Loetz

The early years
- 2 -
1898-1900

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Click on the highlighted links for more decors / models of the same type

 

The logical sequel to Chiné was the Pampas  decor, green or cobalt blue, in which the threads almost disappeared in the surface, with iridised parts in between.
Around the same time the dotted Papillon decor was introduced.  The beautiful silver spots were employed on a wide array of models and quite effective on the gooseneck (water sprinkler) and sea shell vases.  The color of the base glass could be green, cobalt blue, candia (amber), orange, ruby red.   As it was so much in demand, it might be the most common Loetz decor.  The  qualities of the papillon finish, enhancing every shape it was applied to, were "rediscovered" in the 20's and 30's and re-appeared there on more modern designs.  Examples can be seen in the Art Deco decor pages.
 Astglas, with a crackle like surface, and Rusticana, imitating a knotty woodstructure, were two other decors developed at the end of the 19th century.
"Because of a misinterpretation of a photo caption in Truitt's recommended "Collectible Bohemian Glass 1880-1940", many readers have mistakenly concluded that Christopher Dresser created the Loetz Rusticana decoration. Dresser had no association with the creation of the Rusticana decoration, although Loetz chose to use the decoration in conjunction with many Dresser forms. Interestingly, Dresser had previously sold most of these same designs, in the 1880's, to James Couper & Sons, Glasgow, who produced the designs in their Clutha glass, with many pieces marked "Clutha/Designed by C.D./Registered". (The murky Clutha glass derived its name from the old English name for the murky River Clyde which flows through Glasgow.) - Alden Jones"

References: 
"Christopher Dresser", Halen, pg.173, plate 195; pg. 192. 
"Introduction To Victorian Style", Crowley, front cover and pg. 10. 
"Christopher Dresser: The Power of Design", Kurland Zabar Gallery, back cover. 
"Glass", Cooke, pg.29 
"The Studio". Vol. 15, pg. 105; reproduced in "Christopher Dresser", Richard Dennis; reproduced in "Lotz Bohmisches Glas 1880-1940", Band 1, pg. 20.

 
Creta Papillon, 1898, 346/390, © AN Cobalt Pampas, 1898, I - 7302, © MC Orange Astglas, © AN Creta Rusticana, 1899, 346/365, © UK
At the Paris Exhibition in 1889 the Loetz glassworks won the first Prize and in the years thereafter it became one of the most respected producers of Art Nouveau glass in the world.
The earlier Art Nouveau finishes led to the development of the type called "Phänomen", in which the glass threads were pulled to waves or featherlike ornaments.  It became the trademark of the Loetz glassworks and was patented in 1898. The many variants of this decor, the so-called "Genres" were indicated by numbers (e.g. Phänomen Gre. 6893). The photos show a variety of early Phänomen genres.  Together with the deep blue and gold luster of the iridescence the "Phänomen" decor still serves as the most sought-after Loetz-feature. 

The first production in which the challenging novelties of this new style were applied, was certainly inspired by the iridised Favrile-glass of L.C. Tiffany. This is quite aparent in a decor like Phänomen gre. 166 and the so-called "Pfauenauge/peacock eye" finish.

Rubin Phänomen Gre. 166, 1898, unknown,  © MC Phänomen Gre. 7624, 1898, l - 7624, 
© JW 		Creta Phänomen Gre. 6893, 1899, 
I -7907, © MC		 Orange Phänomen Gre. 8055, 1899,
I - 175,  © MC

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