Posted 7 years ago
jericho
(236 items)
This would conclude all the kralik Caged glass shapes I have seen. If you have a piece and did not see the shape or cage variation I would be glad to know it; getting a picture of it would be very helpful as well.
Thank you to collectors friends and dealers who shared these pictures with us.
1 This is a massive piece with a finished rim and a ground pontil. The piece was blown into a cage (basket). The decor is cream base with cased powders; (powder decor).
2 This is the second bowl shape variation there is. Powder decor
3. This piece is also rare like the bowls. Most pieces of Caged glass have a ground rim- so these fire polished rims are really rare
Great posts and info Jericho, and the glass is amazing!
Thanks for this series of illuminating posts. I have never handled one of these pieces but I find them very appealing. Although you said it was the most common, to my mind the powder decor works best - not competing with the 'cage'. In your series of provided photos it appears that the cage is never textured, or beaten, as many of the French examples were. Is this confirmed by your experience?
Yes, in my opinion of the French fabrication they use prefab prices, hand hammered and various welding techniques - much more envolved while most of the Kralik cages are standard metal rods brought together with ties or small rivets. Although the French metal work is more ornate the beauty of both types is how the glass is formed into creases and lobes- each cage producing a new form. I like powders as the main decor but my favorite is the tango- thank you for reading these posts!
P.s speaking of creases and lobes, I have teen two pieces formed by a cage but they were all glass- so cages may have been used like a mold or a form in shaping the glass or these pieces may have had their cages removed or rusted off from exposure to moisture
Yes, I recently saw a piece (powder decor again) which had clearly been blown into a cage, but there was no cage present. Got me thinking - is it possible to remove the metal cage from such a piece without damaging the glass, and was it done at production, or post-production? Glad you mentioned it. A mystery.