Bohemian Glass: Rhinestone Crown - German/German

This rhinestone crown, handmade for the Parisian glitter world in the 1950s and 60s, weighs two kilograms. It took several weeks to make, because the up to 500 rhinestones were individually attached to the blank with special clamps. It is hard to believe that the ladies of the Parisian revue theatres Folie Bergères and Moulin Rouge, "dressed" in this way, were able to dance across the stage with almost erotic-graceful ease. Since 1998, the rhinestone crown has been in the Wertheim Glass Museum and conveys a breath of the former Parisian glamour world.

This is thanks to the collector Reinhard Seufert from Stuttgart, who was involved in the production of the dazzling crowns for many years.

At the time, Seufert was the first German fashion photographer to work for the lifestyle magazine "Elegante Welt", founded in Berlin in 1910. He found his "models" in the fashion metropolis of Paris. And fascinated by the glamour world of show business, he got involved in the production of glittering rhinestone jewellery himself.

The glass stones, shimmering in the colours of the rainbow, come from the Swarovski company, now based in Wattens in Tyrol, Austria, known for its perfectly cut "artificial crystals" made of flawless glass. The company's founder Daniel Swarovski from Bohemia had invented a revolutionary crystal-cutting machine in 1892. With it, he could cut more crystals and cut them much more precisely than had previously been possible by hand.

 

Bohemain Glass: Diamanté Tiara - English

This diamante tiara created for the glittering world of Paris in the 1950s and 60s weighs two kilograms. It took several weeks to produce because the up to 500 diamante stones were set one by one into special clasps on the frame. So it's hard to believe that a costumed lady of the Parisian review Theatres; the Folie Bergères and Moulin Rouge was still able to dance across the stage with an almost erotic and gracious ease when wearing one. The diamante tiara has been providing a taste of past Parisian glamour in the Wertheim museum of glass since 1998.

And it does so with thanks to Reinhard Seufert, a collector from Stuttgart who took part in the production of the shimmering tiaras for years.

At the time Seufert was the first German fashion photographer to work for the German "Elegante Welt," lifestyle magazine that was founded in Berlin in 1910. He found his models in the fashion metropolis of Paris and was so fascinated by the glamorous world of show business that he got involved in the production of the glittering diamante jewellery.

The glass stones, that shimmer in all the colours of the rainbow, came from the Swarovski Company, that is now located in Wattens in Austrian Tyrol. The company is famous for its perfectly cut, "artificial crystals," made of flawless glass. Daniel Swarovski, the company founder, came from Bohemia. And he invented the revolutionary electric cutting machine in 1892, which enabled him to cut a larger amount of crystals with much greater precision than was possible by hand.