Feature Articles Annotated Bibliography Book Reviews What's Hot Submission Form		Reviews on Books about Central European Glass, Pottery & Ceramics Arts & Crafts|Architecture|Books|Cookie Jars|Decorative Arts|European Glass, Pottery, Ceramics|FolkArt|General Antiques|Pattern Glass|Pottery Made in Czechoslovakia Ruth A. Forsythe Marietta, OH: Antique Publications, 1982 Made in Czechoslovakia, Book 2 Ruth A. Forsythe Marietta, OH: Antique Publications, 1993 Czechoslovakian Perfume Bottles and Boudoir Accessories Jacquelyne Y. Jones-North et al Revised edition Marietta, OH: Antique Publications, 1999 Czechoslovakian Pottery: "Czeching" Out America Sharon Bowers, Sue Closser and Kathy Ellis Marietta, OH: Antique Publications, 1999 All titles are available from The Glass Press, Inc., 217 Union Street, P.O Box 553, Marietta, OH 45750-0553 www.antiquepublications.com Reviewed by Scott H. Suter With the publication this Fall (1999) of a new book on Czechoslovakian pottery, Antique Publications ( a division of The Glass Press, Inc.) brings its total of titles on Czech and Slovak glass and ceramics to four volumes. All remain available and together they provide a comprehensive reference library on these subjects. Published in 1982, Ruth A. Forsythe's Made in Czechoslovakia is one of the earliest volumes to specifically collect information on the wide ranging products of this central European country. The book focuses on glassware made in the country between the years 1918-1938, and offers an addenda of pottery, porcelain and semi-porcelain. Following a one page history of Czechoslovakia, Forsythe dives right into her subject by providing thirty-seven marks found on glass from the region. Although the hand-drawn quality of the illustrations is a bit distracting, the information is invaluable, equipping the collector with a handy resource. The book is divided into eight sections, each covering a type of Czechoslovakian glass: Cased Art Glass; Candy Baskets; Cut Glass Perfume Bottles and Puff Boxes; Mold Blown and Pressed Bottles and Puff Boxes, Novelties, Jewelry, Miscellaneous; Opaque, Crystal, Colored Transparent; Lamps; Pottery, Porcelain, Semi-Porcelain. Each section begins with a brief description of what follows; however, the information in this volume is not so much written as it is visual. Each chapter is profusely illustrated with photographs--most in color--of examples of the topic at hand. A helpful glossary rounds out the book, offering definitions on terms such as Aventurine and Coralene. The real value of the book--with more than 740 photographs--is the visual library it provides. All pieces included are marked in some way, providing the collector with a reliable comparison for their own collection, since pieces are often not marked with the country of origin. There is no price guide included so the work remains a useful, current reference tool. While there is little historical or technical information here, Made in Czechoslovakia is a wonderful visual guide. Forsythe's second book, appropriately titled Made in Czechoslovakia, Book 2, focuses on the ceramic industry in the country. The format follows that of her first volume, with sections divided by genres of work including: Amphora and Amphora type; Majolica; Lamps; Art Deco and Novelty; Art Pottery and Other; People, Animals, Birds and More; Luster and Iridescent and Other; Miscellaneous; Children and Other; Dinner Sets; Kitchen; and an added section on perfume bottles. Like the earlier text, this one is illustrated with more than 1000 objects pictured. An added feature of Book 2, however, is an interesting historical review of Joseph Mrazek and his Peasant Art company. This brief textual history is accompanied by historic photographs and advertisements that inform the reader about the manufacturing and marketing techniques of one major Czech company. This is a welcome addition to the many wonderful color photographs. As with Book 1, there is no price list included with this work so it will not go out of date as a useful identification and reference tool. This pair of books should be purchased as a set, for together they provide an extensive visual overview of the products of Czechoslovakian glass, pottery and porcelain from the years 1918 through 1938. What the books lack in historical inforamtion is made up for by the identifying marks and number of objects pictured--a total of more than 1,760. In the quartet of books reviewed here, Jacquelyne Y. Jones-North's revision of Czechoslovakian Perfume Bottles and Boudoir Accessories stands out as the most informative on its subject. Along with beautiful photographs of the book's subjects, Jones-North's look at the historical background to the objects adds much to the images. Along with new essays by Ken Leach, Ruth A. Forsythe and Madeleine France, the material offers the most in-depth look at the designers and manufacturers of any publications on the topic available. In the text Jones-North examines style, decoration, color, commercial bottles as well as importers, manufacturers and trade names. I believe that such information will be not only valuable to the collector but also of interest to those fascinated by the history of design. Of particular interest is the background of Heinrich Hoffman, one of the foremost Czechoslovakian designers of glass. His story places the glass industry in an historical context, making this photographic collection even more valuable for some collectors. For instance, a little known fact, or at least little known to me, relates to Hoffman's production of items other than elegant perfume bottles. Jones-North reports: 'An interesting sideline of the Hoffman factory was the manufacture of artificial human eyes to replace ones lost by war, disease or accident. The glass eyes were considered to be of a very high standard for that era. Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph II acknowledged this accomplishment by awarding Heinrich Hoffman a high title" (19). It is unknown whether a collection of this sort exists today! The revised edition ends up with new contributions from other perfume bottle collectors. Ken Leach's essay, "When Luxury Was a Necessity: Czechoslovakian Bottles in America," adds to our understanding of the role of these bottles in American culture. Ruth Forsythe's brief look at "Reproductions" provides useful information for determining the age of bottles, while Madeleine France's offering, "Czechoslovakian Perfume Bottles in Perspective," gives a historiography of the perfume bottle collecting field. Particularly useful to the collector is a "Hierarchy of Czechoslovakian Perfume Bottles," a ranking of desirability for different bottles. The revised edition also includes a 1999 price guide for each item illustrated. Informality and a snappy design make the press' latest book on Czechoslovakian pottery a delightful addition to a collectorÕs bookshelf. The book was prepared by three sisters of Czech descent who combined their experiences of collecting throughout the United States into a useful primer on pieces and prices. One of the most useful aspects of the work is the presentation of numerous reproductions of marks found on pottery. Modern technology has provided the means to present these marks much as they appear on the pieces themselves, an advancement over the earlier drawings rendered by Forsythe. The sisters also offer a naming system for patterns that have previously gone unidentified. While their names are based mostly on their own experiences, their hope is that their suggestions will become standard lingo in the collecting field, making communications among collectors easier and less confusing. Czechoslovakian Pottery, while at times a little too cute in its narrative, is designed to be useful for all levels of collectors. For instance, the excellent marks are cross-referenced with an index of manufactories to make identification of origins easier. The photographs of the pieces themselves are divided into categories, again making the book an easily usable reference tool. The price list, culled from a number of sources, makes the work more than an update of Forsythe's work; it offers another point of comparison for the collector and wise shopper. I suspect that many will already have several of these titles and may wonder if they need another work on the topic. The two recent titles--the revised Czechoslovakian Perfume Bottles and Czechoslovakian PotteryÑare definitely worth adding to a reference library. This quartet of books is essential for anyone collecting Czechoslovakian items. Arts & Crafts|Architecture|Books|Cookie Jars|Decorative Arts|European Glass, Pottery, Ceramics|FolkArt|General Antiques|Pattern Glass|Pottery