Published:

Glass models of jewellery stones in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków

Michał Myśliński , Monika Paś
Saeculum Christianum. Historical Writings
Section: Rozprawy i Artykuły
https://doi.org/10.21697/sc.2021.28.spec.7

Abstract

In 1884 and 1885, the Technical and Industrial Museum in Kraków bought four sets of glass models of jewellery stones. They were models of the most famous diamonds, diamond cut models, models of weight of precious stones (carats), models of colors and crystallographic systems of precious stones. The purchase was likely caused by the fact that the Museum conducted educational activity from 1868 and its role was, among others, to raise the level of education of local craftsmen, entrepreneurs and traders.After the liquidation of the Technical and Industrial Museum in 1950, the aforementioned four sets were transferred to the collection of the National Museum in Kraków. Based on the documents, inventory cards and trade stickers preserved in the Museum, it can be indisputably concluded that these sets of stones, made with great precision, were purchased at the Vaclav Frič store in Prague. Their creator could have been one of the two extremely talented glassmakers, Leopold or Rudolph Blaschka of Dresden, with whom Frič cooperated intensively. The two glassmakers are known primarily as creators of zoological and botanical models, characterized by great precision. Their works nowadays adorn many university, museum and private collections.

Keywords:

Glass - 19th century, Jewellery - 19th century, scientific instruments, National Museum in Krakow, Frič Vaclav, Blaschka Leopold, Blaschka Rudolf

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Citation rules

Myśliński, M., & Paś, M. (2021). Glass models of jewellery stones in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków. Saeculum Christianum. Historical Writings, (28), 85–93. https://doi.org/10.21697/sc.2021.28.spec.7

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