Loetz Creta Glatt, Prod. Nr. 3/258, ca. 1903 for A. Rupp, Meistersdorf - and a clue for researchers!

This vase came from eBay France - Marked L (for Loetz?), A. Rupp, Meistersdorf, Bohéme, then the number 3/258 (is this a decor number or a production/shape number?) More on this later...

The back of Jitka Lnenickova's Loetz Series II book has the following information about Loetz customer A. Rupp:

A. Rupp, Vichy (Com. 1858)

A trading and refinery firm A. Rupp, Cristaux de Boheme, Vichy (later on Lambert-Rupp, Cristal Palace, Vichy) based perhaps in Vichy and having also a branch in Nice. The firm owned the store "Grande Rotonde" in 1909, then a store in the "Cristal Palace" at address sur le Parc. It commissioned manufacture of self-designed goods, probably exclusively in Bohemia. There, it also operated (its) own glass refinery in Mistrovice (Meistersdorf) around 1900, where had semi-products made in Bohemian glassworks painted. Loetz is the only one that has been documented as the unfinished articles manufacturer so far. The cooperation with the glassworks in Klastersky Mlyn can be dated according to the preserved items from the mid 1900s to 1933, but it might have been longer. Rupp would commission its own designs or order from the standard offering. Often, fairly large consignments consisted of various sorts of glass by 1 to 2 pieces from one production number, usually in higher price ranges. Sometimes, the firm placed orders for dozens to hundreds of pieces from one production number. II-6339; II-7217/1

On the hunch that 3/258 may be a Loetz production number (and since I couldn't find the shape elsewhere), I looked in the Loetz Series II book and found that the paper pattern is missing, as were most of the patterns from the year 1903. There is the notation, however, that 3/258 is also Max Emmanuel commission 346/1509. A tidbit to file away for later.

Looking online for other examples of A. Rupp decorated Loetz pieces, I found several examples. A few of them were signed the way this one is, and these were not made in 1903, which made them easier to find in the paper patterns. Photos of these pieces will be shown in Part II.

The fine print in the first example says that it is marked the same way as my vase, but instead of 2/358, it is marked 737. Keep in mind that the German/Czech numeral 4, when written in script, can sometimes easily be mistaken for a 7. Shape II-737 looks nothing like this vase, but II-734 is a dead-on match... but still not definitive.

The second example is marked A. Rupp, Meistersdorf, Boheme, 7646-I, and lo and behold, PN I-7646 is a perfect match. PN I-7646 also dates to 1898, proving that the relationship with Rupp could indeed go back before the mid 190(0)s.

The third example came from a Russian website. Again, marked A. Rupp, Meistersdorf, Boheme, 500-I, and another perfect match with the paper pattern (although it's 500-II (alt I-6724).

So, at this point, I can conclude:

The numeric markings on pieces marked A.Rupp are Loetz production numbers.
My new vase is PN 3/258, ca. 1903 - so we know what that one looks like, even without the line drawing.
We also know what 346/1509 looks like, even though it also is currently unpublished: (3/258 = 346/1509)
Dave Littlefield and I have Dek I/117s in the same shape as the first example. The marked Rupp example proves that both mine and Dave's are PN II-734, and the shoulder is not as sharp as it appears on the line drawing.
We have proof of additional PNs commissioned (or ordered) by A. Rupp that are not mentioned in Jitka's book.
The relationship between Loetz and A. Rupp could go back as early as 1898.
Additionally, we can search for other examples with the Rupp marking, and possible identify other PNs for which there may not be a line drawing.

In the meantime, enjoy this example - the refiners in Meistersdorf did very nice work!