Topic: Czech sculptured vase. ID = Vlastimil Pospichal

[norman warbreck]

i have had this piece for 10 years and sadly still in the dark.
it has a signature on the foot rim...pospicha
and ideas pls.

[Sklounion]

Hi,
Czech as you say, by Vlastimil Pospichal. late 40s early fifties, and a very beautiful piece of glass.  :clap: :clap:
Well done Norman.
Chapeau,
Marcus

[norman warbreck]

thank u Marcus,
i have the book Czech glass 1945 1980 design in an age of diversity......and no mention of the fellow in this book...but does shows similar vases designed by rene roubicek and others. is pospical not regarded? or just a matter of the author?
i have several others that are shown in this book.
but again thank u very much.

[Sklounion]

Hi Norman,
Pospichal was one of a number of eminent Czech glass artists, including Libensky and Roubicek, who went to the various factories and glass schools in Novy Bor and Kamenicky Senov, following the Benes Decree expulsions, to assist in the re-opening, and re-vitalisation of the glass industry.
He is not dis-regarded, merely that books such as the Helmut Ricke-edited "Czech Glass 1945-1980: Design in an Age of Adversity", the first English language text to truly examine the subject in depth, could not possibly have included every artist in glass.
Thus it it is not that he is unimportant, merely that he, like many other artists, (and let's face it, few countries have had over 150 top-flight glass designers,) was unfortunately not selected. It is a reflection, perhaps, of how under-rated cut and engraved glass as an subject area is. I am still, after three years, perplexed by the absence of Ivan Kolman, from the Ricke book, surely one of the finest cutters of the period.
Maybe someone, some day, will write a history of communist-era cut and engraved glass. I hope so.
Regards,
Marcus

[norman warbreck]

Hi Marcus..
thank u for clearing that up for me.Yeah i guess as far as czech glass is concerned a lot will still be written.I have always found their glass to be so stimulating...i once owned a stunning piece that was hand painted with dancing girls swirling skirts and stars in the sky...rather on the large size.
when i offered it for sale at a zurich fair i had three people fighting over it...one of those pieces one regrets selling without having the info at hand.every since i have purchased a number of pieces and am dearly holding onto them...they just thrill me.
looking forward to your exciting book.
best
norman

[Frank]

Problem is partly one of language, although much was also written in German it requires a mastery of the Czech language to actually do thorough research on their glass industry. The Russian glass industry suffers from the same problem - at best Russian catalogues have the briefest summations in English but most are Russian from cover to cover and to fully understand Russian art glass you need to fully understand Czech art glass as it was the major influence on Russian design, going by the catalogues I have. They will be the last to digitise as I need them properly translated first.

[krsilber]

Very nice piece, Norman!  I didn't realize until reading Marcus's post that it's engraved.  Could you please post a few more photos, bigger/more details?

I had a look through some of my books, only found one reference to Pospichal (I keep wanting to write "Popsical").  According to Langhamer's The Legend of Bohemian Glass, he was an instructor at Novy Bor.  Just thought I'd add that bitty tidbit.

[Frank]

Pospichal

Pospical

Which is right?

[Sklounion]

The first one.
M

[norman warbreck]

Hi Kristi....some more pics of the sculptured vase.....enjoy!!