Most people have heard of Lalique, but probably very few are familiar with Desna. Desna is a brand of art glass made in the Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. And while it is sometimes jokingly referred to as "Lalique-alike," Desna has a rich history that in some ways parallels the better-known French brand.
 

Desna art glass molds were introduced in the 1920s, around the same time that Rene Lalique began producing his collection of art glass molds. The brand was not known as Desna at the time, but was recognized by the names of the artisans that produced it, including Heinrich Hoffman and Henry Schlevogt. Some of the designs won awards, including the Certificate of Merit and the Grand Prix at the World's Fair in Paris in 1937 During World War II, glass production stopped, many of the glassworks were destroyed and archival materials disappeared.

  Fast-forward several decades, to the end of the communist era in Czechoslovakia. Several antique molds from the Art Deco era were recovered at the time when the Czech art glass industry began to thrive. Those designs are now being offered in limited editions under the name of Desna (after the village where the original glassworks existed), and are being imported and distributed by Crystal Art Glass Ltd.
 

Desna art glass is being marketed under several categories: frosted crystal, Vaseline, opaque glass in deep blue and dark green, and traditional cut crystal. said. "The quality is outstanding."

"Night Butterfly" decorative sculpture
design company Heinrich Hoffman
height 23,5 cm

selected from a rich treasure trove of archived original pressing moulds. These items are pieces of utility and decorative glass that were designed between 1900 and 1980, primarily between 1920 and 1940. The ranks of those designers to have worked on these pieces include a number of renowned Czech and European artists, including designers from the Wiener Werkstätte, as well as anonymous artists that worked for the good name of the Heinrich Hoffmann or Curt Schlevogt companies. The Ingrid collection created by the latter of these two went on to become hugely popular with lovers of artistic crystal ware.

"Desire" vase,
design company Curt Schlevogt,
height 23 cm

The Ornela Company Limited continues in the tradition of producing artistically and technologically demanding glass and creates new designs in cooperation with external glass designers, pieces that are subsequently circulated on the market under the name of “Desná New Century”. The artists involved often draw inspiration from the great stories of humanity for their figural themes, whilst non-figural topics work with classic shapes and motifs in an untraditional style.

"Odalisque",
scent bottle with stopper,
colour lapis,
design Artur Pleva,
height 20 cm

"Odalisque",
box with lid,
colour lapis,
design Artur Pleva,
length 13,5 cm

Exacting glassmaking procedures are used in the creation of newly designed products, procedures that we traditionally come across in the manufacture of local artistic crystal ware. Even our new products retain the virtues of traditional production. They are created thanks to the perfect technology of forming glass in metal moulds and are subsequently processed by hand. The alternation of polished surfaces and matte embossing is maintained, all of which combines to allow the optical properties of the glass used to fully come to the fore.