A Non-Authentic “Loetz-Austria” Signature

Ever since I came across what appeared to be authentic Loetz-Austria signatures on glasses made by other manufacturers some time ago, I have studied the signature of the Johann Loetz Witwe glassworks very extensively. I have already presented my analyses and hypotheses on Collectors Weekly. It is striking that there are also many pieces from the Loetz factory that have been very skillfully engraved with “Loetz Austria” by a third party—that is, after the piece was originally produced. Here is an example. At first glance, even an experienced collector might be inclined to regard the signature as original. Only by analyzing all the details of the engraved lettering do the deviations from the original signature become apparent. The small vase in Candia Silberiris with the production number II-1825 could not have been produced until toward the end of 1904. At that time, Loetz had all but stopped using the signature—a second indication that the signature is likely not authentic. A third finding: Loetz generally did not sign Silberiris glasses. Of the approximately 300 glasses with this design that I was able to research, only two are authentically signed “Loetz Austria.” What makes them unique is that they have handles drawn out from the wall of the glass.

If one wants to understand which pieces of glass Loetz signed with the engraving, it is important to weed out those with later or forged signatures—as well as those that Loetz donated to various museums. It then becomes apparent that the “Loetz-Austria” signature was reserved primarily for pieces of “Phänomen” decor. The hypothesis that only glasses intended for export were marked “Loetz Austria” still seems unlikely to me.