CZECH (BOHEMIAN) GLASS
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Bohemian glass, or Bohemia crystal, is a decorative glass produced in regions of Bohemia and Silesia, now in the current state of the Czech Republic, since the 13th century. Bohemian glass-workers discovered potash combined with chalk created a clear colourless glass that was more stable than glass from Italy. It was at that time when the term Bohemian crystal emerged for the first time in history to distinguish its qualities from the glass coming from other places. As opposed to usual perception this was non-lead. This Czech glass could be cut with a wheel. In addition, resources such as wood for firing the kilns and for burning down to ashes were used to create potash. There were also copious amounts of limestone and silica.Bohemia turned out expert craftsmen who expertly worked with crystal. Bohemian crystal became famous for its excellent cut and engraving.In the second half of the 19th century, Bohemia looked to the export trade and mass-produced coloured glass for shipment all over the world.Pairs of vases were produced either in a single colour of opaque glass or in two-colour cased glass. These were decorated in thickly enamelled flower subjects that were painted with great speed. Others were decorated with coloured lithographic prints copying famous paintings. These glass objects were made in huge quantities in large factories and were available by mail order throughout Europe and America.Glass artisanship remained at a high level even under the Communists because it was considered ideologically innocuous. Although craftsmen retained their talent, not all the glass-makers still possess a sense of how to make designs new and exciting, and these are still very successful exporting to markets abroad.