Art Deco Carafe Made of Bohemian Crystal, circa 1925
This faceted crystal carafe with a distinctive, cut stopper was created around the mid-1920s in a northern Bohemian glass factory. The clear, faceted shape emphasizes the brilliance of the material and demonstrates the Bohemian glassmakers' high standards for technical perfection.
The geometric decoration in black solder and enamel colors (black, white, and yellow) is particularly noteworthy. With its acute angles, radial shapes, and abstract ornamentation, it embodies the modern formal language of Art Deco, which captured the spirit of the machine age while also displaying close ties to the Viennese and Prague avant-garde.
Bohemian Glass Manufacturers
In the 1920s, Bohemia was one of the world's leading centers of glass and crystal production. Particularly well-known were cities such as Jablonec nad Nisou, Nový Bor, and Karlovy Vary, where both fine crystal and decorative glass were produced. The region benefited from a long tradition of glassmaking, high-quality raw materials, and skilled craftspeople. In addition to traditional techniques such as grinding, engraving, and etching, manufacturers increasingly experimented with modern designs and industrial manufacturing methods to serve the growing international market. Bohemian glass was particularly known for its quality, precision, and aesthetic diversity and played an important role in exports to the USA, Western Europe, and other parts of the world.
Bohemian glassmakers also experimented with innovative black solder and enamel decorations, as in this carafe, which is a characteristic example of the symbiosis of traditional Bohemian glassmaking and avant-garde design.
