A set of oriental liqueur glasses from an auction was the starting point of a collection by Harald C. Rath, the fifth-generation owner of Lobmeyr. The fascination lay in collecting the smallest form from a set, where the glassmaker’s mastery is most put to the test. He also had a desire to document the tremendous variety of designs, forms, and techniques used for this type of glassware. The result is a collection that ranges from artistically important liqueur glasses, to ones used by royalty, to simple souvenir glasses.

The collection has been on display in Echsenbach in the Waldviertel region of Lower Austria since 2000, as part of Austria’s first shot glass museum. More than 3,000 different shot glasses tell a story of the artisanal evolution of glassmaking, and also of social developments: from glasses for the imperial court and for aristocratic families such as the Esterhazys and the Rothschilds to modernist pieces by the Wiener Werkstätte to single pieces designed by contemporary artists.

The shot glass museum was founded by Echsenbach mayor Hannes Lehr, who wanted to dedicate a museum to this special topic in the village where Harald C. Rath spent his summers.

The museum can be visited daily from April to December or by appointment.