Otto Prutscher
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The Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop) was active from 1903 to 1932 and focused on creating a studio space for artists, designers, and craftspeople to explore modern trends; to create beautiful and reproducible objects; and to draw inspiration from each other. It evolved from the Vienna Secession movement and offered similar themes in furniture, silver, glass, clothing, and household goods. Josef Hoffmann and Koloman Moser founded the workshop and it quickly expanded to over 100 workers in all areas of decoration, including architecture. If you were very lucky and very wealthy, you could even have a house designed and then furnished top to bottom by these amazing artists.
Otto Prutscher designed a suite of glassware using his signature checkered design. It included multiple shapes for different types of wine, goblets, compotes, decanters, and so on. The line was available in many different colors; the color was flashed on and then areas were carved back and polished to reveal the beautiful crystal beneath. Stemware used overly tall stems (providing more area for checks), small feet, and beautifully balanced bowls. This goblet, though made for functional use, is a tour de force of design, execution, and manufacturing. It has also survived for over a century and is a testament to the vision of those inspired workers.
- Brad
Goblet Designer: Otto Prutscher
Manufacturer: Meyr's Neffe Adolf Glassworks, Adolfov nad Vimperk, Bohemia.