Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 25 June '86 17

Antiques By Arthur H. Schwerdt The brilliant colors and fanciful designs of Bohemian glass and crystal can dazzle us when we see them in the local shops. They have had that effect on people for centuries. Understanding what these beautiful pieces represent historically, and the intricate techniques involved in making them can rea 1 1 y deepen our appreciation. As a people, the Bohemians were able to turn a history of hardship, exploitation and submission into a reputation for spirited independence, intelligence and creativity. Now the word "bohemian" is synonymous with freespirited artist. THE BOHEMIANS could not have found a better way to express their history than by making glass. The lowliest materials are used to make glass: wood for hot furnaces, sand, ash and lime. The Bohemians took these materials and created what can only be described as jewels. The techniques they used to do this they learned from one of their conquerers, the Romans, and by the 17th Century they had conquered the conquerers. surpassing the Italians in style and demand for their products. SOON. THE glassmakers of Murano were imitating the techniques of the Bohemians. How could you help but admire these people"7 By the mid-18th and 19th Centuries, all of Europe's glass factories were producing Bohemian-style glass in order to fill the demand. In Bohemia. 160 glass factories were working at full capacity making table glass and decorative items, and the Victorian English were their best customers. CAMEO GLASS was par ticularly popular. In this technique, a layer of blue glass is covered by a layer of white glass. A portion of the white glass is given a protective coating and the piece is dipped into an acid bath so that all of the white except for that portion is washed away, revealing the blue underneath. The white portion is then cut by an artist into a 1 silhouette, usually of some 1 classical figure or scene. | The most famous piece of i cameo glass is called the Portland Vase, which depicts Bacchus and i Ariadne, and is now in the I British Museum. : Bohemian cameo glass of | this type was the inspira- I tion for Josiah Wedgwood's | famous cameo-style I porcelains CASED OR Overlay Glass is another popular < Bohemian product. Here, a ; layer of clear glass is <

painted with enamel and then covered with another layer of colored glass. The exterior colored glass is thus made opaque, giving it the quality of highly glazed pottery. The white interior offers a startling contrast to the deep color of the exterior, and the edges of bowls or vases were cut or crimped to heighten the contrast. CUT OVERLAY Glass is produced by placing a layer of colored glass over an equal layer of crystal clear glass. Portions of the colored glass are then cut away to reveal the crystal underneath. This technique is particularly popular in making decanters, goblets and other table pieces. FLASHED GLASS is a less expensive way of making cut overlay. With flashed glass the outer layer of colored glass is much thinner than the crystal layer underneath. By making the cut lines thinner, however, the designs are proportionate and the effect is more delicate. So, even though the technique is less expensive than cut overlay, it doesn't look less expensive. Flashed glass is often used to make lamp bases THE DESIGNS which are cut into Bohemian glass are easily recognizable. The castle figured prominently, often accompanied by a deer, a dove or a tree. Leaves and flowers are also common among the more realistic designs. The jewel-like non-realistic designs include the glittering diamond, prism and rosette. Don't let the thickness of Bohemian crystal fool you. This is very delicate stuff. The repeated cutting by the lapidary (stone-cutting) wheel really undermines the relative strength of the glass. THE CAUTIONARY tale is often told of the guest who accidentally knocks a paper thin cordial glass against a thick piece of Bohemian cut crystal, only to have the thick glass shatter while the thin cordial glass remains intact and unharmed. But the delicateness of Bohemian crystal has never frightened the collectors away, and it shouldn't scare you either. With the care, they can last forever, as the amount of pieces available today can testify. These are, indeed, the jewels of the glass world, and an enviable addition to anyone's decor or collection.

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