Topic: Skrdlovice - Identified Items

[vetraio50]

Michael I echo your thoughts about the work Jindrich has done and continues to do for all of us!

Yesterday I came across a piece on Collector's Weekly: a František Vízner vase with some an inyteresting signature/detail on the bottom:

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/29171-frantisek-vizner-art-glass-signed-with

The owner was asked : This Vizner piece I have had for about 20 years now....Any information on this is appreciated. It does have tiny scratches on the top......Are there any ways of removing scratches from glass? I am wondering why this piece hadn't been numbered? Thank you for your comments............John

I replied to the owner:
"You can read about Alchymia Praha at this site:
http://www.iwu.edu/iwunews/magazine/pastissues/Winter_2003/glass.shtml
 
"It was a business venture set up in the US by Raymond Berger — together with partner Alex Shapiro that went from 2000-2004. Alchymia Prahawas a company created to market handmade contemporary glassware designed by leading Czech artists. Alchymie Praha (Czech for “Prague Academy”) cemented its arrival as a player in the world of retail glassware by signing a two-year, 10-market exclusivity pact with Neiman Marcus to carry the entire line. The affordably priced, signed-and-numbered collections are not only finding favor among consumers, but they have also energized the Czech Republic’s decorative glass industry and provided a new audience for talented artists whose work was previously unknown in America.""
 
Does anyone know anything more about this venture "Alchymia Praha"?

Why the piece is not numbered? It merely has __/500. Any suggestions?

Is it from 2000-2004 or is it earlier? I take it that this is also Vízner's hand signature as well as the block title?

regards


Kevin G

[Jindra8526]

Well, I do not know too much about Alchymia Praha, it seems to me that it was not succesful project of selling Czech glass, company with this name never exist according to company register of CR.

I know personaly from Frantisek Vizner, that he re-designed few older Skrdlovice patterns. The difference is in size and also in rim - older Skrdlovice pieces had the rim rounded in flame, recent products for Alchymie have rim cut and polished. The cutting was cheaper and faster option for manufacturing. Vizner pieces had been manufactured in Beranek Glass s.r.o. I do not know reason, but only few pieces oredered by Alchymie had been sold them, the rest had remained in Beranek Glass stock, some pieces signed by Frantisek Vizner, some pieces without signature. From the Beranek stock I purchased my pieces in December 2008, i had been so lucky that Mr. Vizner personaly had selected the pieces with "nicer" bubbles  for me.

I have seen some Vladimir Klein pieces at picture from Alchymie, I will try to ask him more about this project.

Jindrich
www.cs-sklo.cz

[vetraio50]

Hi Jindrich

Thanks for the explanation.
I'd be interested to hear what Vladimir Klein says about the Alchimie venture.
I got the impression that it was only short-lived.
Still there may well be other pieces in the US that were sold.
The photos in the 'iwu' article look interesting to me.

Your knowlege in these matters is invaluable.

regards
Kevin G

[langhaugh]

The latest additions from Canada.  I would have doubled the number of definites here, but for a Skrdlovice expert telling me that two weren't Skrdlovice. See if you can pick the non Skrdlovice (and Anik is disqualified as she has an unfair advantage having been born in Canada).

The competition closes tomorrow morning as I leave for Britain in the afternoon.  

David

Three more pics in next post.

[langhaugh]

The first pic is a repeat of a bowl from the fists grouping.

David

[Anik R]

I'm disqualified?  Well that's a relief...  it saves me the embarrassment of admitting I only know half the answer.
David, have a wonderful and safe trip!

[rocco]

I'm glad that I am too late for the competition, because I am not sure at all
But that basket seems familiar (Anik :hi:)
The platter does look Skrdlovice as well, not so sure about the last item posted.
The green ashtray...  :usd:

I was successful as well, found a huge (37 cm long) Frantisek Spinar bowl yesterday, PN 7609.

And one more beautiful piece of Czech glass (non-Skrdlovice) came my way today: a big Mstisov bowl, by Vlastimil Svoboda, 1962.
(Took me some time to identify it, but the colours seemed familiar, and I finally remembered a thread about Mstisov vase by Vladimir Mika which was discussed here some time ago).

Michael

p.s. @David: have a great journey to Britain!

[langhaugh]

Two very good pieces, Michael.  The Mstisov would have stumped me.

The bowl, a big one at 32 cm wide, is by Jaroslav Beranek and is either PN 5474 or part of the same series.  The basket is by Veliskova, the third different colourway I've found in Canada.  The elephant is great, but Pallme Konig although a Skrdlovice -originated design according to Robert.  And the green and brown basket is the subject of debate, still up in the air. More later.

Thanks for good wishes for Britian.  See you all in October.

David

[Anik R]

David, I'm fascinated with the elephant piece.  The body of the ashtray is the spitting image of the Skrdlovice ashtrays seen in the 1957/8 CGR -- yet it's not Skrdlovice.  As for the green and brown 'splashing water' basket-thing, I would have given an arm that it is Skrdlovice... shows how much I know. :spls:

Michael, great pieces!  The Svoboda bowl is lovely, though I wouldn't have been able to identify it.  How on earth do you remember all the things you see???  Highly impressive...  I think I'm even more jealous of your good memory than of your beautiful glass.

[rocco]

Thanks for your nice comments, David and Anik!
David, the big Jaroslav Beranek bowl is great, not so sure about the elephant ashtray; animal-decorated items are not for me I guess...

I am a little proud to have found that Mstisov range (called "DUHA") in CGR rather fast -- regarding the fact I wasn't sure at all it even was a Czech piece :usd:
When I spotted it on the fleamarket I thought it was lovely, but had no idea what it was; the seller said "Murano" (so Czech origin was highly probable ), and I got it quite cheap.

At home I had a look through the Skrdlovice catalogues and pattern books, but no match; then I remembered the Mika vase I mentioned above, had a look through CGR of 1962 and 1963 on Jindrich's site -- and there it was: http://picasaweb.google.com/Jindra8526/Glasrevue19633?authkey=Gv1sRgCOqr84bl7cfwZA#5441435472581589714. As you can see the images are quite faded, the colours are much more vibrant in reality.

And today another addition to my Skrdlovice collection, a very nice piece, at a very nice price (6 Euro): Svobodova "Galaxy" ashtray, PN 6569.
Sold as Murano glass

Michael