Texas, cowboys, and cacti: Douglas Friedman brings a dose of the wild west to new Lobmeyr glassware collection

Esteemed photographer and Wallpaper* collaborator Douglas Friedman has an eye for a striking image, and his latest venture into the world of glassmaking shows similar flair. After teaming up with Viennese master glassmakers at Lobmeyr, Friedman has playfully drawn inspiration from America’s Wild West to present six tumblers and one carafe, with hand painted illustrations and motifs.

The collection, which is exclusively available at Abask, unites an unlikely pairing of centuries old craftsmanship with a Texan inspired contemporary and playful design- a tightrope of sophisticated elegance and quirky charm which Friedman and Lobmeyr balance carefully and beautifully.

The Douglas Friedman x Lobmeyr Collection

The photographer, who is based in Marfa, West Texas drew inspiration from his Friedman Ranch and tattoo art, telling Wallpaper*, ‘I always feel inspired when I’m there. It is the place where I relax and have fun. I am constantly inspired by the area, from the sweeping cloud formations that create the view outside my window to the iconic motifs and emblems of the area which we have adapted for this collection with a wink.’

The illustrations hold a lot of dynamic movement from scorpions to horses, and a friendly-faced cowboy. Throughout the design process Leonid and Louise Rath of Lobmeyr helped Friedman to narrow down the selection. ‘I wouldn’t say there were challenges, it was quite the joyful collaboration from start to finish,’ said Friedman. ‘Once I was connected with Leonid Rath ( sixth-generation glassware master) and Louise Rath ( artist and illustrator) of Lobmeyr, I started mood-boarding motifs and they selected the ones that would translate best when hand-painted onto glass by their artisans. They have 200 years’ experience in this, so I felt very safe in their hands.’

With centuries of glassmaking under its belt it is no surprise that Lobmeyr has been a front runner in the world of glassware from hand-blown, cut, engraved and polished pieces since 1823. No stranger to collaborations, Lobmeyr worked with Thomas Edison to create the first electric chandelier in 1883.

With the new collection launching in prime time for the entertaining season ahead, Friedman is ready to hunker down at his ranch and ready to play host for guests, saying ‘[You can use the collection] all the time and every day. I’ll be using mine for freshly squeezed orange juice in the morning, beside my bed for water at night, and for champagne and cocktails whenever I have guests over. They lend themselves very well to every occasion.'

Working within a new medium, Friedman said it was a ‘similarly creative process of collaboration, imagination, and the pursuit of a beautiful final product’, with the overall collection proving that for both Friedman and Lobmeyr , this isn’t their first Rodeo.

The collection is exclusive to abask.com