Those who came across it may have recognised a well-known design made in 1912 by Josef Hoffmann (1870-1956) for the Vienna glassmaker J&L Lobmeyr.
Made in matt glass with black enamel and cut decoration these sets of the Serie B Trinkservice were sold through the shops of the Wiener Werkstätte.
The geometric form of the wine glasses is typical of the man they called ‘Quadratl-Hoffmann’ and evokes the best-known design in glass by his pupil Otto Prutscher (1848-1949) – the series created c.1908 for the Viennese luxury retailer Bakalowits Söhne and made by the Bohemian glassworks Meyr’s Neffe.
Lobmeyr (still owned by descendants of Louis Lobmeyr) produces similar Serie B Trinkservice pieces today as high-priced reproductions. This set – a decanter, five wine glasses, five water tumblers, and six shot glasses (one with a large chip) – came for sale from a local clearance. The winning bid of £2500 probably came as something of a surprise to the vendor.
More UK decorative arts sales appear in a special report in this issue.
