One of my specialist areas is postwar Czech glass, and you can browse a selection of my stock by clicking on SHOP above. The 1950s-70s saw a renaissance in Czech glass design that re-established the country’s global reputation in this area. From behind the Iron Curtain, skilled designers pushed the boundaries of 20th century glass design and produced unique art glass masterpieces that went on to inspire visually stunning mass-produced ranges. Exported and sold across the world as art glass for the home, these modern and vibrantly coloured designs became enormously successful. Despite this, the designers behind them were rarely named. Until recently, the designs they produced lay forgotten or misattributed. Now, new information has identified them and begun to reveal the fascinating stories behind these hugely appealing and increasingly valuable and desirable designs.
Czech Glass Basic Q & A
This fully illustrated, informative article is the best place to start if you’re new to collecting postwar Czech Glass. Styled as an easy to read ‘Q&A’, it covers the different types of glass produced, highlights notable designers and gives tips on how to recognise it, with a list of references for further reading. Read more
‘Beránek & Skrdlovice’ Book
This lavishly illustrated, limited edition hardback book is the first to reveal the fascinating story behind Skrdlovice glass, detailing for the first time the designers, chronology and production processes that went into making it. Divided into decades, each chapter finishes with the profiles of important designers working during that period and includes unique ‘Hallmark Design’ features that showcase a key design. Fully illustrated appendices covering colours, marks and labels and designers help you to collect wisely. Click here to buy your copy.
Hi Sklo Lo Sklo Exhibition
This was the exhibition that started it all. Held in 2008 at the King’s Lynn Arts Centre, over 300 examples of postwar Czech Glass from the Graham Cooley Collection were exhibited. Designers included Pavel Hlava, Frantisek Vízner, Josef Hospodka, Milan Metelak, Miloslav Klinger, Karel Wünsch and Vladimir Zahour. Read more
Czech Glass Archive
Whether you collect Sklo Union, the brilliantly sparking cut glass Bohemia is renowned for, or curving and colourful handblown ranges, journey to the heart of my site and read through my archive of blog posts on Czech glass. Collecting, especially in new areas of research like this one, is never static. Facts change regularly as new information is revealed. As a result, many of these posts contain new, confirmed information concerning designers, influences, or makers. Or perhaps just information about the latest addition to my collection. This section of my site is updated regularly, so come back. Read more