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Frantisek Koudelka Skrdlovice Glassworks “Ananas” Rare Czech Art Glass DUO
€450Bid from €390
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Private sellerBerlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 25 sales
Product description
František Koudelka for Skrdlovice Glassworks – “Ananas” Vase Duo
Models 87287 & 87285
Rare Czech Art Glass in Ruby–Citrine Gradient
A radiant and sculptural duo of “Ananas” vases designed by Czech glass artist František Koudelka (born 1945 in Ptení) and produced by the legendary Skrdlovice Glassworks during the late 1960s–1970s. Presented together, these two vessels reveal the extraordinary versatility of Koudelka’s iconic pineapple series — a body of work celebrated for its tactile surfaces, glowing colour transitions, and playful organic forms.
The ensemble consists of the rare tall model 87287 alongside the smaller and more compact model 87285. Though differing in scale and silhouette, both pieces share the unmistakable visual language of the series: free-blown forms, richly saturated ruby-to-citrine colour gradients, and the signature hobnail texture from which the “Ananas” nickname derives.
The taller vase rises elegantly upward with a pronounced elongated body and flared organic rim, while the smaller example appears almost fruit-like — rounder, denser, and more compact in its proportions. Together they create a striking dialogue of rhythm, transparency, and scale, evoking exotic fruit, sea organisms, or molten botanical forms suspended in glass.
František Koudelka — A Second-Generation Voice of Czech Postwar Glass
František Koudelka belongs to the influential generation of Czech glass artists who expanded the international reputation of Czechoslovak art glass from the 1960s onward. Working within the experimental atmosphere of Skrdlovice, he developed designs that merged sculptural tactility with vivid chromatic transitions and fluid hot-worked forms.
His “Ananas” series remains among the most recognizable achievements of postwar Czech decorative glass — playful yet technically sophisticated, balancing decorative exuberance with modernist clarity.
Skrdlovice Glassworks — Innovation Through the Furnace
Founded in 1940 by Emanuel Beránek, Skrdlovice Glassworks became one of the most innovative artistic glasshouses in postwar Czechoslovakia. Unlike large industrial manufacturers, Skrdlovice functioned as a studio-oriented workshop where designers collaborated directly with master glassblowers.
This environment fostered experimentation and small-scale artistic production, resulting in some of the most celebrated Czech glass designs of the twentieth century. Designers associated with Skrdlovice include František Vízner, Vladislav Urban, Jan Beránek, and František Koudelka.
As typical for Skrdlovice production of the period, both pieces are unsigned but clearly attributable through documented catalogue models, form, colouration, and surface treatment.
Details
Designer: František Koudelka
Manufacturer: Skrdlovice Glassworks
Country: Czechoslovakia
Series: “Ananas” (“Pineapple”)
Period: Late 1960s–1970s
Material: Handblown art glass
Finish: Glossy
Colours: Ruby red, amber, citrine yellow
Dimensions
Large Vase – Model 87287
Height: 24 cm
Small Vase – Model 87285
Height: 17 cm
Width: 10 cm
Depth: 10 cm
Condition
Excellent vintage condition with minimal traces of age and the expected nuances of handblown studio glass production. No chips or cracks observed.
Collector’s Note
Finding two authentic “Ananas” models together — particularly the rare taller 87287/23 paired with the smaller companion form — creates an unusually strong display opportunity. The duo beautifully demonstrates the sculptural ambition and chromatic brilliance that made Skrdlovice glass internationally admired during the golden age of Czech modernist glassmaking.
An exceptional ensemble for collectors of Bohemian art glass, Czech modernism, or luminous sculptural interiors.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Please explore our profile for more vintage vases!
International buyers: import duties or taxes, if applicable, are the buyer’s responsibility.
All items are photographed and described with care. Vintage pieces may show minimal traces of age; any significant flaws will be clearly mentioned.
Private sale under law: no returns, refunds, or warranties.
Specifications
ConditionExcellentColorsRed, Multi Color, Orange, YellowMaterialGlassNumber of items2Height24 cmWidth9 cmDepth9 cm
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Seller information
About this seller
Private sellerBerlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 25 sales