Chřibská Glass Identification Guide + Gallery
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The Chřibská glassworks, full name Sklarna Chřibská, was founded in 1414, in the town of Chřibská, which was originally part of Bohemia, and became part of Czechoslovakia in 1919. The factory was known as the oldest glassworks in Europe, until its closure in 2007. In 1882 it was bought by the Mayer family, who ran things until World War II. When communism arrived in the country around 1950, many factories were nationalised, and Chřibská became part of the Borske Sklo National Corporation. At this time Josef Hospodka joined the factory, at first running the glassmaking school at Chřibská, and then becoming head designer at Borske Sklo and Chřibská from 1958-1970. During this period, Josef produced many organic, sculptural blown glass designs, which proved very popular, and many of his designs remained in production until the factory closed in 2007. In 1970, Josef left to become headmaster of a glass school at Kamenicy Senov until 1985, when he returned to the Chřibská factory as a designer, until his death in 1989. Chřibská was privatised in 1993, the new owner being Jiri Cerny, with Zdena Jobova as designer.
Sources: 20th Century Factory Glass by Lesley Jackson, & Hi Sklo Lo Sklo by Mark Hill.
There are several Chřibská catalogues available online (see below) which date to between 1970 - 1999. The catalogues include pattern numbers, but no information on designers, however several designs are also featured in issues of the Czech Glass Revue, and earlier issues of these list Josef Hospodka as designer. It is likely that most if not all of the pieces shown below, were designed by Josef, but we have only included his name in those designs that can be confirmed in issues of Czech Glass Revue or elsewhere. Pattern numbers are made up of three sections, the first being the pattern range, the second being the shape number from that range, and the third being the size, in centimetres, of the longest dimension (height for vases and baskets, width for bowls). Not all available shapes, colours and sizes were shown in each catalogue. The size section of the pattern numbers shown below may differ slightly from those listed in the catalogues, as sizes can obviously vary, and we have used the sizes of the items in our possession.
See also: Chribska Glass Catalogues
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A blue and green glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks.
A blue and green glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 240/1/20. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
A pink and orange glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 240/1/20. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
A pink and orange glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 119/3/24. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
An orange and green glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 296/1/26. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
An orange and green glass ashtray bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 145/5/15. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue, and issue 11 of the 1958 Czech Glass Review.
A green and yellow glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 296/4/13. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
A pink and green glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 362/4/14. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue, and issue 10 of the 1979 Czech Glass Review.
An orange and pink glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 242/3/20. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
A yellow and blue glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 240/4/16. Shown in a 1970's and 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A purple and blue glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 331/4/14. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A blue and orange glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 290/4/18. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A green and pink glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 296/4/19. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
A green and blue glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks.
A pink glass basket shaped bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 331/6/13. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue. Labelled.
A pink and blue glass basket shaped bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 296/6/18. Shown in a 1970's and 1999 Chřibská catalogue, and issue 10 of the 1979 Czech Glass Review.
A white, blue and pink glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 316/1/31. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
A white, green and pink glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 316/4/16. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
A white, green and pink glass ashtray bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 316/5/23. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
A white, green and blue glass ashtray bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern range 316.
A white, purple and pink glass ashtray bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern range 316.
A green and pink glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 231/2/29. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A pink glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 422/4/18. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue, and larger version is shown in issue 9 of the 1986 Czech Glass Review.
A pink and orange glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks.
A green and pink glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 373/2/30. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A green and amber glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 296/5/30. Shown in a 1970's and 1999 Chřibská catalogue, and issue 10 of the 1979 Czech Glass Review.
A purple and pink glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 240/5/20, designed by Josef Hospodka. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue, and issue 12 of the 1964 Czech Glass Review.
A pink and orange glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, designed by Josef Hospodka, pattern number 238/5/1. Shown in issue 12 of the 1964 Czech Glass Review. Labelled.
A green and orange glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks.
A green and blue glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks.
A blue and green glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 297/5/18. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A green and amber glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 290/4/38. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A green and blue glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 150/4/15. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A blue and green glass bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 127/5/14. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
An amber and blue glass bowl / ashtray, made by the Chřibská glassworks.
An amber and blue glass basket shaped bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks.
A pink and orange glass ashtray bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 115/5/15. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A pink and orange glass ashtray bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 155/5/16. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A pink and clear glass ashtray bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 331/2/9, labelled. Shown in a 1999 Chřibská catalogue.
A pink and clear glass basket shaped bowl, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 422/6/18. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
A pink and clear glass vase, made by the Chřibská glassworks, pattern number 404/4/16. Shown in a 1970's Chřibská catalogue.
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Reference Websites
For more information on Chribska glass, check out the following resources:
www.cs-sklo.cz - Great website by Jindřich Pařík with lots of catalogues from Bohemian / Czech glass manufacturers.