JOSEF LOBMEYR (1792-1855):
GLASS MERCHANT, GLASS MANÜFACTURER, GLASS EDITOR
Compared with Ludwig Lobmeyr, the life and works of the Company
founder Josef Lobmeyr are for the most part very obscure. In his Standard
work written in 1925, Robert Schmidt leaned heavily on the autobiography
of Ludwig Lobmeyr to portray the first period of the Company
under Josef Lobmeyr. The oldest surviving accounts book (starting
with 1823) and the 18 volumes of production drawings, which
Ludwig Lobmeyr dedicated to the Austrian Museum for Art and Industry
in 1882 and 1892, served him as sources. Only in very few instances
does Schmidt draw upon documents in the Company archives
trom the Biedermeier period, aithough these particular
sources are extremely informative.
They contain paper patterns in the original measurements and the inscriptions
(frequently giving details on function, decoration, techniques,
the number to be produced, the glassworks making the product,
the refiners, dates, etc., s. ills. 8-10, p. 15) on them provide Information
barely known previously. The attempt has been made in this
publication to decipher the severeiy abbreviated notations (s.
pp. 401 -403), however many of them still remain a puzzle.
In the first surviving book of accounts by Josef Lobmeyr, containing
the years 1823-24 and labeied with a “B” at the beginning, we find the
names of several important business partners of the time: Rösier
(s. pp. 92-94), Hafenbrädl, Blechinger, etc. We find further details
about their businesses and other refiners and glassworks mentioned
in the Lobmeyr patterns, along with their locations, in Contemporary
publications and maps (s. pp. 406-415):
“In the Silberberg works and Bonaventura works. Factory directonMr.
Barth. Rössler. Crystal glass. fine colored glass in all colors. cutting
and chalk glass; in the Bonaventur works: Sideboard and mantel clock
glasses. also cyiinders.../ Domain Krumau. In Ernstbrunn at Christianberg.
Mr. Johann Blechinger, hollow, table and refined giass wares
.../ At Heraietz, the authorized lease-holder: Mr. Ignaz Hafenbrädel,
table glass.”{Handbook 1844, p. 718).
Josef Lobmeyr, whose own production in the Slavonic glass works of
Marienthai and Zvecevo we have so far not been able to identify, got
most of his glasses from specific Centers of the Bohemian glass industry.
Among them were the Haida-Steinschönau glass refinery
district in northern Bohemia and the Harrach Glassworks in Neuweit
(s. p. 415, ills. 832, 833). In Southern Bohemia they were the areas
north of the Austrian border around Gratzen with the Bouquoy glassworks
at Silberberg and Schwarzthai and the Meyr's Nephews works
in Adolph, Winterberg, Eleonorenhain and Ernstbrunn (s. p. 411,
ills, 827, 828). Then, farther to the west, the Bergreichenstein area
with the Vogelsang works and the Goldbrunn works (s. p. 410,
ill. 826), along with other glassworks specialized in specific products.
Part of the seiection of wares during the first period of the Company is
illustrated in representative examples on a business card (p. 141,
ill. 344): Services, centerpieces, hanging lamps and chandeliers.
More detaiied information is provided by a Viennese address book
from the year 1849: “Hr. Lobmeyer Joseph, owner of the glass factories
in Marienthal and Zwechewo in Slavonia, a Citizen, glazier and
glass merchant, presents his extremely rieh and brilliantly stocked
glass wares factory outlet from the most ordinary to the finest refined
crystal in all colors, painted and gilded, made for the most recent demands
of industry. art. fashion and luxury; table and dessert Services
of all types for between 6 to 50 and more people; all kinds of the most
beautiful toilet items of the finest taste and to the latest models. A
special seiection of all sizes of flat French cylinder and English cut
and ordinary pocket watch glasses along with other types of larger
clock glasses, all kinds of curved showcase panes, ordinary and fine
window glass panes of white and colored glasses; also oval and other
bells with and without pedestals, pressed glass objects of all kinds in-X
v
8 Papierschnitt aus der Mappe „Gas- & Rauchschalen, Aeltere“, KEK (wohl
Kittls Erben, Kreibitz), 1853; MBE (= unbekannt), 1852: MN (= Meyr's Neffen),
1852; Länge: 215 cm, Höhe: 7.4 cm, bez.: „KEK 24/6 1853 / RS3 / MBE/ 1 /10
852, / MN / 539/852 / etwas weniger stark ausgebogen“
8 Paper pattern from the portfolio “older gas and smoke lamp shades,” KEK
(= probably Kittl's Successors, Kreibitz), 1853; MBE (= unknown), 1852; MN
(= Meyr’s Nephews), 1852; length: 21.5 cm, height: 7.4 cm
'S*
/'S sA/J
9 Papierschnitt aus der Mappe „Gas- & Rauchschalen, Aeltere“, KEK (wohl
Kittls Erben, Kreibitz), 1853; MBE (= unbekannt), 1852; MN (= Meyr’s Neffen),
1852; Länge: 17.8 cm, Höhe: 6.2 cm, bez.: „KEK 25/6 1853/ RS4 / MBE / "1/10
852. / MN 540/852 / etwas weniger ausgebogen“
9 Paper pattern from the portfolio “older gas and smoke lamp shades“,” KEK
(= probably Kittl’s Successors, Kreibitz), 1853; MBE (= unknown), 1852; MN
(= Meyr’s Nephews), 1852; length: 17.8 cm, height: 6.2 cm
3
•'S"
'ÄT? ......
//Z'/FF" 'S ^ l
As*s
10 Papierschnitt aus der Mappe „Gas- & Rauchschalen, Aeltere“, AKET (=probably
A. Kittels Erben, T?.), 1853: CJB (= C. Janke, Blottendorf); Länge:
13 cm, Höhe: 5 cm, bez.: „AKET 10 21 /4 1853 /CJB 313 22 /9 " / 70. Stük /
Glanz / 20 ax 24“
10 Paper pattern from the portfolio “older gas and smoke lamp shades,”
AKET (= probably A. Kittel’s successors, T?), 1853; CJB (= C. Janke, Blottendorf);
length: 13 cm, height: 5 cm
cluding mounted and unmounted diamonds, also artificial eyes for humans
and animals. All relevant Orders in this area will be accepted
and filled most punctually at the factory outlet. city, Kärntnerstrasse
940, corner of Weihburggasse.” (Gottfried 1849, Address Book,
pp. 268-269). Already in 1839, Lobmeyr took part in the “second general
Austrian industrial products exhibition” with a rieh palette of items
(s. ills. 282, 283, pp. 112,113).
Josef Lobmeyr traveled extensively. In addition to making the obligatory
visits to his own glass works, he also cultivated reiations with
15
