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170  Katalog  VIKTORIN  A  SPOL.,  Hradec  Krälove  (Königgrätz),  nach  1935,  unpaginiert  (Tafel  5b),  21.1  x27.1  cm.  -  Archiv  W.  Neuwirth,  Wien
170  Catalogue  VIKTORIN  A  SPOL.,  Hradec  Krälove  (Königgrätz),  after  1935,  unpaginated  (plate  5b),  21.1  x27.1  cm.  -  W.  Neuwirth  Archives,  Vienna

There  are  a  number  of  contributions  on  glass  Christmas  tree
Ornaments  in  the  Berlin  catalogue;  I  would  especially  like  to
point  out  the  one  by  Helena  Horn  (Gläserner  Christbaumschmuck ­
  aus  Lauscha  (Glass  Christmas  Tree  Ornaments
from  Lauscha)  in  Kat.  Berlin  1992,  pp.7-13),  two  by  Dagmar
Neuland  and  a  remark  made  by  Konrad  Vanja  in  his  “Christbaumschmuck ­
  aus  Gablonz”  (Christmas  Tree  Ornaments
from  Gablonz;  Kat.  Berlin  1992,  p.  23).  It  reads:  “The  production
  of  simple  Gablonz  Christmas  tree  balls  is  totally  unknown.
If  these  were  their  own  products,  Company  catalogues  or  something
  similar  would  provide  a  great  deal  of  Information  and
make  Classification  easier.”  I  hope  that  this  wish  is  fulfilled  in
my  current  publication.  In  addition,  the  American  publication,
“Christmas  Ornaments”  by  Margaret  Schiffer,  Exton,  1984  and
“Christmas  Past”  by  Robert  Brenner,  Atglen  1985,  1996,  contain
  chapters  on  glass  Christmas  tree  Ornaments  which  also
refer  to  some  producers  in  Germany  and  Austria.

There  seems  to  be  a  lack  of  Contemporary  documentation  in
both  German  and  English  language  publications  giving  clear
dates  and  provenance  forthe  motifs  illustrated.
ORIGINSAND  DATING
Anyone  who  carefully  examines  his  or  her  glass  Christmas
tree  Ornaments,  not  omitting  the  little  metal  caps  used  for
hanging  them  on  the  tree,  will  soon  notice  that  the  flat  metal
frequently  has  letters  stamped  into  the  surface.
Without  any  doubt,  this  possibility  for  an  indication  of  origin
was  used  by  many  producers.  And  even  if  one  takes  into  consideration
  the  possibility  that  the  caps  were  sometimes  exchanged
  or  used  for  other  objects,  most  of  the  items  of  this
type  which  I  examined  showed  agreement  between  the  cap
and  the  glass  object.  Thus  this  sign  of  identification  can  be
compared  with  a  mark.  All  the  same,  one  must  always  be  wary

53