Carl Hosch Catalog

One of the questions that came up several times, however, was "What is the date of the catalog?" Apparently, no one knows for certain, as the catalogs were not dated and probably were a continuing evolution as new items became available. However, the best estimate, according to Collectable Bohemian Glass by Robert and Deborah Truitt, is around 1905.

The introduction to the Hosch catalog pages in the last issue was brief and omitted several bits of information about the Carl Hosch company and its history. Following is an excerpt from Truitt's book to help put the company into perspective.
Hosch by Robert and Deborah Truitt

"The company was founded in Zakupy in the year 1864 by Carl Hosch to fabricate crystal and bronze ornaments and lighting. In 1868, Hosch moved to Novy Bor to be available to the foreign buyers who made regular calls on the refiners located there. At that point, he renamed the company "Glasraffinerie und Kronleuchterfabrik - Carl Hosch" (Glass Refiner and Crystal Chandelier Fabricator).

Carl had two sons who inherited the business in 1893, Carl A. G. and Alexander. These two brothers took the company through most of World War I and established a worldwide network of show rooms and foreign sales offices. As part of the export business, Hosch purchased hot-decorated glass from many of the Bohemian glass huts (such as Elisabethhiitte and Kralik) and finished items from other refineries. The company also employed its own refiners and contracted with home workers.
Alexander died in 1916 and his son, Richard, co-managed the company with Carl until Carl's death in 1932. From 1932 until 1945, Richard directed the company and was able to continue through the depression years by concentrating on the popular Art Deco fashions as well as on the reproduction of historic glass.

Of Richard's two children, Irma and Richard, Jr., only Irma entered the glass business. Irma managed the entire chandelier division and her father directed the company. After World War II, the company was nationalized, and Hosch and his family were required to remain in Czechoslovakia to help rebuild the glass industry. Richard Hosch died in Novo Bor in 1957."

Plate V
Items 5352 – 5413

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