From Antiques to Contemporary Studio Glass

I did not come to contemporary studio glass solely as a curator. I have worked professionally with antiques and in the art trade for nearly a decade, and my experience of the secondary market has profoundly shaped the way I look at contemporary art today.

As an antiques dealer, I often encounter objects decades after they were created. Some have retained their quality and appeal to collectors, while others have almost completely disappeared from the market’s attention. This experience has taught me to look beyond the first impression of a work and consider the artist, the quality of execution, its originality, and the place it occupies within the artist’s broader body of work.

I bring the same perspective to my work with contemporary glass. I am interested in whether a work has a distinctive artistic language of its own, whether it holds its ground within the context of the artist’s practice, and whether it will remain compelling long after the immediate effect of novelty has faded.

My Work at Czech Art Point

At Czech Art Point, my work focuses primarily on the curatorial selection of contemporary studio glass. My aim is not to build the broadest possible offering or to present every new work that appears. I am interested in selecting artists and objects that I can stand behind professionally and that, in my view, deserve a place in a distinguished private or institutional collection.

When selecting a work, I consider not only its immediate visual impact, but also the quality of its execution, the originality of its artistic language, the continuity of the artist’s practice, and its place within the broader context of Czech and international glass. What matters to me is that a work should offer more than an immediate visual effect — it should have something that makes it worth returning to.

This principle also led to the creation of CAP Selection — an ongoing curatorial selection presenting artists and works that I consider exceptional or particularly compelling from a collector’s perspective. It is not a catalogue of new arrivals. It is the result of personal judgement and the responsibility I take for the works I recommend under the Czech Art Point name.

Beauty alone is not enough.

Working with Collectors and Building a Collection

For me, collecting art does not begin with the question of what might one day be worth the most. It begins with what genuinely speaks to you. Knowledge of artists, techniques, the market and the wider context comes next, helping to place individual decisions within the broader direction of a collection.

That is why I work with collectors individually — whether they are just beginning to build their first collection, searching for a particular artist, or looking to thoughtfully develop a collection they have been building for many years.

Royal Dux and Czech Porcelain

I have been studying Czech porcelain, and Royal Dux in particular, for many years. My knowledge of the field has developed not only through specialist literature and historical catalogues, but above all through daily hands-on work with the objects themselves — identifying and documenting them, comparing models and marks, and buying and selling them.

Together with my husband, I gradually began building our own Royal Dux documentation database, which now contains more than 300 models. For each piece, we record not only its form and markings, but also individual variations that can help determine the period of production, authorship, or the development of a particular model. Our research pays particular attention to the period between 1918 and 1938.

Much of my experience has come directly from working with private collections and from the many objects that have passed through my hands over the years. When studying historical porcelain, I consider the opportunity to examine and compare actual pieces irreplaceable. My professional research has also taken me to places closely connected with the history of Czech porcelain production and brought me into contact with people who have themselves played a part in shaping its modern history.

Royal Dux is also the subject of a specialist publication I am currently preparing. My aim is to gradually bring together the documentation I have collected so that it serves not only as a resource for identifying individual pieces, but also helps place the manufactory, its models and their designers within a broader historical and artistic context.

Why Czech Art Point Was Founded

Czech Art Point grew out of a desire to create a space where contemporary studio glass would not simply be displayed as an object, but presented as part of the broader story of Czech glassmaking.

Through my work with antiques, I became increasingly aware that many objects we now regard as important parts of design and art history were once contemporary works themselves. What determined their lasting significance was not simply the period in which they were created, but above all their quality, originality, and ability to endure beyond the trends of their time.

I approach contemporary glass in the same way. I am not interested in building the broadest possible selection or following every new development. I look for artists and works with a distinctive artistic language, exceptional craftsmanship, and the potential to remain relevant for many years to come.

Czech Art Point is therefore a place for curatorial selection, exhibitions, and working with collectors. One of its projects is CAP Selection — a curated selection of contemporary studio glass that I personally stand behind as a curator.

Beauty alone is not enough. I believe that the act of selection itself is one of the most important parts of my work.

Media and Publications

Interviews, specialist articles and other texts related to Czech glass, porcelain, collecting and my curatorial work can be found in a dedicated overview.

Earlier specialist articles, interviews and professional references were also published under my former name, Janka Girgošková, or occasionally Jana Girgošková.

Collaboration

I work with collectors who are just beginning to build their collections, as well as those who have been developing them for many years. I help them navigate contemporary Czech glass, search for specific artists and works, and shape the long-term direction of their collections.

I also work with companies, architects and interior designers to select studio glass for private and public spaces. Whether you are looking for a particular work or artist, starting a collection, or developing an existing one, I would be happy to discuss how I can help.