Topic: Milena Veliskova "little scarf" vase

[rocco]

One more for my early post war Czech glass collection:
lovely "little scarf" vase, designed by Milena Veliskova for CMS/Krasno and again for Skrdlovice, mid to late 1940s.
13 cm high, circular polished pontil mark.
(And absolutely no wear to the base, which is rather unusual for a piece almost 70 years old...)

More commonly seen in Pulegoso glass, this one is made of bubbly glass with coloured stripes (my third piece with this kind of decor >> Link).
In addition, there are multicolour glass frit and even some Mica flakes in the base, a feature I haven't seen yet in early Skrdlovice glass.
So once again totally unsure whether it was made at Reich CMS, or Skrdlovice glassworks.
Maybe Robert will have a clue
There is an interesting text about this design in his book...

Michael

[Lustrousstone]

Very pretty. I like that

[bOBA]

A classic piece Michael. I have tried to find my vase with CMS BMG acid etched on a flat polished base, but it is hiding from me!! That vase is quite heavy for its size and is cased in clear, with large bubbles stained with blue. M. Velsikova was highly regarded when she was working in glass. As with F. Zemek, the efforts of modern researchers have returned some fame to deserving people, who for various reasons left glass-making before 1970 and therefore do not appear at all in some books on post war Czech glass. Staying alive and participating, ensures continuation of fame to some degree. M. Velsikova was essential to early Skrdlovice and this is a lovely design. In the pattern book, the text in Czech, describes this exact colourway and the fact it appeared in two sizes.

 I also have the 8cm version in plain slightly blue antique style "pulegoso" glass. I think Mark Hill still has one of these in white on his website in the glass shop section. (Interestingly, Craig Orkney has discovered from Kusak glass in Seattle, that the antique style glass from Beranek was originally marketed in Seattle in circa 1945-1950 as "Pompeian".)

Because this piece of your has a polished pontil not flat polished like the CMS BMG vase I have, coupled with the fact the colourway appears in the pattern book, it seems to be it is probably early Skrdlovice production. Although the addition of coloured chips is rare in early Skrdlovice, I have one piece with it. Because of the scarcity of materials, any variation away from plain antique style pulegoso during this period,  is significantly more rare. A Great piece,

Robert (bOBA)

[rocco]

Robert, thank you so much for your reply, greatly appreciated
I am sure you are right, that the polished pontil mark hints towards Skrdlovice.
What surprised me most were the mica flakes, something I hadn't seen before in Skrdlovice glass.

Good that due to your book the great designer Veliskova got the attention she deserves.
And yes, a very pretty piece indeed (thanks for your comment, Christine!)

I saw the pulegoso example Mark Hill offers in his shop, very nice.
I don't know how he came to the conclusion that CMS pieces are more abundant than those from Skrdlovice, though; imhe CMS pieces are generally harder to find...

Michael