Twisted Glass Vase “Melusin”, n. d.

This cone-shaped vase with diagonally twisted walls is a typical product of the company Joh. Lötz Witwe. Founded in 1850 in the historical region of Bohemia, the manufacture produced high-quality glass at the time around 1900 which corresponded to the new tastes of Jugendstil. The famous glass manufactory executed designs by artists including Josef Hoffmann (1870–1956) and Koloman Moser (1868–1918). Lötz cooperated with the Wiener Werkstätte and other renowned companies, among them J. & L. Lobmeyr, E. Bakalowits Söhne and Argentor. The shape and decor of the objects could be made to order. Among the company’s most famous features are their iridescent surface decors. The decor used here, which was known was “Melusin”, was employed especially at the time around 1905 and remained in production until 1913. It was fashioned from colorless crystal glass covered with opaque pale green filaments, producing a special play of colors in changing lighting conditions.

MR, 2021