Sabina Art Glassworks in Rymanów

Glass frogs and lizards from Rymanów end up in galleries on several continents – around 80% of production at the Sabina Art Glassworks goes abroad, including to the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the Netherlands and England. Behind these exports is a family workshop in a small town in south-eastern Poland, and one man who has been designing new pieces for more than half a century.

History: from Krosno to a family brand

Henryk Rysz has worked with glass since 1972, starting at the Krosno Glassworks. In 1996 he founded a small glass studio in Rymanów and named it after his daughter, Sabina. Demand at home and abroad soon forced the family to expand. Today Sabina oversees the company's development, while her brother Rafał Rysz, born in Rymanów in 1983, continues his father's craft; his work has been recognised in many European countries and in the USA. Most designs still come from the founder.

What is made here

Everything is shaped by hand from high-quality soda glass, so every piece differs slightly in colour and form. Colour is applied to a hot, clear glass mass, which gives the figures their play of light and depth.

• Frogs and lizards – the company says it has the world's largest glass collection of these animals; all designs are by Henryk Rysz.
• Other animals – figures inspired by nature.
• Vases and bowls in classic and artistic shapes.
• Paperweights on glass or granite bases, also with engraving.
• Lamps and trophies made to order, for hotels and companies among others.

Tripto tip

The glassworks is at ul. Dworska 29 in Rymanów (tel. +48 13 43 56 860). It is first and foremost a production site, not a museum, and the official website lists no visiting hours for tourists. Call ahead and ask whether you can watch the glassmakers at work or buy pieces on site on your chosen day. Rymanów received its town charter in 1376 and lies where the Low Beskids meet the Jasło–Sanok basin, so a visit to the glassworks pairs well with a stroll around town and a trip into the surrounding hills.