Antique Moser Glass is hand-blown and renowned for its quality. Originating in Bohemia in the early 1800s, the work of the Moser Glass Company ended up in the hands of royals from King Edward VII of England to Turkish Sultan Abdul Hamid II.
It is clear, transparent, and free from impurity-like bubbles. Usually, it comes in distinctive patterns. Moser crystal fashion items are considered the finer choice for the decoration of various occasions – weddings, Christmas eve celebrations, births, and other significant events.
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The Moser Glass Company
Moser Glass Company is a manufacturer of hand-blown glassware. It is the oldest family-owned glass manufacturer in the United States, having produced its own glass since 1818. They are known for their high-quality, handmade stemware from fine Bohemian crystal and were the dominant manufacturer in the early 20th Century. The company’s headquarters is located in Richmond, Virginia.
The Moser family has been making wine glasses since 1818, when Johann Nepomuk Moser founded glassworks in Bavaria, Germany. Johann Moser was a master glassblower who learned his craft from his father, Franz Xaver Moser.
In 1845 the Moser Glassworks moved to the town of Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad) in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), where they continued production under the leadership of Ludwig Moser until 1870, when they moved to Vienna, Austria. Leo Moser took over operations following the death of his father in 1916.
After World War I, they moved back to Bohemia, where they stayed until the early 1930s when they again moved back to Vienna due to political unrest in Czechoslovakia after World War I ended.
In 1936 the company moved again to Dresden, where they stayed until 1945, when the Soviet Union took over Dresden during World War II and forced them out of their factory and other businesses that were not part of the Soviet Union’s economy at that time.
 Moser Glass Colors
Moser glass is known for its beautiful colors and patterns. Some of these include:
- Amethyst:Â This color is characterized by a purple tone with hints of blue or red. It often creates pieces with a purple base and clear overtones.
- Blush: An opaque pink with gold highlights, this is another popular color for antique Moser glass collectors. It was first produced around 1895 and continued until about 1905 or 1906.
- Cobalt Blue: This shade of blue was first manufactured by Moser Glass in 1893 and has been popular ever since. It is usually found on pieces with a green base color and clear accents.
- Emerald Green: This color was introduced in 1900 as part of an early set called “Carnival Glass.” It is typically found on pieces with an amber base with clear accents or swirls throughout the work. Green glass is by far the signature Moser style.
- Forest Green: This shade was first created in 1903 and has become a favorite among collectors due to its unique appearance compared to other colors produced by Moser Glass during this era. It has been used on multiple different styles of art glass, including opalescent (with swirls) and opaque (without wheels).
The Types of Moser Glass
Moser Glass is known for its unique style of glassmaking. The company uses traditional methods to create beautiful pieces that are both functional and decorative. While the company offers many types of glassware, here are some of its most popular choices.
Beer Stein
This stein is designed to hold beer or wine. The design features an image of a Bavarian man holding an overflowing stein of beer and wearing traditional Bavarian clothing.
Champagne Flute
This flute has straight sides with a tapered bottom and a narrow rim that flares slightly from the bottom to the top. It can be used for serving champagne as well as other sparkling wines or cocktails such as mimosas or Bellini’s. It also makes an excellent choice for serving
Cordial glasses
Cordial glasses are similar to stemware, but they have a more squat shape and a flared base that allows them to stand easily on their own when filled with liquid.
Red Wine Glass
Red wine glasses have a bulbous bottom with a tapered top that makes them easy to hold while drinking red wine! The best part about these glasses is that they come in many different sizes, so you can find one that fits your needs perfectly!
Goblet glasses
Goblet glasses have a rounded bowl that tapers to a narrower stem. The mouth is slightly smaller than the base, so the liquid doesn’t spill when you drink from it. Some goblets have branches that flare out at the top to make them easier to hold onto
Perfume bottles
This is a scarce, large, and unusually shaped hinged box-shaped perfume bottle, often in an Art Nouveau style. It has a silver interior with large holes for the fragrance to come through. The top is in the shape of an old-style cork that holds the stopper in place. The plug has an embossed crown on it with a ribbon underneath it that reads “Moser”. .” e bottle measures 3 3/4″ tall by 2 1/2″ wide by 1 3/4″ deep.
