J. & L. Lobmeyr
Celebrating a Century of Art Deco Legacy and Timeless Innovation
Almost 100 years ago, Austrian glass and crystal specialists, J. & L. Lobmeyr, garnered the creative world’s attention at the 1925 Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes exposition in Paris. This historic international fair remains renowned for establishing the global significance of the Art Deco movement and propelling the careers of designers like Gio Ponti and Eileen Gray.
And, within Austria’s ambitious pavilion, designed by the pioneering architect Josef Hoffmann, J. & L. Lobmeyr, presented a “wunderkammer”—a cabinet of curiosities—showcasing remarkable pieces that remain in the heritage brand’s collection today. Highlights include Oswald Haerdtl’s delicately rounded, mouth-blown muslin glass Candy Dishes and the dashing Drinking Set No. 240, known as “The Ambassador.” Adorned with sleek lines and geometric forms, the set epitomizes Art Deco sensibilities while simultaneously showcasing Lobmeyr’s expertise in fine glass craftsmanship, which remains the company’s hallmark today.
Josef Lobmeyr sen.
“Even the harshest critics couldn’t fault these pieces,” explains Leonid Rath, co-owner of J. & L. Lobmeyr, the two-century-old Viennese glassware company. In 2025, Rath plans brand events and new designs to spotlight the lasting significance of these pieces and mark the Paris event’s centenary. “After the war, people were sick of negativity, and the fact that these works were decorative, happy, and beautiful was well received.” Beyond the extensive homewares collection, the family business (established in 1823 by Rath’s great-great-great-grandfather Josef and his son Ludwig Lobmeyr) has long created one-off masterworks for royalty, aristocracy, and cultural landmarks. These include chandeliers for the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Vienna State Opera.
“After the war, people were sick of negativity, and the fact that these works were decorative, happy, and beautiful was well received.”
Yet Lobmeyr remains a forward-thinking brand. In 2024, the company collaborated with British design and crafts retailer ABASK on a limited-edition glassware collection with photographer Douglas Friedman. This collection, inspired by the wilderness of Marfa, Texas, merges Vienna’s storied glassmaking tradition with contemporary artistic sensibilities. Looking ahead to the 2025 anniversary celebrations, Lobmeyr is preparing retrospective exhibitions while forging new collaborations with cult creatives. Among them is a partnership with artist Laila Gohar, which will feature at Paris’ cutting-edge design fair, Matter & Shape. “We must constantly rethink luxury,” Rath reflects. “On one hand, we’re focused on re-editions of our delicate, precious designs; on the other, we aim to showcase innovative works at contemporary platforms like MATTER and SHAPE.”
Design: Tatiana de Nicolay, 2019