In a remarkable turn of events, the Czech town of Nový Bor is set to reclaim its prestigious glass collection, valued at nearly $900,000, marking the end of a 14-year journey that saw these masterpieces scattered across the country.
The collection, featuring over 1,200 unique pieces created by 500 artists worldwide during the International Glass Symposiums (IGS) between 1982 and 2006, represents the pinnacle of glass artistry. Among the contributors are renowned Czech artists such as Stanislav Libenský, Jaroslava Brychtová, René Roubíček, and Ivo Rozsypal.
The story began with the 2009 bankruptcy of Crystalex, the glass manufacturing giant that originally owned the collection. In 2011, the collection was sold during liquidation proceedings to the Josef Viewegh Foundation, seemingly lost forever to its hometown.
Now, the Liberec Region has negotiated to purchase the collection for approximately $900,000, though the deal still awaits final approval from regional representatives on Tuesday, April 29. “We’re overjoyed about the region’s decision to purchase the collection,” says Jaromír Dvořák, Mayor of Nový Bor. “We’re already preparing spaces to exhibit part of the collection this year”.
The collection’s permanent home will be established in a building on Nový Bor’s town square, currently housing a special needs school that will relocate to another facility.