Bohemian Emerald Green Lead Crystal Vase with Hand-Cut Faceted Decorations, 1960s

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This exceptional Mid-Century art glass vase is a remarkable example of highly sophisticated Bohemian glass craftsmanship, dating to approximately the … Read more This exceptional Mid-Century art glass vase is a remarkable example of highly sophisticated Bohemian glass craftsmanship, dating to approximately the 1960s. The compact, almost spherical body is crafted from what appears to be high-quality lead crystal with an intense emerald green layer beneath a clear outer surface. The softly frosted exterior is interrupted by numerous individually hand-cut and highly polished geometric sections, revealing the brilliant green glass beneath.

The most extraordinary feature of this vase is the exceptional depth of its cutting. A considerable amount of the original glass blank was painstakingly ground away by hand. In several areas, the craftsman cut extremely deeply into the body, reducing the remaining glass wall almost to its minimum possible thickness. Executing such deep cuts on a curved vessel required remarkable precision, experience and confidence. Every individual section involved a genuine technical risk: cutting only slightly too deeply could have penetrated the remaining wall and destroyed the entire vessel. The successful execution throughout the complete body therefore demonstrates an exceptionally high level of glass-cutting craftsmanship. This extensive removal of material also explains the surprisingly modest weight of approximately 600 grams.

Despite its substantial proportions of approximately 12 cm (4.72 in.) in height and 13.5 cm (5.31 in.) in diameter, much of the original glass mass was removed during the demanding cutting process. Equally important is the vase’s deliberately controlled irregularity. The individual cut sections differ in shape, size, orientation and depth, and yet their distribution across the entire spherical body is remarkably harmonious. There is no mechanically repeated pattern. Instead, the apparent irregularity has been carefully composed, creating a continuous visual rhythm around the vase. The surrounding polished facets follow the same artistic principle. Each interacts with the neighboring cuts and with the curvature of the vessel, producing constantly changing reflections and perspectives. The emerald green sections appear almost like individually set gemstones emerging from the frosted crystal surface. This contrast between satin-finished crystal, brilliant polished facets and deep emerald green gives the vase an extraordinary sculptural quality. Depending on the angle and incidence of light, its appearance changes continuously. A finely executed star-cut base provides an additional indication of the attention devoted to the craftsmanship, even in areas that are normally hidden from view. The result is far more than a traditionally decorated crystal vase. It is a sophisticated sculptural composition in glass, combining deliberately balanced irregularity with technically demanding precision. Its beauty lies precisely in this tension between artistic freedom and absolute control of the material. A striking collector’s piece displayed on its own, while remaining fully functional as a vase. Filled with flowers, branches or foliage, the intense emerald glass develops a particularly beautiful relationship with natural greens.

Dimensions: Height 12 cm / 4.72 in.; diameter approx. 13.5 cm / 5.31 in. Weight: approx. 0.6 kg / 1.32 lbs. Period: circa 1960s Origin: Bohemia / Czechoslovakia, attributed Material: Crystal glass, likely lead crystal Technique: Hand-cut, deep-cut, faceted, polished and frosted glass See less