Auction alert: Decades Of Glass – 18th-21st Century

Jan Gabrhel for Chlum u Trebone - Four Garnet glass vases

This week, we’re bringing to your attention to the Decades Of Glass – 18th-21st Century sale at Opus Auctions in Sunningdale, Berkshire taking place on 28th October 2021, from 11am. There are a total of 247 lots, however, we’ve concentrated on some of the mid 20th century examples. There’s something for everyone going under the hammer; estimates range from £20 – £40 to £8,000 – £10,000 (the latter being the Stanislav Libensky vase featured at the bottom of this post).

When buying with Opus Auctioneers a premium of 22% + VAT of the hammer price is applied to your invoice. If you choose to use an online bidding service there will be an additional charge for using this service. Please consult the relevant bidding system for additional charges as these may vary. We recommend EasyLive Auctions £3 flat fee bidding service.

Whitefriars - an aqua colour coffin vase

Lot 142: Whitefriars – an aqua colour coffin vase
9686, 12.5cm high
Estimate: £60 – £80

Isle of Wight - a tortoiseshell glass stoppered squat vase

Lot 165: Isle of Wight – a tortoiseshell glass stoppered squat vase
Hand engraved Michael Harris Isle of Wight to underside of base, 14cm high approx (2)
Estimate: £100 – £150

Mandruzzato Sommerso glass bowl

Lot 188: A large Mandruzzato Sommerso glass bowl
Facetted square section, the colours of bright Emerald green and olive glass, Italian, Mid Century, 20.5cm max diam x 13cm high
Estimate: £60 – £80

Holmegaard - 12 Canada shape glasses

Lot 195: Holmegaard – 12 Canada shape glasses
Smoke colour, in two sizes, the larger size in original box, 16cm and 13.5cm approx (13)
Estimate: £130 – £150

Per Lutkin /Christer Holmgren for Holmegaard green glass vase

Lot 201: Per Lutkin /Christer Holmgren for Holmegaard
A Majgrøn / May Green glass bottle vase, engraved Holmgaard and C 17795, Denmark, Mid Century, 16cm high approx
Estimate: £50 – £70

Jaroslav Svoboda - a glass cylinder vase

Lot 213: Jaroslav Svoboda – a glass cylinder vase
Colourless applied with with amber and blue pad spots, two original paper labels, c1972, PN 7233/32, 33 cm approx
Estimate: £200 – £300

Bohumil Elias - a bulb form glass vase

Lot 216: Bohumil Elias – a bulb form glass vase
Decorated with vertical iridescent stripes of silver grey, unmarked, old collections labels affixed to base, 18cm high
Estimate: £150 – £250

Vladimir Jelinek - a Unica amber glass 'pebble'

Lot 228: Vladimir Jelinek – a Unica amber glass ‘pebble’
With bubble inclusions and a lightly textured surface, 24cm max
Estimate: £650 – £750

Pavel Hlava for Exbor, an angular Galaxy vase

Lot 236: Pavel Hlava for Exbor, an angular Galaxy vase
Mid 20th Century, acid cut Exbor mark to base, 14cm high
Estimate: £180 – £220

Jan Gabrhel for Chlum u Trebone - Four Garnet glass vases

Lot 240: Jan Gabrhel for Chlum u Trebone – Four Garnet glass vases
Each graduating from red to yellow glass, 34.5cm high and smaller (4)
Estimate: £100 – £150

Stanislav Libensky - a 1001 Nights enamelled glass vase

Lot 247: Stanislav Libensky – a 1001 Nights enamelled glass vase
Decorated at the Specialised School of Glassmaking, the acid etched design brightly enamelled in polychrome colours with fabulous beasts in and on trees, Novy Bor, c1946, 23.2cm high ** See
Petrova & Olivier; Bohemian Glass
D. Klein, Masters of Czech glass: 1945-1965, exhibition catalogue Dan Klein Limited, London, 1983, cat. 38 for notes on this artist and this group of glasswares and the Victoria & Albert Museum accession number C.104-1984 for an example from this group of designs.
Estimate: £8,000 – £10,000

Designer Desire: Pavel Pánek

Various art glass designs by Pavel Pánek

Either for his birthday or Christmas a few years ago, I bought Justin a vintage glass ram as a present; he’s an Aries, you see. For some reason, I’ve always thought that the ram (the left-hand one of the three animals in the top image of the montage… and the amber-coloured one beneath it) was produced by the Kosta Boda factory; it was, in fact, designed by Pavel Pánek.

Pánek (1945-2008) was born on December 2nd 1945 in Znojmo. In 1961, he graduated from the Glass School of Applied Arts in Železný Brod. For two years he worked as a drawing teacher at the apprentice school in Bohemia in Světlá nad Sázavou. In 1969, he became the designer of Sklo Union Teplice, later head of the art centre. After 1989, Pánek moved to the Rudolfov Dubí factory, then to AVIRUNION, where he worked until spring 1995.

I absolutely love his knobbly 5135 vases designed for Rosice Glassworks in 1972. I’d like an example in each colour, if you please! If you are as taken by his designs as I am, there are examples available on eBay and Etsy.

Czech glass (otherwise known as Bohemian glass) is so affordable in comparison to much of its Scandinavian relations. To me, many of the designs are just as attractive and skilful. I think Antiques Roadshow expert, Mark Hill, is in agreement. He has published a couple of books on the subject; SkLO: Czech Glass Design from the 1950s-70s and Hi Sklo Lo Sklo: 1950s-70s Czech Glass Design from Masterpiece to Mass-produced.

Portrait of Pavel Pánekcredit

Additional image credits:

Pinterest | Sklo Union Glass