One of the easiest ways to recognize Kralik glass is by shape, since the same shape was used with many different decors. Once you identify a piece, all others having a similar shape must then belong to the same company:
 1. SHAPE COMPARISON 1
Here we have the same vase in four different decors: Purple threaded, Pink Glatt Silberiris, Silveria and Blue Glatt Silberiris. Many Kralik vases show cartouche indentations. A second type of mold indentation is the "comma" which can lead to previously unidentified Kralik pieces.
Here are examples in blue Candia, Silveria and a previously unidentified frosted green vase with enameling:
  2-3 "COMMA" DECOR
Another common shape can be found in many decors:
  4-5. SHAPE COMPARISON 2
Here is the familiar shape in a newly identified decor:  6. SOFT CRACKLE Kralik made vases with a characteristic "hump" on each side:  The cartouche indentation of the vases in the first photo is almost a Kralik trademark, as is a more pronounced "trench" indentation, usually in the middle of the piece:
 8. CARTOUCHE AND OVAL
This is a previously unidentified Kralik decor, with the "trench" marker:
 9. RED GREEN AVENTURINE
A second vase, in purple glass with green aventurine drops, shows the telltale "trench" and some surprising scissoring:
 10. PURPLE GREEN AV.
The "trench" marker appears in other Kralik shapes such as this corrugated vase:
 11. CORRUGATED
It can also be found in this pink glatt silberiris vase:
 12.. PINK GLATT
I had previously classified this vase as PK. However, it does show the characteristic kralik cartouche:  13. CARTOUCHE ID: NOT PK
| This group of vases presented an ID problem for a long time. However, the peculiar indentation points to Kralik. Cartouche indentations form the sides of the vase on the left; the cartouche follows the curved shape of the vase in the middle; cartouches shape the lower part of the vase on the right.
 14. RED SPOTTED GROUP
The cartouches can be clearly seen on the sides of this vase, which appears in the PMC:
 15. IV.399 The vase on the left has appeared on eBay as Loetz. These vessels appear in blue or purple, with oil spotting (not papillon). The glass is very lightweight. In one of my old catalogs they are called "Astrolit".  16. KRALIK ASTROLIT
A vase in Kralik's "Silveria" glass (I gave it that name after finding several pieces being sold as British Silveria, which it really does not resemble) led to the identification of rough crackle vases which sometimes are sold as Loetz. Rough crackle can be quite sharp to the touch and only has one single layer of glass, as opposed to Rindskopf's rough crackle:
 17. ROUGH CRACKLE/ SILVERIA Here are three other examples: a light yellow vase and thorn vase   18-19: ROUGH CRACKLE EXAMPLES Rough crackle also appears in lamp shades, and is most probably Kralik:  20. ROUGH CRACKLE SHADE The next shape is tricky, for it closely resembles a Loetz shape. However, it does appear consistently with Kralik decors.
These are examples in the Sea Urchin, Banded, and gold/blue swirl decors. The original names for these decors are unknown, so I have named them by their appearance:  21. SEA URCHIN  22. SHAPE COMPARISON This next photograph, from the collection of Malcolm MacFarlane, came to me via Gastone Bonsembiante (Wonders of internet. See Useful Links) and shows how a known Kralik decor and shape can help identifiy a vase that ordinarily would be attributed to PK. One rule of thumb: if it is cut from the top it is most probably not PK or Loetz, but Kralik.  In my article on Kralik for Loetz.com, I tentatively identified a large group of vases (pics 39-50) as most probably Kralik. In the photo below, shape is maintained but the decor changes:
 24. TRICORN GROUP This is another trademark Kralik shape. Notice the distinctive finish of the top:
 To summarize, shape and decor can work as markers for particular companies. In Kralik's case, it may help to identify their maligned Jugendstil glass production, which is usually marketed as Loetz.
And as usual: Thanks, Dave! |