rotogravyr|date = 1951-01-01|location = Stockholm|language = en|first = Arthur|last = Hald|first2 = Sven Erik|last2 = Skawonius|page = 48|oclc = 397203}}</ref> with patterned yoke. Pattern design inspired by Peruvian textiles on exhibit at the Ethnographic Museum of the East India House in Gothenburg. Angora/wool mix.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024286104|title = Bohusläns Museum Digitaltmuseum Database}}</ref> |- |[https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024287445 Finska axet] |[https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024287445 Finnish Spike] |early 1940s |Wool cardigan. See also: [https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024287446 Socks with patterned cuff]. |- |[https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024286138 Rådjursspåret] |[https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024286138 The Deer Track] |1948 |Wool pullover. |- |[https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024286119 Vävnaden]<br>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160322101043/http://www.angoragarnet.com/en/bohus-knitting/the-collection/the-woven-one-21483200 Modern recreation] |[https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024286119 The Woven One]<br>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160322101043/http://www.angoragarnet.com/en/bohus-knitting/the-collection/the-woven-one-21483200 Modern recreation] |early 1940s |2-color wool cardigan. Inspired by the Swedish weaving technique, opphämta or smålandsweave.<ref>{{cite web|title=Scope Note. Pattern Entry for The Woven One by Emma Jacobsson|url=https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-woven-one|website=Ravelry|access-date=28 February 2016}}</ref> |}

== Bibliography == * "Emma Jacobsson Put Knitting Needles to Work: She Rescued a Province, Founded a Unique Industry" ''Eugene Register-Guard''. 7 Sept 1966, p.&nbsp;13. * Åmossa, Karin. ''Du är NK!: konstruktioner av yrkesidentiteter på varuhuset NK ur ett genus- och klassperspektiv 1918-1975''. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International, 2004. * Häglund, Ulla, and Ingrid Mesterton. ''Bohus stickning 1939-1969''. Göteborg: Föreningen Bohus Stickning, 1980. * Häglund, Ulla. ''Bohus Stickning''. Bohuslän Museum, 1999. * Hald, Arthur, and Sven Erik Skawonius. ''Contemporary Swedish design; a survey in pictures''. Stockholm: Nordisk Rotogravyr, 1951. * Keele, Wendy. ''Poems of Color. Knitting in the Bohus Tradition''. Interweave Press 1995. * Overland, Viveka. ''Bohus Stickning: på nytt. The Revival.'' Bohusläns museums förlag 2015.

== References == {{Reflist}}

== Further reading == * {{SKBL}}

== External links == * [https://www.bohuslansmuseum.se/en/collections-and-history/bohus-knitting-1939-1969/ Bohusläns Museum. Bohus Stickning, 1939-1969] * [http://emp-web-35.zetcom.ch/eMuseumPlus?service=ExternalInterface&module=collection&objectId=25119&viewType=detailView Röhsska Museum Collection] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20131217214418/http://www.ub.gu.se/kvinn/handskrifter/B50.pdf Finding Guide to the Bohus Stickning Archive in the Kvinn Samm, the National resource library for gender studies, Gothenburg University Library] * [http://www.solsilke.se/Nyheter.htm Bohus Stickning Recreations by Solveig Gustafsson] * [http://www.angoragarnet.com/en/bohus-stickning/about-bohus-stickning-32248265 Bohus Stickning Recreations by Pernille Silfverberg of AngoraGarnet]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jacobsson, Emma}} <!--- Categories ---> Category:20th-century Swedish textile artists Category:People in knitting Category:1883 births Category:1977 deaths Category:Swedish women textile artists Category:Artists from Vienna Category:Swedish Jews Category:20th-century Austrian botanists Category:Austrian women botanists Category:Swedish women botanists Category:Swedish fashion designers Category:Austrian fashion designers Category:Austrian women fashion designers Category:Women art historians Category:Swedish women fashion designers Category:Austrian women historians Category:Swedish women historians Category:Austrian emigrants to Sweden Category:20th-century women textile artists