The glass is clear with light gold iridescence throughout the bottle’s body and green iridescence around the rim and base of the stopper. There are no chips or cracks on this beautiful piece.
Moser Glass Patterns
Moser Glass continues to produce some of the most delicate handcrafted glassware available today. Their leaded crystal stemware, goblets, and decanters are high-quality pieces that will last for generations to come!
The Moser line offers many different styles of glasses, including:
- Blue Chalice: This pattern has been reproduced since the 1920s (and therefore isn’t an authentic antique), but it’s still popular among collectors because of its lovely blue coloration and exciting shapes. Blue Chalice is usually found in various sizes incl, using bowls, platters, goblets, and more!
- Antique: These glasses feature intricate patterns etched into the glass’s surface that give each piece its unique character. These pieces are also handmade by skilled artisans at the Moser factory, so no two antique mirrors are exactly alike.
- The Diamond Cut:Â This is one of the most popular patterns from Moser Glass. It is also available in different octagon, rectangular, and round shapes.
- Decanters:Â Decanters make an excellent gift for any occasion! Whether you’re looking for something special for a wedding or anniversary gift or want something nice for yourself, these beautiful decanters come in many different shapes and sizes!
- Tumblers – Tumblers are great if you’re looking for something casual.
How Can You Tell if a Glass is Moser?
The glass should be heavy and have a distinctive greenish-blue tint. The glass should have high lead content, making it more severe than other types of glass.
You should be able to see bubbles inside the glass if it is authentic Moser glass. These bubbles are called “cane lines,” caused by the process used to make the glass. The cane lines will look like tiny stripes running through your piece of Moser glassware. The more cane lines there are, the more valuable your report will be!
If you look closely at the bottom of your piece of Moser glassware, you should see an “M” inside a circle. This mark is called an acid mark and shows that Moser himself made your piece.
How Much is Moser Glass Worth
The value of Moser glass is highly dependent on the type and pattern of glassware. The most valuable pieces are those from the early years of Moser’s production. The earliest glass is marked “Moser Wien” and dates back to the late 19th century. Later marks include “Moser Austria” and “Moser Essen.”
The most valuable pieces include many colors of vases, bowls, plates, and pitchers. Some parts are worth more than $10,000.
The Moser Glass Museum in Schramberg, Germany, has a selection of Moser pieces on display that show the company’s history through its many patterns and marks over time. Unfortunately, this collection is not open to the public. Still, if you can visit it in person, you may obtain more information about your piece’s age and value by looking at these items in person.
Where Can I Sell Moser Glass?
You can sell your Moser glass in several places, including auction houses and galleries. However, many websites specialize in selling fine art. These sites allow people to post their items for sale or trade and then allow others to bid on them or even buy them outright for cash.
Some of these sites also offer insurance coverage for buyers in case something happens during shipping or handling. This gives buyers peace of mind when buying expensive items from unknown sellers online.
eBay – eBay is one of the best places to sell antiques because it’s so easy to list items, and many buyers search for them daily. However, because eBay does not allow transactions outside their marketplace, shipping isn’t free, and the fees can add up quickly (especially if you have multiple items).
Be sure to read the seller guidelines before listing anything on eBay to know what they allow and don’t allow in terms of selling.
Conclusion
Moser glass is magnificent. The artistically cut squares, circles, and hexagons scattered across the hand-blown glass not only allows for visual intrigue but are what make Moser glass so exceptional. Every pattern and piece is different; every detail is its work of art.
Each is a reminder of what real quality looks like in a product. Countless artists created the intricate design, from the glassblowers to the enamellers—each bringing their skill set to bear on their piece of Moser glass history.
Ok I’m sort of confused… At the beginning of your article it says that Moser glass will be free of bubbles, but then at the end of your article it says the more bubbles there are in your piece, the more valuable it is. It also says that Moser is the oldest glassworks in the United States, but Moser glassworks has always been located in the Czech Republic, as far as I know…. Just curious if I should look for bubbles, no bubbles, in the US, not in the US…..?