Petersburg Latin America or Frankfurt London

The country of Bitche, in Moselle, is the cradle of the French glass art. This industry is closely linked to the history and the terroirs of the Lorraine. In the 15th century, the mosellanes forest housed the first glassworks, the trace continues. Families travelling with natural deposits (wood, water, sand and fern), shared the same oven but jealously guarding their recipe. It was in the 18th century that the building of factories allows blowers, cutters and engravers to raise their skills to the rank of art. The Crystal of Montbronn is heir to this tradition.

In 1930, Joseph-Louis Ferstler decides to settle in his account as Crystal tailor in his village of Montbronn. Although barely over twenty years old, he already has a certain experience in the Crystal manufacture of Saint - Louis, a few kilometres away, where he did his apprenticeship. Very quickly, it has difficulty in supply of raw material, the raw crystal. Then team a kiln which will run until the end of the 1960s. Its activity is growing regularly and the company was live, forty years ago, more than 100 employees. "At the beginning of the 1970s, a first crisis hits, and our father, old, abandoned the manufacture of Crystal - he will supply, as we do today, with German glass - and invests more", recalls Alain Ferstler, which took over the workshop and its six employees with his brother, Gérard, in 1977. "We had no choice." Gérard, which today provides the technical responsibility, did his apprenticeship in the family business. And me after the Bachelor's degree, I is joined to deal with the management and sales. "I myself am trained on the job", he said. The two brothers share the same desire to perpetuate a secular tradition while adapting to technological developments. Therefore, the Crystal is equipped with a polishing with acid, true laboratory unit. It is the only exception to the mechanization of the tasks, size, engraving and gilding remaining entirely manually performed by 15 employees, including some work from home. This respect for tradition is rewarded with the award of the prestigious label SPLT (living heritage enterprises.) Attentive to the air of the time, Alain Ferstler, which exhibited each year at the Salon of arts of the table of Frankfurt and is also present in Paris (in houses and objects, among others), has expanded its range. Apart from a traditional collection pieces, he loaded a designer, Kim-Ho, to innovate by creating more clean, sober and elegant forms. This creative richness Allied crafts know-how worth to the productions of the manufactory to adorn the most refined tables of the world, including those of the Princess Fahda Bandar Bint Fahd and of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia or the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Voluntarily, for several years, the Crystal of Montbronn turned to the export markets, which account for about 70 of its turnover in EUR 1.4 million in 2008. His articles are thus broadcast by agents or resellers, in the United States (Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, San Francisco... under the brand House, Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg), Latin America) or Frankfurt, London... The lorraine company inaugurated last fall a point of sale in the most luxurious Mall of China, the "Plaza 66" in Shanghai.

At the same time, the lovely family Crystal has diversified its activities by conducting image objects (including trophies) for companies or institutions. "This market, exclusively French, represents approximately 15 of our activity with a prestigious client base," said Alain Ferstler.