Lisovane Sklo a Krystalerie

Book review Lisovane Sklo a Krystalerie, Petr Novy

My Czech is not bad, and I have made reasonable progress with this book. Written by Petr Novy, it is a history of the pressed glass industry of the Jizera Mountain region, in Bohemia, specifically that part which as Sudetenland, was annexed by Hitler, and where, following the war, many formerly German-owned glassworks were confiscated and then nationalised. The book is split into three parts, the first dealing with the period from introduction of pressed glass to 1918, the second, 1918 - 1948, with information on Barolac, Schrotter's work for Inwald, and the latter part, 1948 to the present.
It is a comprehensive study, accompanied by images of various factories, old advertising material, pattern book drawings, a small number of makers marks, and these relate to companies such as Hoffmann, Schlevogt, Gebruder Feix. There are also images of post-war period pressed glass, by Vizner, Platek, Hanus a and others. There are some 46 pages dealing with some of the major companies, in the four major glass-making centres in the region, including Jablonec: Hoffmann Franz and Heinrich, Schlevogt, and Vogel & Zappe. Kamenice area; Karl Reidel, Anton Zimmerman, Emil Fischer. Desne area, Josef Reidel, Fredinand Unger and Co. The English summary is good, I can't comment on the German.

My thoughts on the book are these:
It was published by Ornela, in co-operation with the Museum of Glass and Jewellery, Jablonec nad Nisou, in an edition of 500 copies. There are no colour illustrations in the text, and some illustrations (particularly of work post 1948), have been used/recycled since Raban edited Modern Bohemian Glass. (1963)

Is it useful? Yes, definitely.

Would a version with full English/German translation sell? absolutely!!! More than 500 copies?? I think so.

Would it have been improved with new images, rather than stock photographs? Yes, where practicable, obviously not of historic interiors etc.

There is a great deal of interest in pressed glass, and particularly that emanating from Bohemia/Czechslovakia/ Czech Republic.... That this book was issued in such a small print run was an opportunity missed, for the wider dissemination of information on this aspect of glass.

Perhaps letters from those on this board, who are interested, to Ornela, asking when copies in other languages will become available, might prompt Ornela and the Museum to consider re-issuing this book in other languages. It deserves no less.

ISBN 80-86397-01-7 Softback only - published 2002

Last thing, was it worth my €18? In any language, Ja, Yes, Oui, Ano etcetera