Topic: Bohemia decoration, how to describe it please?

[bubbles]

Hi All,
I could really do with some help on this one!
I would like to add this vase to my website, but am not sure how to describe the decoration.  I would guess that it is enamelled.  Do you agree?  The gold horizontal bands can't be felt, but the gold scrolling is thick and raised. What would the flowers be made of, porcelain?  They stand out from the glass in relief and would have been applied afterwards, they are not glass.  I'm not very good at technical terms and often struggle to follow some of the explanations given on some threads.   So in simple language please so even I can understand.    

[Jindra8526]

Very easy: 
we Czechs use german word "Hochemail" 
in English it is translated "high enamel" - made by high enamel technology

current Czech production see for example here:
http://www.doskar-glass.cz/en/index.html
http://www.vsglass.cz/?lang=en
http://www.sklarna-slavia.cz/galery_en/smalt.html

more you can find with google using correct Czech name of technology "VYSOKY SMALT", better at www.google.cz

Jindrich

[bubbles]

Thank you very much Jindrich for those links.   So just checking I have understood,  the decoration is called "high enamel" and also uses gold, but are the flowers also enamel?  They feel slightly rough to the touch, very different to the rest of the decoration. 

[Ivo]

Raised enamel and gold is the usual English term, Terzo Fuoco in Italian because it has to be fired three times - once to anneal the vase, once to fire on the enamel and once to fix the gold.

[Jindra8526]

So it is, when Czechs try to translate their Czech terms, basicaly comming from German language. 
Jindrich

[bubbles]

And the flowers?
They definitely look and feel different to the other decoration.  Are they also enamel?  If so maybe they haven't been fired as they don't have the smoothness of the other decoration?

[bubbles]

Ivo thanks so much for clarifying, I really appreciate it.  I also understood! 
Jindrich, I am always in awe of anyone who can speak and write in another language, having failed miserably myself.    I think that you have been a wonderful addition to this board, I am very pleased to meet you here!  :hiclp:

[KevinH]

Yes, the flowers are enamel, too. The parts of the flowers are often of different thickness and the thicker parts do feel less smooth than the others.

[bubbles]

 KevH, Thank you for answering my question about the flowers, it was worrying me!  I could not understand why they felt so different.  I would love to see how it is done, for such an inexpensive item someone has gone to a lot of trouble. :thup: :kissy:

[Jindra8526]

Hi Pat,
the best way to discover "how they made it" is visit glassworks  - see http://www.sklarna-slavia.cz/index_en.html.
Some pictures from fabrication you can find only at Czech version of this site - http://www.sklarna-slavia.cz/cz/zakulisi.html.
Spring is the best time for visit Czech republic! 

I have google for you at Czech web sites this description: (http://www.evpas.cz/index.php?lang=en)

High enamel
The origin of this interesting technology is dated in the break of the 19th and 20th century. Pure gold and platinum are used for the decoration. It is laid on the glass in fluid state by a paintbrush and then burnt in special furnaces.
Arabesque-shaped or floral motifs embossed layers are gradually laid on the foundation layer of gold by a paintbrush. Repeated burning and laying next layers cause their plastical look. The process of laying and burning generally repeats four times, in the case of more difficult decorating even more times.
Glass colours is basically overground low-fusing glass. A painter has to mix an appropriate colour with a vehicle perfectly, then he lays the colour on cleared form and burns according to the kind of colour and glass by the temperature of 540 – 580˚C.


Jindrich