Topic: New Kralik Decor - Amber UV glass - Frosted Panels

[obscurities]

I bought this off of ebay based on a couple of pics. I had never seen the decor before, and there is part of an arched Czechoslovakia mark associated with Kralik on the underside.  I say part of the mark because the piece is actually rather small and the entire mark would not fit on the foot of this piece. It measures approx 4.75 inches tall.  To the naked eye the color of the glass is quite amber, and the surface is covered with 6 alternating panels of plain frosted glass and panels covered with a surface texture that reminds me of ice crystals on a pane of glass. Definitely a surface texture which is part of the glass itself.

When I purchased it I though the images appeared to show that it was a little UV reactive and upon receiving it I checked it with a small light I have and it glows like a traffic light......  I do not know that I have encountered this color of glass previously that glows this distinctly. The image of it only gives a mild sense of how it actually glows.

Any way....  just thought some on here would like to see it......

Craig

[TxSilver]

What a great find. I wonder how the pattern was made -- a wrap, wax, glue chip? Any ideas, Craig?

[Lustrousstone]

You're just trying to upset me again aren't you.  :cry: :cry: :cry:
I love amber uranium and am amassing quite a collection, but no amber Kralik

[obscurities]

I actually wondered how long it would take for me to hear from you Christine....... 

Was it used by a variety of houses....  blown glass?  Pressed Glass..... Is it uncommon glass?  I am really not familiar with it since my primary focus is early Bohemian / Czech and some mid century stuff....  I do not believe I have ever seen a Kralik piece that uses it... or Loetz, Welz etc....

Can I see pics of your favorite pieces?? 

Anita.....  I am not sure of the technique used to achieve it.... maybe someone on here will actually know..... I looked at it with a loop and it appears far too geometrically structured to be any kind of glue chip. I actually wondered if it was a mold pattern, as the ice like pattern continues to the underside of the piece.  That being said, if it was a mold pattern, it would make sense that the piece is small as the work required to make the mold with this pattern in it would have been quite intense.... On the other hand there is a definitive smooth area between each of the frosted panels making me wonder if it is some type of application after blowing the blank.  I have scraped at it in a small area and it does not seem to want to come off at all.  It reminds me of stuff we used to buy when I was a kid to spray on windows at Christmas to make them look like they were frosted with ice.... You sprayed it on and it dried leaving the crystalline pattern like this. That stuff scraped off very easily. This shows no wear of any kind that I can find so if it is an application, it is a really strong one.....  The edges of both types of the frosted panels feel raised from the smooth area in between each of them.... I really have no idea how it was done....

It is really pretty unique, especially for Kralik.....

Craig

[Anne]

The finish reminds me of the one on this vase: http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,45751.0.html do you think the green one is copying that décor Craig?

Yours is lovely BTW!  :mrgreen:

[KevinH]

And it reminds me of a vase I have had since the early 1990s.

First pic shows whole vase (size 18cm [7+ inch] height, 14cm [5.5 inch] widest part of body) which has a similar decor. Second is section of delicate "feathering". 3rd shows part of decor near neck, with definite ridges and yellowing. 4th is view of foot showing decor is all over and obviously raised and yellowed in the centre.

I suspect the decor is formed by coating the plain glass blank with resin then apllying (maybe) real feathers to give the decor imprint after which the feathers peel away or were burnt off (?). The yelllowing on parts is what I would expect from aged resin and the ridges are, indeed, rasied portions of the substance - which in some places is beginning to peel off!