17h Glass in Form - guided tour

What can a glass mould reveal? This silent, durable object, often made of iron, bronze or brass, is the basis for the production of hundreds or even thousands of glass products. The mould is not only a tool, it is also a preserver of shape, repeatable beauty and the skill of the human hand. The exhibition Glass in Form offers a glimpse into the world of glass moulds and presents their role in the development of Czech glassmaking.

The core of the exhibition is part of the extensive collection of historical moulds collected over the years by the glass cutter and glassmaker Jan Pesničák from Josefův Důl. The collection comprises dozens of original moulds from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, used mainly for the production of perfume bottles, decanters, decorative glass and utilitarian objects. Each mould bears the aesthetic and technological traces of its time, the handwriting of a particular workshop and the skill of the craftsman who made it.

The exhibition also presents the process of making glass objects using the mould casting technology. From the casting of hot glass into the metal body to the final grinding, polishing and decorating. Visitors can thus get a glimpse into a process that usually remains hidden, the transformation of a formless mass into a precise shape.

The exhibition also reminds us that every glass work made using a mould begins with the definition of shape. The form thus becomes not only a tool of production, but also the first design gesture - the point where the product's identity is born. In many cases, these are small works of art whose precision and functionality survive for decades.