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The jewels from the first era of Czechoslovakia

Posted on: 12/16/2018
 

Author: Martin Cinolter

Recently, we celebrated the centenary of the founding of independent Czechoslovakia. We reflected on the significant politicians, artists, inventors, entrepreneurs, and pivotal moments of the shared state – both hopeful and tragic. Especially the First Republic events, people, and their vital contributions have been frequently mentioned. Personally, I must mention that I have a collection of artifacts from the First Republic era, and it's sometimes nice to get lost in them.

The tradition of my antique profession is indeed long – nearly a quarter of a century, which in itself also deserves a small celebration. In my shop in the Old Town, everyone who decides to beautify their interior and, consequently, their life with beautiful historical pieces with a story will find a "gem." Whether we are talking about paintings, various decorative items for daily use, glass vases or decanters, porcelain sets, Meissen figurines, or historical toys. A bit of Biedermeier, Art Nouveau, or Rococo lets the wind of history into your apartment, and above all, the wonderful aesthetics of past times – this is why people love to visit us.

Perhaps, like me, you admire and honour the works of Czech jewellers. Treating yourself to a beautiful piece of jewellery from the prosperous era of the First Czechoslovak Republic can be your personal and radiant celebration of this famous anniversary. The tradition of jewellery making, gem setting, and goldsmithing is rich in our country, and the first specialist schools started to emerge in the 19th century. During the First Republic, we boasted many private companies and factories where jewellery was made to complement the women's gowns from famous fashion salons, such as Podolská and Rosenbaum. Jewellery belonging to grand evening attire, of course, differed from those designed for cocktail parties! But even women who didn't "sew" in such luxurious tailors adorned themselves – costume jewellery was on the rise and gaining international acclaim.

In jewellery-making during the First Republic – in the 1920s and 1930s – diamond jewellery with brilliant cuts was commonly found, as well as other precious stones such as onyx, black amber, or agate. In the 1920s, modern jewellery from Artěl, which had been established at the beginning of the 20th century, was in vogue. Artěl was a design studio where jewellery and other small artistic items were designed and made.

I don't want to sound unnecessarily sentimental, but every piece of First Republic jewellery carries its own story and a certain mystery. It speaks not only about the masterful craftsmanship of its creator, but also about the personality of the wearer or the person who had it made. For example, my favourite gold ring with an antique diamond and two pearls. It's a beautiful piece of Prague Art Deco that reminds me of a car's engine. Perhaps it was made by a racing driver for the woman of his heart, merging his two great passions in one piece of jewellery. Well, that's purely my hypothesis, but there are plenty of such pieces whose stories we know, at least in part. Sometimes all you need to do is look closely, and the history of Czechoslovakia will unfold before your eyes like an amazing movie.



Martin Cinolter