The Glassware, Decorative, Luxury, and Lighting Glass by Jos. Riedel Company and the Predecessors (1752–1945)
Company Jos. Riedel from Polubný in the Jizera Mountains in northern Bohemia was the largest glass company in Czechoslovakia between the world wars. The first member of the family started doing business in the region in 1752, i.e. 270 years ago. Hollow glass, pressed glass and lamps were an important part of the company’s portfolio, but the Riedels are nevertheless perceived mainly as producers of jewellery semi-finished products, where they held a dominant role not only in the state, but also in the world context, or technical glass.
The largest collection of Riedel glass in the world is managed by the Museum of Glass and Jewellery in Jablonec nad Nisou. In the fall of 1964, it acquired a part of the original sample room, including more than 500 authentic pieces, mainly from 1880–1938, which it continuously supplements with suitable acquisitions. The museum also houses numerous patterns of shapes, sample books, photographs and archival materials documenting the company’s activities. It was the preserved products that motivated and enabled the creation of the publication.
The aim of the monograph prepared based on institutional support for the long-term conceptual development of the research organization Museum of Glass and Jewellery in Jablonec nad Nisou provided by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, is to map systematically the activities of Jos. Riedel company and its predecessors in glassware, decorative, luxury and lighting glass fields between 1752 and 1945. The title of the monograph was chosen with an effort to emphasize the facts that were typical for Riedel glass throughout the period – careful monitoring of technical and artistic (design) trends and emphasis on own development of innovations and their implementation in practice
The publication was created with institucional support for the long-term conceptual development of the research organisation that is the Museum of Glass and Jewellery in Jablonec nad Nisou, as provided by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.
