Ladislav Sutnar (1897-1976) was a leading Modernist designer in Czechoslovakia. In 1929, he became principal art director of the publishing house Družstevní práce (Co-operative Work), which had in 1927 opened a shop and gallery in Prague under the name Krásná jizba (Beautiful Household), selling domestic objects of Modernist design including those of the Bauhaus. Finding it problematic to source appropriate products to satisfy their vision, Krásná jizba began to organise the production of its own tableware from 1929, with Sutnar contributing a number of designs.
This glass tea set was among such designs, and was produced for Družstevní práce from 1931 by the Czech firm Kavalier, who were the patent holders for the new heat-resistant glass pioneered in America. The set was made in large quantities and was widely used in Czechoslovakia. The earliest sets were fitted with Bakelite handles, though this was replaced by wood on sets from 1934-35 onwards. The design is exactly contemporary with the better-known heat-resistant glass tea set by William Wagenfeld, examples of which can also been found in the museums collection.