| Original Message: As promised: the glass sample book |
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This is the book of sample glass colours from the Riedel company from 1935. This was a difficult time for the Riedel family business. As most of the glassmakers in Jablonec, they came from German descent, and were also called Sudet Germans. During the rise of the Third Reich, many of the Sudet Germans were keen to see the Third Reich expand to their part of what was at the time Czechoslovakia. In 1938 the area, Sudetenland, did become part of Germany. However, it was not the time for fancy glass and bijoux, and the industry slowed down. In 1945, when the Germans lost the war, there was a backlash against the Sudet Germans. Most of the glassmakers of Jablonec fled the area or were forced to leave. They left behind their factories and their art deco villas. A lot of them started their work again in Neugablonz (meaning: New Jablonec) in Germany. The Riedel family is one of the major names of Jablonec glassmaking, and many types of glass are accredited to this family. A famous example of this is Uranium glass. While there is evidence this has been made before, it is said that Josef Riedel first produced this glass on a larger scale in the 1830's. He also gave the main colours their names, as a tribute to his wife Anna: Annagelb (Anna Yellow) and Annagruen (Anna Green). The work of the Riedel family dates back to the early 18th century. After a tumultuous period from 1938 tot 1946, the Riedel heirs once again started making glass in an old factory in Tirol in 1954. I found this book at a local antique shop from Jana Ullmannova. She herself is a bead and glass enthousiast, and was keen to share her knowledge with me. She also has an online bead shop with both old and new beads. You can find it at the link. (all in German, I am afraid) All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users |
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