Blue and Pink Glass Duo – Josef Hospodka for Chřibská / Borské Sklo, 1960s

A pair of hand-blown Bohemian art glass vases designed by Josef Hospodka in the 1960s for Chřibská glassworks, part of Borské Sklo. Both pieces feature an elegant organic form with a softly scalloped rim, layered blue tones at the top and pink at the base, all encased in clear colourless glass.

• Dimensions:
  
  • Larger vase: H 30 cm, Dia. 16 cm
    
  • Smaller vase: H 21 cm, W 20 cm, D 13 cm
    
• Material: Hand-blown cased glass
  
• Brand: Chřibská / Borské Sklo
  
• Designer: Josef Hospodka
• Color: Blue, pink, clear
  
• Era: Mid-century modern, 1960s
  
• Origin: Czechoslovakia
  
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; no chips, cracks, or restorations
  
• Remarks: Set of two; unsigned handmade pieces

This duo has the kind of presence that lifts a room instantly. The saturated blues and pinks feel especially vivid in daylight, while the transparent wings keep the forms light and airy. Especially beautiful on a window pane against a white background, where the light can pass through the glass and bring out the full depth of colour.

Josef Hospodka (1923–1989) is one of the defining names associated with Chřibská and postwar Czech art glass. He first worked with the factory’s glassmaking school and then served as head designer at Chřibská / Borské Sklo from 1958 to 1970, the period most closely linked to his best-known designs. His work is recognized for fluid asymmetry, folded or scalloped rims, clear pulled elements, and vivid layered colour, all handled with a distinctly animated sense of form. That design language helped shape the identity of Chřibská glass in the 1960s and remains central to how the factory’s output is collected today.

Chřibská glassworks, in northern Bohemia, traces its foundation to 1414 and is widely regarded as one of the oldest glassworks in Europe. In the postwar period it became part of the Borské Sklo national enterprise, which was founded in 1948 and expanded during the 1950s to incorporate a number of glassworks in the Nový Bor region, including Chřibská. Borské Sklo remained a major umbrella for Czech glass production until it was replaced by Crystalex in 1974. For collectors, Chřibská is especially valued for its expressive mid-century blown glass, where strong colour casing and hot-worked forms meet long Bohemian glassmaking tradition.