Moser Splendid Fingertip Bowl | LV Harkness & Company

Formal Dinnerware

Moser Splendid Fingertip Bowl The genius behind Moser Glass, one of the most respected names in the crystal industry, was Ludwig Moser. He was born in 1833 in the spa town of Karlovy Vary, now the Czech Republic, to Henriette and Lazar Moser. He received his primary education in Karlovy Vary, and then attended a secondary technical school in Vienna for four years. In 1847, he returned to Karlovy Vary and continued his studies in nearby Loket, but left school in 1848 for family and financial reasons. He took an apprenticeship with the renowned glass engraver A.H. Mattoni, one of the founders of that great tradition in Karlovy Vary.

After 2 years under Mattoni's tutelage, Moser left to look for work as a glass engraver before returning to Karlovy Vary and Mattoni, where he took a position in his workshop as an engraver. In 1851, he took a job in a workshop in Prague, and attended drawing classes taught by Christian Ruben, a well-known painter of historical scenes.

He joined the Craftsman's Association and gained some notoriety with his engravings of hunting and ornamental motifs. His newly acquired experience and personal success encouraged him to return once again to Karlovy Vary and start his own business, leasing a boutique from his one time mentor, Mattoni, in 1855.

Moser's boutique thrived on the banks of the Tepla River, benefiting greatly from the seasonal tourists visiting the bustling spa town. He offered finished products for sale, and would also engrave special orders for wealthier customers. He kept the boutique open through the summer of 1856, and worked from his parent's home in the winter. By 1857, it was time to grow from a seasonal shop into his own full time business. He began to lay the foundation for what we know today as Moser Glass. He opened a store where he sold not only typical Bohemian engraved glass, but also fashionable alabaster glass pieces, punch services, and chandelier drops, all of which he purchased from other glassworks.

The 1860's represented a time of tremendous growth, both in business and personally, for Moser. He married and had 6 children, and when his wife died in 1869, he married Julie Meyer and had 4 more sons. He also opened a second shop and enjoyed much success selling mirrors, frames, and, with the introduction of gas lighting, gas chandeliers and wall lights.

By 1873, he took over the shop of his competitor Hoffman and with his purchase, acquired the warehouse of one of the largest mirror producers in the Austro-Hunagarian Empire. His establishment of such a stable and prosperous business allowed him to take on other projects in the later 1860's and early 1870's. He began to focus on expanding his own production, most likely very conscious of the need to respond to the ever changing stylistic developments of this period. He thus began to promote his products and show them at exhibitions around the world. He was awarded several medals at various shows, and in 1873 received the prestigious Medal of Merit at the World Exhibition in Vienna. That same year, Moser was named the official supplier to the imperial and royal court, and had also secured a stable market in London, Paris, New York, and St. Petersburg. It was during these prosperous years of the early to mid 1870's that the range of products changed to selling exclusively decorative and drinking glass.

By 1892, Moser decided the dependence on raw glass sources became too difficult, and thus obtained a building permit for his own glassworks in Karlovy Vary. The success of the glassworks continued well into the 20th century with Moser's sons at the helm. Not even the tumultuous years of WWII and the communist regime through the 1990's affected the quality of Moser's product or its prestigious reputation. It remains today one of the most beautiful of the Bohemian glass companies, known world wide for the exquisite copper-wheel engraving, exacting cuts, rich color, and impeccable design. Moser has truly earned the moniker

Moser Splendid Fingertip Bowl
View all: Splendid

Item #: 44113

$395

4 3/4" diam.

The genius behind Moser Glass, one of the most respected names in the crystal industry, was Ludwig Moser. He was born in 1833 in the spa town of Karlovy Vary, now the Czech Republic, to Henriette and Lazar Moser. He received his primary education in Karlovy Vary, and then attended a secondary technical school in Vienna for four years. In 1847, he returned to Karlovy Vary and continued his studies in nearby Loket, but left school in 1848 for family and financial reasons. He took an apprenticeship with the renowned glass engraver A.H. Mattoni, ...
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