Collectors Facts - Athina, Hortensja

Athina vase, marigold. 4.25 inches / 11cm.

​Athina vases (#353) in Hortensja catalogue.

Catalogue extracts courtesy of Malcolm and Hilary Ross.

Athina, marigold in 2 sizes - 4.25 " / 11cm & 10" / 25cm.

Shapes:

Vase - 4 sizes reported

Colours:

Marigold

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Gloriously and unashamedly Art Deco in its design, this splendid Athina vase utilises the typical Deco stepped shape and a bold angular motif to make its impact. The delicious pastel marigold iridescence serves to enhance the design by focussing attention on the plain blocks, thus complementing the whole.

The little beauty shown above (left) is the three-tier version, and stands just 4.25 inches high (11cm). In the four-tier version (as seen on the right of the catalogue illustration), we know of examples in all three sizes - one that is a little over 6 inches tall, an 8 inch one, and a 10 inch version. All are marigold.

Athina was made by Hortensja in Poland, and is shown in the Hortensja catalogue illustration above.
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There are some similar patterns.

The date of introduction of all these patterns is not fully confirmed, but it’s entirely possible that plagiarism was afoot. If we had to put our money on which came first we’d say Inwald’s (mid 1920s) but we could be wrong!

Athen, Walther

The catalogue illustration on the right shows an almost identical item that was made by August Walther in Germany. The shape’s the same, the proportions are the same, but there are differences.

To spot them, look at the motifs. On the Walther piece, the slanting lines go in the opposite direction and there are only two (slightly different) “flames” or squiggles above the slanting lines.

It’s a small yet very significant difference, but sufficient to easily distinguish between the two makers.

To date, we cannot confirm any Carnival Glass versions of Walther's Athen pattern, but as a contemporary of Brockwitz, we know that Walther did make some Carnival Glass.

As the patterns are clearly different, we named the Hortensja version Athina to differentiate it from the Walther vase called Athen. Close enough to acknowledge the similarities, yet different enough to mark it out as a unique pattern.

Walther showed a range of shapes in the Athen pattern in their 1932 Export catalogue (shown right). The text in the catalogue indicates the pattern was formerly called Olympia.

"Athen" made by Walther shown in this 1932 catalogue.
​Catalogue extract courtesy of Siegmar Geiselberger and Dieter Mauerhoff.

Clifton, Libochovice (below left)
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Below left is an extract from Libochovice’s 1920s catalogue which illustrated a similar design, called Clifton. It features blocks with alternate diagonal motifs (see below). Currently we are not aware of any Carnival examples of this pattern.
 
Nola, Inwald (below right)
 
The diagonal motif in Inwald’s Nola design is reminiscent of those used in Athina and its look-alikes. The alternate block concept is absent, but that apart, there is a flavour of the Nola design in Athina and the “sister” patterns. The angular Deco shapes, especially shown in the base and the profiles, also resemble each other a little. The Markhbeinn’s 1932 catalogue of Inwald’s glass shows the Nola vases in two forms, and three sizes: the 7.5 inch (19cm) and the 10 inch (25cm) are known in Carnival.

Libochovice - Clifton circa late 1920s, courtesy Marcus Newhall

Inwald - Nola shown in Markhbeinn’s 1932 catalogue

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