Loetz Glass

Producing pieces for almost a century, Loetz Glass upheld the tradition of Bohemian glassmaking excellence while also exploring innovative approaches to design. Creating tableware and art glass pieces ranging from crystalline clarity to iridescent opacity, Loetz became a world-renowned producer whose name still excites glass enthusiasts today.

Established as the Johann Loetz Witwe glassworks in 1855, Loetz's initial production centered on crystal glass as well as painted pieces. Within 20 years, however, the company transformed as it embraced modern technologies as well as emerging trends in glass designs. Loetz designers experimented with novel glass treatments such as marbled glass, which resembled semi-precious minerals.

One of the most influential glass trends was that of iridescent Tiffany Favrile glass at the end of the 19th century. Loetz followed that inspiration to develop their own Phänomen iridescent glass to capitalize on the Art Nouveau demand. Loetz continued to stay on trend throughout the early years of the 20th century with brightly-colored Tango glass introduced in 1914. Though the World Wars would bring Loetz's downfall, the legacy of their rich glassmaking tradition lives on in exceptional antique pieces today.

Quick Facts

• Loetz's Phänomen pieces, created by lead designer Franz Hofstätter, won a top prize at both the 1900 Parisian Exposition Universelle and the 1904 World's Fair in Saint Louis, Missouri
• Loetz was known to create a paper pattern for each of his designs from 1885 onward that included information such as pattern run, a unique serial number, and price. Many of these pages are conserved today at the Sumavy Sušice Museum in Sušice, Czech Republic
• A destructive fire in the factory on the eve of World War I followed by the economic downturn of the Great Depression pushed Loetz to the brink of bankruptcy in 1939. They finally shuttered their doors in 1947