Posted 13 years ago
jericho
(236 items)
For those who like depression era glass- this is not for you. This glass is thick, furnace decorated, colorful and showy. This glass is called Kralik Marketry (or Marquetry). It gets its name from Daum marquetry but has nothing in common technique wise. I believe it was mass produced in Czechoslovakia right between the wars. The glass is usually thick with 5-7 layers of glass. Most of the pieces show a ground rim but some have a ground pontil mark on the base. Both are blown from the top and decorated in many layers with glass rods cross-crossing the vase like vines and pre-fab flower petals being placed into the hot surface. Red and Yellow are the two colors the flowers come in. It is important to note the base colors are one way to group them while the finishes are another.
Bases: Amber, Clear, White, Orange crackle
Finishes: Glossy, Satin, Flashed, Satin flashed
Example of different styles:
1. Amber satin
2. Crystal glossy
3. White satin
4. Orange crackle glossy
Very beautiful examples of Kralik. Thanks for sharing them Jericho!
Thank you Jericho, love learning new things.
Are they making this technique again? I don't want to use the word repro, but...
AR thanx for your question...no they are not making these because of cost. also some of the glass rods are unavailable due to toxicity and environmental standards- also each vase has a lot of prefabricated techniques like the glass rods used for vines are actually two colored with required prep work. this took a team of glass blowers for sure.
p.s. they may not be all kralik...some other factories may have made some of them. kralik signed their pieces "czechoslovakia" in an arch acid stamp. however some are not signed. you are welcome jm
Jericho...Thanks for sharing and explaining how these were made...I am beginning to really love this decor style. I am however finding that when these pieces do come up for sale (unless you are lucky) they seem to be priced on the very high end. I my self have never come across one for sale or been lucky enough to stumble upon one at a flea market, auction or garage sale. What would you attribute the higher price to? Minimal production or just high collector interest?
Inflation and deflation, the prices went over $2,000 and now as cheap as $300. back in the day they were mythical- all were over 12" high and every one of them unique. Lately, I have seen many more and some of the shapes repeating. most common texture- Satin, most common shape - Long neck tear drop, most common flowere color - Gold. for me what makes them so collectible is the workmanship and variety. I think they were a special order because regular bambus are never as ornate or as thick