Precious stones from the Bohemian Paradise

The brothers Jan and Václav Fišers from Turnov. Their alleged voyage to Venice, five years of efforts to seize the local secret of secrecy, return to Turnov, dozens of wasted attempts and then - finally success! In 1711 they made the first glass for the production of artificial stones.

THE GLASSHOUSE IN NOVÝ SVĚT

It was in 1712, when Elias Müller built his glassworks on the estate of the Harrach Counts in Jilemnice. It continued in the traditional production of glass, which was produced on the border of the Giant Mountains and the Jizera Mountains in the middle of the 14th century. Even today, you can see not only metallurgical production and blowing glass, but also a hundred-year-old grinding shop. It is driven by a water turbine and transmissions used to distribute the driving force.

ELIAS PALME

Elias Palme, one of the most famous luminaire manufacturers, continued the tradition of chandeliers in Kamenický Šenov. Industrial production of chandeliers was started in 1724 by Josef Palme in Prácheň.

ELDORADO OF BEADS AND SEED BEADS

Surely you would not find in the whole Principle and in the broad surroundings of a person who would say a crooked word about Jan Šourek. After all, it was as if he had come to the Principle of Prosperity and Welfare. As soon as he took possession of the reeve, life in the village began to turn for the better. He was one of the first to venture into the world for business.

JOSEF RIEDEL

Josef Riedel, king of the Jizera Mountains glassmakers, was born in Hejnice in 1816. He was the representative of the sixth generation of the glass family and imprinted his footprint indelibly on the slopes of the Jizera Mountains.

FRIEDRICH EGERMANN

JOSEF PFEIFFER

Josef Pfeiffer - Jablonec entrepreneur and mayor, who was involved in the development of jewelery exports. Everything is confirmed at the imperial court and in 1866 Jablonec became a town during his reign.

BLOWN BEAD and its way to the tree

People can make sense of time and numbers, but not us, beads. However, I have heard that they have been blowing me in the mountains for more than a hundred years. As a bead would put it, that is a long time. You, who have never seen how a bead is born, you don´t know how beautiful life can be....

MELTED GLASS SCULPTURE

In 1920 the first Czech glass school was founded in Železný Brod, thanks to which the town became a center of glass art.

XV. Stanislav Libenský Award 2024 - Tribute to Oldřichu Palatovi Christmas market in Zittau with Crystal Valley Expositions of the Botanical Garden Prague will be enlivened by glass installations by Jiří Pačinek CRYSTAL VALLEY in 2025 Clothing and bead applications in the North Bohemian Museum in Liberec Live broadcast from the approval meeting for the inscription of handmade glass production on the UNESCO list! GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY CRYSTAL HELMET OF ST. WENCESLAS Trophies for the World Superbike Championship in the spirit of Czech glass art Traditional glassmaking regions on both sides of the border are connecting Palme Glass Trail World of Wonders - WOW Crystal Paradise "Handmade glass" awarded Preciosa Lighting installation at Changi Airport Czech Christmas decorations enchant the Netherlands Crystal reliquary of St. Zdislava for the Pope Preciosa Lighting at Designblok Crystal Train Crystal Trail Preciosa is a partner of the ballet performance of the National Theater 165th birthday of the Czech glass school in Kamenický Šenov Šenov design shines in Prague's PALLADIUM Museum programs for children online How did glass Christmas decorations get from Železný Brod to New York? Unveiling a unique glass sculpture Pearl Christmas decorations from Poniklá are on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity UNESCO
XV. Stanislav Libenský Award 2024 - Tribute to Oldřichu Palatovi
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Christmas market in Zittau with Crystal Valley
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Expositions of the Botanical Garden Prague will be enlivened by glass installations by Jiří Pačinek
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CRYSTAL VALLEY in 2025
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Clothing and bead applications in the North Bohemian Museum in Liberec
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Manual glass production is Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
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Live broadcast from the approval meeting for the inscription of handmade glass production on the UNESCO list!
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Stations of the Cross at the Church of St. Anne
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GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY
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CRYSTAL HELMET OF ST. WENCESLAS
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Trophies for the World Superbike Championship in the spirit of Czech glass art
more
Traditional glassmaking regions on both sides of the border are connecting
more
Palme Glass Trail
more
World of Wonders - WOW
more
Crystal Paradise
more
"Handmade glass" awarded
more
Preciosa Lighting installation at Changi Airport
more
Czech Christmas decorations enchant the Netherlands
more
Crystal reliquary of St. Zdislava for the Pope
more
Preciosa Lighting at Designblok
more
Crystal Train
more
Crystal Trail
more
Preciosa is a partner of the ballet performance of the National Theater
more
165th birthday of the Czech glass school in Kamenický Šenov
more
more
Šenov design shines in Prague's PALLADIUM
more
Museum programs for children online
more
How did glass Christmas decorations get from Železný Brod to New York?
more
Unveiling a unique glass sculpture
more
Pearl Christmas decorations from Poniklá are on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity UNESCO
more
Mapa

Inspired by Crystal Valley

Martina Josífek - Glass Art

Address

Popelnická 618, 46841 Tanvald
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Phone

+ 420 724 170 120

E-mail

martinajosifek@gmail.com

My name is Martina Josífek Zelinková and I am a happy mother of three children and grandmother of two grandchildren. I was trained as a glass cutter and even though I had a break from my artistic craft for twenty years, my love for glass was instilled in me for life. Thanks to a back injury and protracted treatment, I have found solace in glass again, and most importantly, myself. I create commissioned glass and ceramic mosaics (paintings, lanterns, large-scale objects) or process glass using the Tiffany technique. I like to incorporate real stones, semi-precious stones and other natural materials into my works. I live in the glass region in the Jizera Mountains, where we can find mentions of glassmaking behind every beech tree, so I also like to use glass beads in my works, which our ancestors used to make in almost every cottage here in the mountains. I also recycle ceramics and porcelain into mosaics, which would otherwise end up in a landfill somewhere. As a lover of history and a person of faith who values the legacy of our ancestors, I seek out abandoned chapels and shrines to restore the decoration of the saints.

Visitors will see my unconventional glasswork, which I use to gladden the heart and give joy to others. Each piece is an original and I never make two pieces the same. I process everything by hand according to the customer's wishes and requirements. Each product has a story, which starts with the order, when I try to find out as much information as possible not only about the customer's idea, but I also try to peek into the depths of their soul. In return, I put my heart into the glass, which is meant to bring joy and maybe even comfort in a new home.