Daum is a crystal studio based in Nancy, France, founded in 1878 by Jean Daum (1825–1885).
His sons, Auguste Daum (1853–1909) and Antonin Daum (1864–1931), oversaw its growth during the burgeoning Art Nouveau period. Currently Daum is the only commercial crystal manufacturer employing the pâte de verre (glass paste) process for art glass and crystal sculptures, a technique in which crushed glass is packed into a refractory mould and then fused in a kiln.
During the Universal Exhibition of 1900 Daum was awarded a ‘Grand Prix’ medal. Daum glass became more elaborate, acid etching (by Jacques Gruber) was often combined with carving, enamelling and engraving on a single piece of glass to produce creative glass master-pieces. The most complicated creations also feature applied glass elements, such as handles and ornamental motifs in naturalistic forms. The Daum brothers quickly moved on to become one of the major forces in the Art Nouveau movement, seriously rivalling Gallé, so much so that when Émile Gallé died in 1904 they became the leaders in the field of decorative glass.
In 1906 Daum revived pâte de verre (glass paste), an ancient Egyptian method of glass casting, developing the method so that by the 1930s Daum's window panels used pâte de verre for richness instead of leaded or painted glass. Today Daum still used this method to produce their pieces.
Henri Navarre's work also has been with heavy glass of massive shapes. He gets an unusual X-ray effect by uneven blotches of color in the inner glass. His work is not dissimilar to that of Marmot, but perhaps less individual.
The exquisite enamelled glass of Warcel Goupy has given him high rank among French artists. In his decorative designs the composition is always impelling in its balance though his work never reflects any pedantic slavery to art precepts. The vitrifiable color glaze, which he perfected in 1925, imparts an interesting marbling and iridescence to the glass.
Jean Luce, modernist, largely foregoes the use of figures and relief in his decorations, relying almost wholly on geometric designs and impersonal motifs for effects. Originally his glass decorations were for the most part enamels, but gradually he has added other processes. Many of his modern designs are executed by means of the sand blast which is quite adapted to regular curves and straight lines. Occasionally his arcs and angles give way to less modern lighter pieces adorned with gay flowers and bouquets, but essentially his work is ultra-modern. Luce brought his art to glass. He was not a glass craftsman. Despite this, he has instinctively sensed the limitations and possibilities, and has succeeded in adapting his ideas to glass in effective designs. To those who do not lean his way, some of Luce's curves and cubes are mere crystallized pothooks and nursery blocks but to the "modern" his ideas are approaching a true beauty which will endure.
Jean Sala is one of the few who personally follow the glass from the pre-furnace stage to completion, working decorations into the blown glass while it is hot. Hence his glass is full of originality and cleverness, much of which naturally due to the necessary spontaneity entailed by the procedure. The fish motif is one of his favorites. Other French artists of note in the glass field are M. Dufrene, M. Pissaro, H. Farge, and L. Vuitton, exponent of Negro art. Jean Letard's designs are in the modern manner; especially interesting are his pieces of simple design on plain silver bases.
A DAUM GLASS VASE WITH SILVER MOUNTS
France (Nancy c1895)
Henri Bergé (1870-1937)
A DAUM GLASS VASE
France (Nancy c1900)
Henri Bergé (1870-1937)
A DAUM GLASS VASE
France (Nancy c1900)
Henri Bergé (1870-1937)
A DAUM GLASS VASE
France (Nancy c1910)
Henri Bergé (1870-1937)
A DAUM GLASS VASE
France (Nancy c1900)
A DAUM GLASS VASE
France (Nancy c1910)
A DAUM GLASS TABLE LAMP
France (Nancy c1910)
A DAUM GLASS EWER
France (Nancy c1910)
A DAUM GLASS VASE
France (Nancy c1895)
