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The History of Czech Crystal
Bohemian glass or Bohemia crystal (glass and crystal have the same meaning in the Czech language
in the context as ground or decorated glass) is a decorative glass made in Bohemia and Silesia since the 13th century.
The oldest excavations of glass-making sites date to around 1250 these are located in the Lusatian Mountains of Northern Bohemia.
The most notable align="center" sites of glass making throughout the ages are Skalice(Langenau), Kamenicky Senov (Steinschönau)
and Novy Bor (Haida). Both Novy Bor and Kamenicky Senov have their own Glass Museums with many items dating since around 1600.
It was noted for the manufacture of glass in high Baroque style from 1685 to 1750. In the 17th century, Caspar Lehmann, gem cutter
to Emperor Rudolf II in Prague, used the technique of gem engraving with copper and bronze wheels for the decoration of crystal.
Czech glass or popular Czech Bohemian lead crystal dates back to the Renaissance, when abundant natural crystal was discovered
throughout the Czech Republic. Hand cut glassware from delicate champagne flutes to intricate Christmas bowls can be found in shops
throughout the Czech Republic. One needs to exercise caution when purchasing Crystal carrying the Bohemian logo as it could well come
from China and Bulgaria.
Putting aside the nasty knock off merchants you can still find quality Glass or fine crystal manufactured by authentic Bohemian
Glass works. The hand-blown ornaments and figurines featuring symbolic stars and moons, swans, owls, and birds are typically imported
to fool the tourists by unscrupulous retailers but genuine Bohemian glassware and crystal ware is typically decorated by the means
of various intricate and demanding techniques. It is mostly hand-cut, hand-painted, rhinestone decorated, gold-plated or wheel
engraved, it is not unusual to encounter combinations of these techniques. It takes years to become a glass painter and many more
years to gain enough skills to turn out the quality of product produced in the Czech Republic.
Bohemia was a part of the former Czechoslovakia, now known as the Czech Republic, and was famous for its beautiful and colorful
glass. The history of Bohemian glass started with the abundant natural resources found in the countryside.
Bohemian glass workers discovered potash combined with chalk created a clear colorless crystal that was more stable align="center" than
crystal or glass from Italy. It was at that time when the term Bohemian crystal emerged for the first time in history to
distinguish its qualities from the glass coming from other places. As opposed to usual perception this was non-lead.
This Czech glass could be cut with a wheel. In addition the wood used for firing the kilns and for burning down to produce ashes
were used to create potash. There were also copious amounts of limestone and silica.
Bohemia turned out expert craftsmen who worked with crystal. Bohemian crystal became famous for its excellent cut and engraving.
They became skilled teachers of glass making in neighboring and distant countries. By the middle of the 19th century, a technical
glass making school system was created that encouraged traditional and innovative techniques. In the second half of the 19th
century, Bohemia looked to the export trade and mass produced colored glass for shipment all over the world.
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