Cut Crystal And Hand Blown Glass Of European Quality Insures A
Cherished Gift
Quality cut crystal from Europe can be a treasure trove for the
discerning buyer. Exquisite hand blown glass and cut crystal
manufactured by master craftsmen in the Slovak and the Czech
Republic is now becoming more available to the western market.
Today, cut crystal of anniversary gift and heirloom quality is
just one of the many glass products to choose from.
Although the Czechs and Slovaks are not the only skilled glass
producers in Central Europe, few rival them in artistic range
and expertise. Hardly a street in Prague is without a shop
window that displays luxury cut crystal or fine hand blown
glass. Visitors and tourists find breath-taking works of art
exemplified in hand cut crystal and mouth blown glass.
In Bohemia, the craft and art of glassmaking goes back over 600
years. Often a family tradition, the craftsmanship of glass is
highly specialized from artwork to glassworks production. Today,
Czech glass is still one of the European heirloom treasures to
look for and select that "perfect unique gift."
After the collapse of the Communist Socialist system in 1989,
state ran glass factories in Czechoslovakia started down the
path of privatization. More and more, they became free to make
their own business decisions on which kind of glass they wished
to produce and offer to market. Importers from the West also
have more choices on goods and glass manufacturers as they are
no longer required to go through state specified channels. The
result has made world-class custom glass products from Bohemia,
readily available to the world economy.
Collecting glass is an obsession to some. Locating and acquiring
antique glass collectibles can be as exciting as finding new
heirloom cut crystal from the shops of master craftsmen. From
crystal chandeliers to colored decorative glass, Czech and
Slovak pieces have become more sought after as centuries pass.
Heirloom crystal pieces can be cut to look like a faceted
diamond in appearance. Leaded crystal is not the only top grade
cut glass, some of the most elegant and expensive cut glass, in
the world, contains no lead in it at all. Quality is reliant on
the manufacturer and skill of the craftsmen rather than the type
of glass produced.
Glass gifts are part of the civilized culture. Royalty often
designated custom decorative glass pieces be made for occasions.
Today, cut crystal has not lost its allure. Anniversary glass
gifts can be cut crystal pieces or hand blown items. Cut crystal
is selected for any anniversary year, but very often the 25th
Anniversary gift and again for the 50th Anniversary present.
Culinary and kitchen items have become popular for glass gifts
of distinction. Gourmet kitchens often show off imported olive
oil and aged vinegar, in hand blown decanters and cruets.
Recently in vogue are glass-within-glass decanters of oil and
vinegar. Their unique quality lends them to be an exceptional
gift of European style and design.