Posted 5 years ago
kralik1928
(202 items)
Here are a few pieces from my collection, I invite comments or links on the pieces
1. This vase is a small (8”) vase similar in shape to one I own that is 12” in a purple iridescence with yellow drape in the same pattern. This red one is unsigned but the other one is; “made in Czechoslovakia” in a horizontal line. These are believed to be kralik. The construction of these types is very complex with 4-5 layers of decor
2. These are 14” kralik vases. One is a confetti and caned iris decor and the other is a cased adventurine with bits of iron (rust). The arch signature is on both of them even though the green one might not be a kralik (see shape).
3. Two Welz vases (neither signed) in a variation of sizes. You can see the size variations don’t look alike; That can happen according to size.
4. This is s fine 4” vase with confetti coming from the rim. Although it seems simple enough it a very rare application, this would mean that the glass blower would sprinkle glass chips next to the connection of the vase to the punty rod rather than dipping the vase into a bucket of glass chips such is more traditional.!the piece is signed in the oval Ruckl-type mark.
There are several glass pieces in this sort of shape with other Kralik decors, the black cane decor is one I think. You probably know this already. I find it interesting that the chunky pedestal foot was repeated in several vase shapes by Kralik with tango colors and a bit of spatter. Ian had a few of those.
My over arching theory is: there is a “core line” to each of these companies that is unmistakeable to that company... then there are relatives and distant relatives. I have been humbled lately from hitting walls and doubting attributions I thought “Core” but we’re actually distant relatives. Image 1, is a distant relative kralik while image 2. Is a core Kralik with a (vertical inclusion) relative.
3. Is Welz Core
4. Is distant relative (w/ Ruckl it’s hard to find the core) their most Iconic (and expensive) pieces are still up for debate- its a huge family and I don’t when it will get more in focus.
TOD- I do study shape types and try to find relatives that way but that foot (on the red piece) doesn’t match any definitive core Kralik that I am aware of. I used to think Kralik had proprietary Millefiori canes but I no longer believe that- the black and white (Zebra canes?) could have been used by other companies as well
Thanks Jericho, I always appreciate your personal point of view.
I would say the same thing, in a different way, each company had shape and decors that were unique to them, but then, I wonder if as you have, that is necessarily so. You need to handle various glass pieces to know that.
Then there is the probably change in production during the 1930s. This is the most frustrating as the shape is the same, but the fabrication is thin, with only 2 layers of glass, for economic reasons.
I did find some Kralik examples with the general shape profile of your number 1 image, but not as wide at the top, unless that is an image trick, taken from below the vase. These same pieces also often have tango decors in the same shades.
Vase, 2nd from the right:
http://nebula.wsimg.com/3805eea436652ddd741175786e62df93?AccessKeyId=3A908495ACD7ABD44DFC&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
I see a beautiful assortment of Czech glass and BB makes no distinction as to the maker- the shape is different from this red one. It looks like the shapes are Welz to the left and kralik type to the right
The first vase right of center in that ad, that looks like stacked donuts, is definitely a Welz shape. It is seen in both the tripod form like the ad, and also as a vase without legs in a position reversed from that one with the large end down. Although it is shown on a Rückl website as Kralik, it actually is not theirs.
The first shape is seen in a décor declared by Alfredo to be a Kralik decor. Although I do not know who did make it, I have come to doubt that Kralik is the source. The shapes the decor is found in are not found in other Kralik decors, and the decor itself is not found on shapes easily identifiable as theirs.
Here is another example of the shape.
http://www.kralik-glass.com/kralik-images/pulledloopvertical/kplv2.jpg
Here is a post I did about the decor in the linked image a little over 3 years ago.
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/199354-a-pulled-loop-dcor--a-new-shape--int
All good info- this red vase is associated with the straight line mark ... and some kralik pieces appear with that signature but Craig is right in saying that it’s too early for a positive attribution (I have made positive attributions in the past- I was wrong). This is a great shape now in two sizes! When I see a vase in two or three sizes it makes me excited because I associate that with a very good glass producer (Loetz) with a range of sizes and decors