Kralik Spider Web (Tango) Art Deco Red Orange Czech Vase (1930's)

This iconic 1930's Art Deco Red Orange & Purple Spider Web (Tango) Vase was hand blown by the renowned Kralik company during the turbulent 1930's in Czechoslovakia. The wild Red / Orange color of the piece is adorned with a Spider Web motif of dark to light purple "webbing" which is typical of the so-called "Tango" method of glass decoration.

Tango glass or mono-coloured glass is a technique originally created by Loetz in the 1930's. It was soon reproduced by companies such as Kralik, Ruckl, Welz and others.

Tango glass (like this piece) usually consists of a blown glass vase, bowl or other object, in a bright color such as orange, yellow or red, with applied glass decoration in another darker color such as black or blue or sometimes white. The applied decoration is usually in the form of an outline to the rim, and/or handles, twists and lobes. In this case, we get an entire "Spider Web" effect across the entire surface of the base layer.

The Kralik glassworks, full name Wilhelm Kralik Sohne, was originally founded by Josef Meyr in 1815, in Bohemia. The factory was originally called Adolfshutte.

When Josef died, his son Jan took over the company. By this time, the company owned 4 glass factories. Jan died in 1841, and his two nephews Josef Taschek and Wilhelm Kralik became the owners. The company name was changed to J. Meyr's Neffen ("Nephews"), and when Josef died in 1862, the name changed to J. Meyr's Neffe ("Nephew"). Wilhelm Kralik died in 1877, and left the company to his 4 sons. The company was split in two - Heinrich + Johann took the name Wilhelm Kralik Sohne, Hugo + Karl used the name Meyr's Neffe. Meyr's Neffe merged with Moser in 1922. Wilhelm Kralik Sohne continued to produce glassware until World War II.

The vase weighs about 3 lbs and is 6-3/8" tall. It is a remarkable piece of history and any collector of Czech glass from the interwar period should find this of interest. It is signed on the bottom and is in near-mint condition.