Is this a two-pronged strategy?  Absolutely Yes!  SKLO is a collaboration between Pavel Hanousek, and a husband & wife team of designers Karen Gilbert and Paul Pavlak.  This is an interesting combination; Hanousek brings his knowledge of his native Czech glassblowing and fueses it with Gilbert’s and Pavlak’s multi-disciplinary approach to art and design.  I call it true artisanship at its best integrating handmade art and craftsmanship to create beautiful handblown functional glass vessels.  Their work has a unique sensibility that offers a new modern take on hand blown Czech glass tradition and combines art and design to create a vibrant modern design brand.

Did you know that the Czech Republic was called Bohemia until 1918, when it was incorporated into Czechoslovakia following World War I?  But details on that will be found in another post perhaps focusing on the history of Czechoslovakia – back to collaborative disciplines . . .

Czech Republic is known for its skillful Bohemia glassworks and has the reputation of manufacturing the best glass in the world.  So it’s only inherit that such beautiful works of art and decor´are created in Czech Republic.

The MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price) varies: with black patina hook $460 or Chrome $529 USD.  This price recommendation is also SKLO’s MAP (minimum advertised price).  Price quotes are for the 18″Hx9″Wx4″D (45x23x10cm) size vessel and other sizes are available: Mini Hold Vessel 12″Hx5″Wx2″D (25″Hx5″Wx2″D (25x13x5.5 cm) $299 USD – $345 USD (msrp/map) prices may vary with some retailers.

SKLO markets to both trade and retail and some of their notable retailers include Anthropologie, Barneys, and last when I spoke with them they were exploring a partnership with Jonathan Adler.

Let’s look at some more vessels:  Aren’t these Float Vessels beautiful they look like air-bubbles!  Sizes range from 4″ to 20″ $115 – $1,150 USD (again, these are hand-blown and will make a nice accessory to any room). Click here to contact SKLO directly to purchase or call them 707.385.2101.

Click here for a look through their digital catalog: Online Catalog

Check out how these Float Vessels are used for tabletop lighting below I love it!  A version of a large Float Vessel  serves as a base for this table-lamp.  It has an expressive fire polished “mouth” of the float base prominently displayed, the richness of the colors along with the handmade steel fabric-less shade truly gives this  lamp a strong artisan statement.
SKLO Studio design prowess goes further than what you see here.  OBJECT is their core production line of functional, semi-funtional and sculptural objects.  While the focus of SKLO is Czech Glass, their OBJECT line is beyond glass with fabrication abilities, jewlery & accessories and the craft of metalsmiting.

Stay tuned-in for more to come!