Page 28 - joa-1-22R

he formation of the country of the molded design left
Czechoslovakia at the end of unpolished. Nude women
TWorld War I coincided with the and other figurals were
growing popularity of Art Deco design common motifs for stop-
that had originated in France in the pers. Many bottles had
1910s. Included within the borders of art deco jeweling added
the new country was the glass- to compliment the design.
producing area of Bohemia in the Jizera Streamline Moderne
Mountains near Jablonec nad Nisou emerged in the 1930s
where glass had been produced for in architecture and
centuries. With plentiful fuel, resources, transportation, as well as
and skilled craftsmen, Bohemian crystal home goods and vanity
glass had overtaken European markets items. Perfume bottles
in the first half of the 18th century, and vanity items with
successfully competing with Venetian chrome and other metal
glass. Perfume bottles and flacons have Two J. Schmidt black glass perfumes with Oriental features were popular.
been produced in Bohemia since the Neiger Bros. jeweling. Karl Palda and Bruno
second half of the 18th century. Posselt were the more well-known makers in Czechoslovakia selling
1
At the 1925 Paris International J. Schmidt perfume with green this art deco style. Generally, glass blanks were purchased from other
Exhibition of Modern Decorative and glass base and Polynesian nude Czech companies with the enameling and finishing done at the Palda
in flower stopper.
Industrial Arts, glass manufacturers in and Posselt factories.
Czechoslovakia had a pavilion as did other glass houses from Europe There are several manufacturers in Czechoslovakia that have been
and especially France, featuring Lalique and Baccarat. Postwar Paris identified and recognized for making famous the Lalique style “artistic
was ready to show the world that France was willing and able to define crystalware” perfume bottles and vanity items. Most of the unfinished
2
the elements of the emerging style that would be known as Art Deco. glass was produced by Josef Riedel for these companies from the
Several Czechoslovakian companies including Josef Schmidt and supplied metal molds. Both crystal and opaque colored glass were
Heinrich Hoffmann were influenced by the press-molded and produced. Opaque colors were red, orange, turquoise, brown, Lapis or
mold-blown glass of Rene Lalique shown at the exhibition. The first dark blue, malachite or jade, ivory, and black.
Czech design registered of these “artistic crystalware” Lalique style
bottles was by Josef Schmidt in 1924. Heinrich Hoffmann soon
followed in 1924-25. By 1930 many companies in Czechoslovakia were
exporting large quantities of these bottles to the world. The stoppers
were press-molded and the bases mold-blown. After removal
from the mold, select surfaces were polished to a brilliant shine with

A powder box and perfume and a
suspended atomizer with black enamel
typical of Karl Palda items.

Vogel & Zappe large art deco stopper bottles.
Left and right stoppers are double intaglio molded.

26 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles