Learn about antiques and collectables...
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Learn about and understand the items, manufacturers, designers and periods as well as the specialist terms used in describing antiques and collectables. Either click one of the letters below to list the items beginning with that letter, or click on a category on the left side of the screen to list the items under that category.
Bohemian glass
Bohemian glass, famous for its beauty and colour, has been in production since the 13th century, aided by the abundant natural resources found in the countryside, including potash which combined with chalk created a clear glass, wood to fire the kilns, as well as limestone and silica.
Bohemia became part of Czechoslovakia from 1918, and from 1993, part of the Czech Republic, although the word 'Bohemia' and variations on it continued in use in labeling glass.
By the mid 18th century Bohemian glass dominated world production and in the 19th century Bohemia became the centre for production of new types of coloured glass, including hyalith, lithyaylin, annagrun and annagelb.
'Mary Gregory' glass, in popular belief originated from a lady by that name either in America that painted scenes of children on ruby, blue or green glass using a white enamel paint mixed with ground glass, actually originated in Bohemia, and was a major export in the mid and latter quarter of the 19th century.
Mary Gregory glass, like many glass items from Bohemia does not carry a permanent manufacturers mark. If there was a paper label attached when it left the factory, the label has been worn or washed off during its many years of use.
As well as the unmarked items that are grouped under the general name of 'Bohemian glass', branded Bohemian based manufacturers and designers included well known names such Loetz and Moser and lesser known factories such as Kralik, Prachen and Rudolfova.