* A MAGNIFICENT & MOST ELEGANT CZECH ART GLASS VASE DESIGNED BY FRANTISEK ZEMEK FOR MSTISOV

VERIFIED SELLER; 100% POSITIVE RATINGS : BUY WITH PEACE OF MIND

AN EXCEPTIONAL BEAUTY : MAGNIFICENT CZECH ART GLASS VASE FROM ZEMEK'S 'RHAPSODY' RANGE

WITH IMPERFECTIONS : PRICED ACCORDINGLY

A MOST WONDERFUL COMBINATION OF LIGHT EMERALD GREEN, COBALT BLUE AND AMBER ENCASED IN TRANSPARENT GLASS, DESIGNED BY THE FAMOUS FRANTISEK ZEMEK FOR MSTISOV IN THE LATE 1950s

Rare hand-made art glass from behind the Iron Curtain : a unique opportunity to acquire your very own, very beautiful piece of 20th Century European History!

The classic, elegant and widely published, very popular range was designed by Frantisek Zemek for Mstisov glassworks in the late 1950s. Described as 'oven molded', this innovative and highly successful range was fully shaped and worked by the glassmaker when hot at the furnace. Zemek's education in sculpture and painting can be seen in the forms and harmonic, yet vibrant colour combinations (Mark Hill, p.66 'Hi Sklo Lo Sklo').

- Height: 198 mm

- Width : 130 mm

- Weight : 1,173 kg

Production tool marks at the back (see images) as well as a chip on its base. Priced accordingly. (Otherwise in good vintage condition with age-related surface scratches and some indications of wear on base).

PRICE BENCHMARK : R3,748 (STRAUSS & CO, 18 APRIL 2016)

LITERATURE

- Hill, Mark. Hi Sklo Lo Sklo: Post War Czech Glass Design from Masterpiece to Mass-produced, 2008, 148pp. (published on p.66).

- Czechoslovak Glass Review 1960-3 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Along with Scandinavia and Italy, Czechoslovakia was one of the leading European producers and exporters of glass across the world during the second half of the 20th Century. The 1950s-70s saw a renaissance in Czech glass design that confirmed and re-established the country's global reputation in this area.

From behind the Iron Curtain, highly talented and exceptionally skilled designers pushed the boundaries of 20th century glass design and produced unique art glass masterpieces that went on to inspire visually stunning ranges and exquisite works of art in sparkling glass. Exported and sold around the world as ‘art glass for the home’, these modern and vibrantly coloured designs became enormously successful.

During the last five years or so international tastes and fashions have brought Czech post war art glass very much into vogue once again and hence the renewed appreciation of the glass hierarchy and the public alike. Czech art glass has rapidly been becoming the latest highly sought after additions to prized art glass collections all over the world.

* Shipping costs are R100 via Postnet.

* Please do have a look at my other 150+ Czech art glass items on offer.

* Please note that glass from the mid-20th century is vintage glassware and age related signs of wear such as small fine surface scratches/marks should be expected. The items are hand-made, they may have imperfections such as bubbles, inclusions and lumps within the glass. Tool marks from where they have been shaped and worked in the manufacturing process can often be seen. As this indicates authenticity and forms an inherent part of the character of handmade crystal glass, these are normally not considered as faults by collectors.

* This magnificent vase is an original and rare, hand-made Czech art glass vase (and not Italian Murano, Kosta Boda, Orrefors, Flygsfors, Swarovski, Leerdam, Val St Lambert or Lalique studio glass). I personally sourced this beauty from the Czech Republic for my own private collection. XKO01 #2