Kralik - Pontil pieces

These Kralik pieces Cir. 1925-1935 are the best example of high-end later Kralik art glass. Each piece is heavy and decorated with layers of glass. In production each piece is cut and the pontil is transferred to the base so the rim can be fire polished; this required much more work and artistic coordination from the glass blowing team. At one time, I played around with the theory that they were made for a special export market (one that wanted fire smooth rims). It is still a mystery today- why some pieces are cut and ground while others are fire polished.

In time, I feel that these pieces will demand a premium price for their heaviness, soft edges and layers of decor.

p.s. I have noticed very few of the fire polished rims have chips while many of the ground pieces have slight flakes or chips... Does the ground rim get chipped easier or were ground rim pieces sold with light chips on them?