Posted 2 months ago
glasfreund
(36 items)
There is the well-known rule according to which Loetz labeled phenomenon genres based on production numbers. It is good to know that this rule is not consistent. There are numerous exceptions. Basically, the surviving paper patterns and thus the entries are incomplete and in some cases only represent a small fraction of the actual production. The hope of being able to capture the entire scope of Loetz production with the entries on the surviving patterns is deceptive.
Numerous paper patterns have decor drawings. The majority of these indicate the Phänomen Genre, which is named after the corresponding production number. However, there are also numerous exceptions here: the same decor drawings on several different patterns (production numbers), repetitions of decor drawings with a greater time interval, several different decor drawings for one and the same production number. Some Genre numbers are not assigned according to the first production number that depicts the decor. In some cases, Loetz only verbally described the decor on paper patterns without assigning a number. Occasionally, Genre numbers do not appear on the corresponding production numbers, but on other paper patterns.
A little known fact is that the decor drawing on a paper pattern is equivalent to the entry of the corresponding decor. The decor is then not explicitly listed with its number or name. One such example is pattern 7729 from Series I. The decor drawing shows horizontally wavy, contoured (silver-yellow) bands, each with two internal threads. Next to the indication “4 mal unregelmässig eingedrückt” (4 times irregularly indented) is the inscription “rubin Phänomen” (without number). In the early days of the Phänomen designs, Loetz often only referred to “Phänomen” in a particular color on the paper patterns without specifying the Genre number. This is also the case here.
We find four Genre numbers listed, but not the number of the pattern with production number 7729. This was not necessary for Loetz, as the pattern is already "listed" with the decor drawing. As the surviving paper patterns are far from complete, also Genre numbers may have been “lost”. In the case of I-7729, however, there is a clear reference to Phänomen Genre 7729 in the form of an entry on pattern I-1053 “1 rubin Phänomen Gr. 7729”.
The question is whether the theory can also be proven with the corresponding glasses. In the case of pattern I-7729 we are lucky. In the former collection of Giorgio Silzer there was a ruby vase of identical shape with silver-yellow bands according to the decor drawing. To the best of their knowledge, the auction house described the decor as rubin Phänomen Genre 6893. In fact, it is Genre 7729!
To the pictures:
• Vase from the former Giorgio Silzer collection with ruby underlay and silver-yellow bands. The decor corresponds exactly to the drawing on pattern I-7729 (Photo: Auktionshaus Dr. Fischer)
• Paper pattern I-7729 showing the decor drawing “rubin Phänomen”. (source: Lötz - Bohemian Glass 1880-1940, Volume 2).
• Entries on pattern I-7729 (source: Lötz - Bohemian Glass 1880-1940, Volume 2).
A friend offered me to share his version of PN I-7729 in ruby Gre 6893 for comparision. Quite a difference!
Excellent information! I am a firm believer that multiple decors that are currently considered '6893' simply because they have wavy bands, are in fact separate decors.
Thanks Sammyz, I also believe that some of the Genre 6893 attributed decors differ from the "standard". And there is the mystic "direct" Gre 7468 waiting to be identified.