Cut Crystal - Brief History

Before all the brands you know came to be, there was Bohemia Crystal.

Around 3 BC Czech merchants imported glass from the Middle East to Central Europe and the craft took on new life. By the Middle Ages, the now highly skilled glassmakers of Bohemia, the area we know as The Czech Republic, had taught glassmaking to artisans throughout Europe.

Technology made glass clear and brilliantly colored. The high quality of colored crystal made items much sought after, especially by nobility. While the most highly valued glass had been colorless and transparent, color was prized because of its ability to replicate the appearance of gemstones. The brilliance of color exposed to sunlight stunned with splendor and dazzled with movement.

Czech fathers passed secrets to sons, establishing tradition as a major growth factor. Czech dominance prevailed. Even after the English created crystal by adding lead oxide to mixtures, Czechs, equally keen as students as they were as teachers, continued to lead the way.

The Czech - developed handmade production of glass and crystal came to be considered the best in the world. Crafted to conform to customer requirements, no crystal or glass matches as many techniques in surface refinement as those created under the labels of BOHEMIA CRYSTAL and BOHEMIA GLASS.

Although Communism constrained glassmaking in Central Europe, traditions continued to be passed from father to son. When the Velvet Revolution of 1989 privatized factories, many were returned to the original family owners. These new owners, with their rare sense of crystal and the legacy of traditions are once again dominating their craft.

Today, possession of BOHEMIA CRYSTAL continues to be a matter of prestige. These clear and colored items, long owned by royalty and the elite in Europe and Asia, have not been readily available outside those continents. BQI is bringing them to the Americas.

Our factory owners maintain traditions, including those that encourage customer involvement in the design process. Because every piece produced under the name BOHEMIA CRYSTAL is handcrafted - individually blown, cut and painted by highly skilled artists and craftspeople - the number of items offered is limited. That also makes every item a masterpiece, unique enough to grow in value yet vigorous enough to use.

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