INTRODUCTION

The  variety  of  glass  produced  in  the  period  1905  to  1925  in  the  area  of  the  Austro-Hungarian
  Monarchy  and  the  countries  which  succeeded  it  seems  virtually  inexhaustible.
For  this  reason,  if  for  no  other,  it  will  probably  continue  to  have  no  uniform  stylistic  designation.
  The  innumerable  variations  of  shape,  technique  and  decoration  ränge  from
thin-walled,  undecorated  blown  glass  to  solid,  deep-cut  crystal  glass,  from  distinctive
decorative  seams  with  several  overiays  to  multi-coloured  etched  surfaces,  from  continuous
  jet  black  to  delicate  line  drawings,  from  opaque  painting  to  brilliant  vitrified  enamels,
from  under-cutting  to  delicate  figure  engraving.  The  effect  of  colour  in  varying  light
which  appears  to  make  many  glass  vessels  change  continuously  can  no  more  be  captured
  at  one  glance  than  it  can  in  a  single  illustration.  Though  gold  shines  in  reflected
light,  in  transmitted  light  it  gives  way  to  the  inherent  colour  of  the  glass  itself;  though
reflected  light  emphasises  the  shape  of  dark  coloured  glass,  red  glass  glows  in  focused
light  and  in  the  coloured  shadow  of  transmitted  light.
Exquisite  vases  as  individual  pieces  contrast  with  cut  glass  table  Services.  In  sets  the
central  glass  vessel  dominates  the  smaller  pieces:  punch  sets,  liqueur  Services,  beer
Services,  etc.