Mohn & Kothgasser

Shortly after the turn of the 19th-century, transparent enamelling was rediscovered and despite the difficulties caused by the Napoleonic Wars soon flourished in the Mohn workshops in Leipzig, Dresden, Berlin and Vienna. These enamels, mostly on very thin glass, often contrast to the heavier glasses Anton Kothgasser gilt and embellished in Vienna while greatly expanding the range of motifs. The participants of the Congress of Vienna (1814/15) soon spread these glasses throughout the world as precious souvenirs. They passed through generations of art lovers in noble families and the up-and-coming middle classes. Today they are cherished as the most desirable collectibles of the Biedermeier period. By describing the glasses as a starting point, the author recreates the spirit of the times and conveys through his spectacular photographs what matters when putting a meaningful collection together, all the while weaving in history, personal anecdotes and invaluable pointers from a lifetime of successful collecting. This bilingual publication is organized into 38 short, coherent chapters and includes a glossary, an index and a bibliography.