State Glass, Individual Vision | Honzík, Rozínek and Exbor

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In recent years, interest in post-war Czech glass has grown considerably, helped by an increasing number of publications and a wider reappraisal of the techniques and design language developed by Czech glassmakers during the 20th century. While comparisons can readily be drawn with contemporary Italian and Scandinavian output, Czech designers approached the medium in a distinctly individual way. Cut, blown, polished, and engraved decoration were often combined within a single object, allowing designers to explore both the sculptural and optical qualities of the material.

Nationalisation of the industry following the Second World War is instrumental in the understanding of Czech glass of this period, with numerous glassworks and workshops being brought under a centrally organised state system. Various divisions and tradenames were extant from the late 1940s until the end of the 20th century while they remained in state ownership. Exbor was one such trademark, used specifically for the production of art glass.

^{Josef Rosinek and Stanislav Honzík for Exbor | Left - fish, circa 1960, Czech (£250-350), Centre - an angel fish, circa 1960, Czech (£300-500), Right - fish, circa 1960, Czech (£250-350)}

Exhibitions often spotlight the most capable and daring designers of an era, and that moment was the Milan Triennale of 1957 for post-war Czech glassmakers. Several Czech designers received awards, including František Zemek, Jan Kotík and Oldrich Lipský. Displaying their creations alongside icons of the decorative arts, and securing plaudits for their work, helped demonstrate the remarkable level of experimentation taking place within the country, and established its designers alongside their counterparts elsewhere in Europe.

It was against this backdrop that Stanislav Honzík (1926-1998) and Josef Rozínek (1911-1992) collaborated on their wonderfully inventive series of glass fish for Exbor. Conceived around 1958 and produced into the following decades, the range included several different forms, among the most recognisable being the angelfish. Each example was individually blown and shaped before being cut and polished by hand. Although produced to an established pattern, this labour-intensive process ensured that no two examples were entirely identical, with subtle variations giving each fish its own character.

^{Josef Rosinek and Stanislav Honzík for Exbor, an angel fish, circa 1960, Czech (£300-500)}

The inspiration for the series is thought to have come, at least in part, from the work of fellow Czech glassmaker Vera Lišková, whose designs for Moser were exhibited at the Brussels World's Fair of 1958. Her own exploration of fish forms may have provided an important reference point for Honzík and Rozínek. Additionally, there was also a more personal connection to the subject, as Rozínek was himself a keen angler, perhaps explaining the pair's particularly convincing interpretation of their aquatic subjects.

We are fortunate to be offering three examples from the series in The Glass Sale. The example illustrated above is arguably the finest of the group: a superb angelfish whose bold form, carefully worked surfaces, and combination of blown and cut glass demonstrate the experimental spirit that makes post-war Czech glass so appealing. It is an object that manages to be both decorative and distinctly sculptural, and a wonderful illustration of the unique design language developed by Czech glassmakers.

Tuesday 13 October | 10am

alexfroggatt@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778

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