Balloon with butterflies

In first project with Vienna's Lobmeyr glassworks, the New York designer Ted Muehling uses historical trends to create a modern collection combining utility, beauty and wit. 

"I wanted to return to a time before stemware when glasses were both practical and poetic, celebrating their contents", he says. Muehling was inspired by the simple, utilitarian shapes of Roman and early European glass, as well as the delicate designs from the Vienna Secession period by Loos and Hoffman for Lobmeyr.

Collection feature convex and concave shapes that invite touch, with indentations at the bottom adding another sensual curve. Though some designs are intended for specific drinks like beer, cognac and schnapps, they are versatile enough for any beverage, allowing water and wine to flow equally well from a simple form.

The embellishments on each glass pay homage to the past. According to Muehling, the engravers and enamelers at Lobmeyr are unmatched. "I thought this level of craftsmanship was lost in the XIX century", he says. He reimaged classic monogram with oversized, nearly abstract letters and some glasses feature flourishes resembling flight path of an insect. Others are adorned with enamel paintings and engravings of insects, drawing inspiration from artists Maria Sybilla Merian and Jacob Hoefnagel, as well as motifs from the Biedermeier period, like goldfish and eyes. Muehling appreciates the creativity and humor in these designs, noting that the eye at the bottom of a glass is a literal nod to the toast, 'Here's looking at you.'