You will find Moser crystal glass captivating...

Moser glass works, a joint stock company today, was founded by Ludwig Moser, a glass engraver, in 1857. He was lerning the craft from Mattoni, the famous glass engraver. However, he was not contended with obtaining the skill in an engraving workshop only and was going on in a glass cutting and glass grinding manufacture. In 1893 he started his own glass works in Dvory (currently a part of Karlovy Vary), where the company has had its seat over since.

From the very beginning, the glass works was following the best traditions in the manifacture and arts of the Czech glassmaking. It has been relying on the craftsmanship of the glass makers, cutters and engravers and has remainded one of the works, in which the hand made production has remained preserved till our days. For years, it has been taken for granted that Moser trade mark glass is a synonym for perfection. It has the distinction of quality sodium - potassium leadfree glass metal, of classical simplicity of shapes and of the masterly craftsmanship. The long years of tradition imprinted typical marks on the production programme, the instrinsic values of hand making. Products treated with a use of traditional glass making techniques such as engraving, cutting, gilding and atching feature remarkable uniqueness. The production range has always based on time approved pieces. Yet the glass works has been contiously enlarging its programme adding new forms and decor.

Table sets seem to be most popular among the current assortment of the Moser glass works. Apparently, they have made their name and are much favoured by the customers. Also production line named "Fantasia" - vases, bowls, ashtrays, candlesticks, toilet sets - has been approved by ears of tradition. The final shape of these products has been obtain by cutting. Although the crystal type prevails, the colour variants, are also very popular. This is where the whole gamut of the Moser colours applies: eldor - yellow colour, beryl - pale green, alexandrite - purple violet and others.

Engraving is one of the most difficult glass making technique and this skillcan be fully mastered only after many years of efforts and training. It was engraved glass that made Moser so very successfull on the world markets and prize winning at exhibitions. In addition to the blocks have always had a significant position in the glass work’s production. Engraved emblems and initials have always been inseparable parts of the range made for sovereign families and significant personalities of the world.

The Moser products supplied to the imperial court of Vienna and later to the English King, the Dutch Queen, the Shah of Persia and many other prominent figures, are justly the glass of the kings and king of glass.

YOU ARE WELCOME ON OUR EXCURSIONS TO THE MOSER GLASS MANUFACTURE. MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE IN THE HEART OF THE MANUFACTURE - AT THE FURNACES! THE ORIGIN OF THE PERFECT SHAPE OF EVERY MOSER CRYSTAL PIECE BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES. YOU WILL BE WITNESSING MASTER GLASS MAKERS TO INSPIRE THE ETERNAL LIFE AND UNINTERCHANGEABLE BEAUTY IN THE SHAPELESS MASS.

GLASS MANUFACTORY PODĚBRADY

This glassmanufactury is most important manufacturer of lead crystal in Czech Republic. In the year of foundation of glassworks in 1876 Poděbrady was a small and quiet provincial town. The prince Hohenlohe, owner of surroundig forests and fields, made a contract with glass manufacturers brothers Augustin and Jan Gerhart who where often his guest for hunting. A small melting furnace, quite modern at that time, one of the first furnaces using generator gas, was the cause for establishing several small or bigger rafination workshops in the neighbourhood. This was the beginning of glassmaking in Poděbrady.

First items produced by the new plant were made of the light soda potash glass. At the beginning of this century, the glasswork became a part of Inwald syndicate with factories glassworks was the decision of the manufacturer Inwald for step by step implementation of the production of lead crystal in years 1920 - 1927. The content of lead in the new production was 18% at first, later 21% and then it was fixed at the today’s 24% of Pb O. In 1938 Germans occupied the borderlands of Czechoslovak territory. Many Czech cutters had to leave and they moved their workshop to the inlands of the country and the glassmaking of Poděbrady created its concrete structure.

After 1948 the concern Inwald was nationalized under the name Poděbradské sklárny. In 1965 all producers of lead crystal in Bohemia and Moravia were incorporated into one monopoly state company with headquarters in Poděbrady. In the year of the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989 the works of Poděbrady were a part a big state company Crystalex with headquarters in Nový Bor.

THE GLASSFACTORY SKLÁRNY BOHEMIA in Poděbrady was privatized on 1 December 1993 and successfully follows the longterm tradition of the production and sale of utility lead crystal under the trade mark BOHEMIA. Numerous lines of tableware consist of mouthblown and handcut products as well as pressed products.

The active part of the assortment offered by this company consists of approximately 30.000 pieces of different products made of colorless lead crystal. One part of these products can be seen in the firm’s sampleroom, the rest is registered on drawings in the factory’s archives. The archives keep approximately 100.000 drawings of glass products including historical pieces.

The excursion includes a visit of firm’s shop and our guides give you the suggestions for a bargain shopping. For more information about excursions to the glass factories, in case of your interest, please do not hasitate to contact us when ever you think we can be of service to you.

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