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Franz Josef Vater had a small cutting and
finishing shop for chandelier prisms and
parts. In the 1930s he created bottles with
simple designs that were a perfect vessel for
elaborate jeweling. The clean lines to the
glass gave way to art deco exotic jeweling
styles from China, Persia, and Egypt. The
Neiger Brothers jeweling was some of the
best and is highly coveted.

Curt Schlevogt started
as an export company in
Jablonec, but soon began
intensively pursuing the
production of artistic

Vogel & Zappe perfume with kneeling Vogel & Zappe opaque red glass crystalware when son
nude in a circle of roses on vase base. atomizer of kneeling nude with Henry Schlevogt joined
Stopper pierced and molded in bas-relief. stylized flower sides. the firm. Most collec-
3
tors recognize the
Josef Schmidt was the first company in Czechoslovakia to register bottles Henry Schlevogt
this new style of perfume bottle. The Schmidt workshop actually produced from 1934 F. Vater
started in 1868 when Bohemia was part of the Austrian Empire. and named for his glass bottles
Schmidt had a number of glass-cutting workshops in the area and daughter – trademarked with Neiger Bros.
exported worldwide. Schmidt was one of the most prolific producers as Ingrid. The collection jeweling using
of this style of Czech perfume bottles. Art deco ladies adorned was initially dominated large glass flowers.
stoppers and bases. Enamel highlights, striking color combinations, by toilet and vanity sets
large floral stopper designs, ornate jeweling, and
influences from other countries are all seen in
Schmidt bottles. with other small household items added later.
Schlevogt achieved great success by winning
Vogel & Zappe designed some of the most the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in
iconic art deco bottles. The company was a Paris in 1937, and the Ingrid collection became
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general partnership the two formed in 1935 to world-famous.
design & produce these vanity items. Large
stoppers in the Art Deco style portrayed intricate Heinrich Hoffmann began work for his father
images, often in intaglio or double intaglio, in around 1900. Before and after WWI, Hoffmann’s
which an image is impressed on both sides of main business was the fabrication and exporting
the glass. Asymmetrically finished edges and of costume jewelry stones. In 1926 the focus of
minute details are features of many Vogel & the business shifted to artistic glass products. 5
Zappe bottles. There was an emphasis on dressing table glass
items from the very beginning. Interestingly,
Johann Umann had started with a glass Hoffmann’s daughter Charlotte married Henry
cutting shop in 1860 and by 1926 started Schlevogt, son of Curt Schlevogt. Henry worked
production of these vanity items. They supplied for Hoffmann from 1927-1930 before moving to
many bottles to commercial perfumers as well as his own father’s firm. Perhaps the most iconic of
direct sales. Fine enameling that appeared as all Hoffmann perfume bottles is the hanging nude
staining was their specialty and is therefore very dauber bottle. These came in various sizes and
recognizable. Polishing was done after enameling stoppers, but all have the same shaped base. Most
and produced sharp clean edges. Animals, espe- reproductions used a different shaped base.
cially elephants and birds, as well as flowers and J. Umann clear glass perfume atomizer Hoffmann dresser items are some of the most
other plants were common themes. with enamel highlighted nude. desirable vanity collectibles today.

The beginning of
World War II in Europe
virtually ended all pro-
duction and export of
these lovely items and
changed many of these
firms forever.
A quick word about
metalwork and jeweling.
Jeweling was added
by other specialty com-
panies typically requested
by the importer.
High-quality bronze
jeweling was done by
Turriet & Bardach in
Austria with the metal
H. Schlevogt Ingrid line black glass base H. Schlevogt Ingrid turquoise stamped Austria. In H. Hoffmann amethyst glass pair with
with malachite glass face stopper. opaque glass bottle with circle design. Czechoslovakia, nude bather under the “Sun” stopper.

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