Topic: Cut cube vase/object, acid etched surface. ID = František Vízner

[rocco]

Interesting piece added to my Czech glass collection:
cube shaped vase/object, cut, polished, surface acid etched (only the interior is smooth).
Massive piece, despite the rather smallish dimensions (12 x 12 x 14 cm) weighing 4.1 kg.

Made from a colourless-cased-in-topaz blank -- could well be from Skrdlovice
On two sides the colourless glass shows at the surface (see pic 3).

Very well made, with a paper thin rim at the opening.

Can this be confirmed to be a Vizner piece, or is it just made in his style?
Very similar to >> this piece at CMOG, and to the mid 1960s ones pictured in the Ricke book.

Robert and Jindrich write in their Skrdlovice book (page 68) that in the 1970s cut pieces were made there by several designers...

Thanks,
Michael

[bOBA]

A very interesting piece Michael, it is a very good candidate for being an extremly rare piece of Czech glass, pre 1967.

Robert (bOBA)

[Anik R]

Wow!  Well that's exciting!

[rocco]

Thank you so much for your thoughts, Robert, greatly appreciated!

That is what I hoped when I purchased it, though I knew it would be tough (or impossible) to get a confirmation...

Michael

[Jindra8526]

Dear friends,
I am happy that I can confirm that this piece had been designed and also cut by master hands of František Vízner.

Frantisek called it simply "cubes". He used the glass material from Mstišov glassworks, later when factory in Msišov had been closed he used glass from Karlovarské sklo. First cube made František in 1962 when  he worked in Rudolfova hut as pressed glass designer.
There were cut machines in Rudlolfova hut just for finishing bottoms of pressed glass pieces, afternoons when workers left, František used their cut machines to make such things, just a side job, source of money. He had sold it in Prague, at Narodni street to art-craft shop. The usual price was about 600 Kcs for the piece, the medium salary in Czechoslovakia was about 1000 Kcs at that time.

Frantisek had told me that he had some conflicts with cutters in Rudolfova, becouse he usually destroyed their cut equipment, he told me that he was not very skilled cutter. He also mentioned, that when he sold in Prague two or three "cubes" he had felt himself rich like Rotchild, walked through Prague with nose up. :-)

I attached the picture made by Frantisek,  we tried to sumarise and date all of pieces he made.
Jindrich

[Jindra8526]

Pieces from Frantisek's private collection

[Anik R]

Jindrich, it's so good to 'see' you here again.  We missed you.

What a wonderful story -- Michael, it's looks like you've got one darn special piece!

[rocco]

Dear Jindrich,
thank you so much for confirming that the master František Vízner designed (and actually made) this piece!!
Bearing in mind how beautifully it is made, I would say he was a very skilled cutter!

Very much appreciated that you found the time to reply, and even tell the wonderful story behind these early cut pieces.

A very special piece indeed, certainly one of the highlights of my Czech glass collection.

Michael

edit to add: though I had spent hours and hours researching Vizner's cut objects, only just now I came across this article by Mgr. Mailand Hlaveš, showing an almost identical piece:
http://www.czechdesign.cz/index.php?status=c&clanek=735&lang=1 (second row, right)

[Jindra8526]

Hi Michael, our common friend Boba is man who managed it to let me take a look to your piece.

In fact, I am one and only Viznerologist, I had chance to have honour to help Frantisek to make a list of all pieces he made in pressed, cut and free hand blown glass. I was very lucky man, I have spent hours with him, chatting, listening and alo recording.

I miss him very much, really.
Jin

[rocco]

Thank you Jindrich.
You were really privileged to spend so much time with one of 20th century's most important glass artists.
I can understand why you miss him so much...

I am honoured that the one and only Viznerologist took the time to help me with this beautiful piece.

Michael