Art Nouveau enameled glass vase decorated with carps, Moser manufactory, late 19th century

Founded by Ludwig Moser in 1857, the Moser glassworks evolved from a glass-engraving workshop into one of the world's most renowned manufacturers of luxury glass. Celebrated for its exceptional craftsmanship and lead-free crystal, the firm achieved international recognition through numerous awards at major exhibitions and became a supplier to the courts of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria, King Edward VII of Great Britain, and other royal patrons. Every Moser piece was produced according to the highest standards of hand craftsmanship, earning the company its enduring reputation as the “King of Glass.”

The Art Nouveau period marked one of the most creative chapters in Moser's history. Inspired by nature, the glassworks produced elegant decorative objects adorned with floral, aquatic, and animal motifs, rendered in rich colours and refined surface decoration. Unlike many of Moser's engraved crystal creations, this vase demonstrates the firm's mastery of enamel painting, featuring finely detailed fish and trailing aquatic plants outlined in gold and applied to a subtly amethyst-tinted ground.

This charming vase perfectly embodies the poetic naturalism that defines the Art Nouveau style and reflects the influence of Japanese art on the decoration produced by the Moser workshops. Combining technical virtuosity with artistic elegance, this piece is a fine example of Moser's contribution to the decorative arts of the period circa 1885–1900.