Amethyst “Sovereign” Vase

Moser Glassworks is the highest-regarded luxury producer of Bohemian Crystal, based in Karlovy Vary. Established in 1857, the workshop earned several awards on various worldwide stages, including World Exhibitions and International Fairs, and became the official glass supplier of several royal courts in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, Moser fine art glass can be found in the houses of royals and the social elite around the world.

In the early 20th century, Moser began producing works with bands of acid-relief designs that were then gilted. These pieces became very popular in homes of the socially elite in the 1920s onward. Leo Moser’s own Amazonian warrior women design motif was a popular ornamentation in the cameo friezes. Depicted is the Amazonomachy, or the mythological battle between the Greeks and the Amazons. In this more contemporary piece from the post-WWII era, Leo Moser’s frieze design has been used once again, but in significantly lower relief than the earlier examples. This later production and reuse of the design in cameo friezes was marketed as the “Sovereign” collection. 

As seen in the detail images, the facet-cut production of many of the pieces created by Moser demonstrates a continued interest in the interaction of light with the glass. In this vase, the eight panels around the body of the piece and its paneled surface create an interesting decorative effect by employing the refractive properties of the medium. The result is a translucent amethyst glass work that catches the light beautifully.

ARTIST

Moser

TITLE

Amethyst “Sovereign” Facet-Cut Pedestal Vase

DATE

c. 1975

MEDIUM

Bohemian Crystal

DIMENSIONS

Height: 11.125”
(28.2575 cm)

CREDIT LINE

Donated by Fr. Paul Chovanec in 2005

CURRENT LOCATION

Czech Center Museum
4920 San Jacinto St.
Houston, TX 77004
President’s Room

ACCESSION NUMBER

CCHO2

CLASSIFICATION

Crystal

PROVENANCE

The vase was manufactured by Moser in Karlovy Vary in the late 20th century.