Antique Perfume Bottles and Box in Crystal and Gold from Bohemian Manufactory, Set of 3

Details

Description

MEASUREMENTS:
Box: Height: 5.2 inches; Width: 4.9 inches; Depth: 2.9 inches;
Perfume bottle: Height: 10.5 cm; Width: 10.5 cm; Depth: … Read more MEASUREMENTS:
Box: Height: 5.2 inches; Width: 4.9 inches; Depth: 2.9 inches;
Perfume bottle: Height: 10.5 cm; Width: 10.5 cm; Depth: 6.5 cm;
Bottle with cap: Height: 14 cm; Width: 10.5 cm; Depth: 6.5 cm;
Total weight: 1.808 kg

Item description:
Wonderful crystal toiletries set consisting of three pieces: a larger perfume bottle for cologne, a perfume bottle with a metal sprayer missing the tube and pump, and finally a larger box for powder. All three pieces are made of beautiful thick amethyst-colored crystal, obtained by adding colloidal gold to the glass mixture, with a cubic central part and hemispherical bulges on the sides. The caps have hemispherical knobs, all enriched with gold leaf decoration applied to the crystal with gouache. All the hemispherical parts have been entirely hand-ground, presenting an irregular, flaky surface with a truly fabulous final visual effect. All three pieces are blown and shaped by hand, and are therefore slightly different from each other. The decorations in pure gold and the grinding on the spherical parts were also done entirely by hand, a very difficult and time-consuming task of the highest quality. An extremely rare and beautiful set, attributable to Bohemian craftsmanship from the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of the 19th century, in a clear Art Nouveau style.

Useful information for evaluating the item:
In our research, we found several Bohemian glass perfume bottles with similar craftsmanship, more or less cut and decorated by hand, some finished in pure gold, all offered at very high prices: a perfume bottle made of square-cut transparent and orange glass offered at €1,650; one in red glass and one in blue glass, offered at €2,400 and €1,400 respectively; finally, another one, also in transparent crystal, with red edging, offered at €2,950, and a last one, in yellow crystal, offered at €1,900. Please note that our set consists of three pieces and not just a single perfume bottle. Furthermore, in our opinion, the pieces that make up our set are much more beautiful and also older, and feature much more complex and refined craftsmanship than the perfume bottles found and mentioned above.

Information about the artist and/or manufacturer:
Bohemia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and is now part of the Czech Republic. It was famous for the production of colored glass objects. The history of Bohemian crystal began with the abundant natural resources found in the area. The discovery was made by Bohemian glassmakers, who found that mixing potassium chloride and gypsum produced a clear, colorless glass that was more stable than that produced in Italy. This glass could be manipulated with a potter's wheel, and the ash produced by the wood used for the smelting furnaces was used to create potassium. In addition, there was an abundant supply of limestone and silica in the subsoil. At that time, Bohemia was home to skilled craftsmen who were able to work crystal artfully, and so Bohemian crystal became famous for its excellent cut, and its craftsmen soon became qualified teachers of this craft in neighboring and distant countries. By the mid-19th century, a glassmaking school system had been established that taught both traditional and innovative techniques. In the second half of the 19th century, Bohemia devoted itself to the export of mass-produced colored glass, which was shipped all over the world.



This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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