A primer on Gallé blownout vases

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.


Gorgeous Gallé Water Lily blownout vase

Gorgeous Gallé Water Lily blownout vase

It is believed that the firm of Emile Gallé did not start to produce blownout vases until after WWI, which was also after Gallé’s death in 1904. If that’s true, then Gallé himself never saw some of the most interesting and valuable vases the firm produced. These vases are referred to as blownout, or mold-blown, or soufflé. The terms are interchangeable.

Monumental Gallé Calla Lily blownout vase

Monumental Gallé Calla Lily blownout vase

The technique in producing these vases was similar to standard acid-etched vases, but with one major difference — first the glass was blown into a mold using compressed air. Then the design was cut into the vase using hydrofluoric acid. My rough estimation is that there are approximately 50 different models of Gallé blownout vases.

Gallé purple Fuchsia blownout vase

Gallé purple Fuchsia blownout vase

Gallé pink Fuchsia blownout vase

Gallé pink Fuchsia blownout vase

The same model may vary in color, but not in size or shape, since the molds were defined. This is very similar to R. Lalique vases, which were also produced in molds.

Gallé white and standard Elephant vases

Gallé white and standard Elephant vases

To the best of my knowledge, no one has ever built a collection of every known example of Gallé blownout vases. That would be a very interesting (and expensive) collection. Today’s prices range from under $10,000 to over $200,000. The most valuable would be a white elephant.

Reproduction Gallé Elephant vase

Reproduction Gallé Elephant vase

Comical reproductions exist, but are easily identifiable after learning the real examples.


Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I will update it as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

The results of the Denver World Wide Antique Show, July 24-26, 2015

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.


Saturday afternoon in our booth

Saturday afternoon in our booth

I’m starting to write this blog on Saturday afternoon at 4 PM. (The show closes at 6 PM today.) The show is slow at the moment, with only a few guests walking around. Attendance has been fairly light. We’ve only made sales to two clients as of this point, but since they were both good, we’re having an excellent show.

We sold this Tiffany Studios 22-inch Nasturtium table lamp at the show

We sold this Tiffany Studios 22-inch Nasturtium table lamp at the show

One client drove five hours to see us at the show. We are very thankful to him and his lovely family (who also visited). If he hadn’t come, we would have had a poor show.

Update: Sunday, 2:30 PM. One of yesterday’s clients made an additional purchase, so our excellent show got even better. The problem is that we didn’t need the general public. All of our sales were just to two clients. If we had sold the same merchandise to ten clients, I would be jumping up and down with excitement. Instead, I feel we were lucky. Thanks once again to our dear clients. Looks like we’ll be coming back to Denver next summer.


Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I will update it as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

Setting up at the Denver World Wide Antique Show, July 22, 2015

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.


We were just getting started

We were just getting started

Yesterday was the first day of setup for the Denver World Wide Antique Show. Everything went very smoothly. We finished about 60% of the work, which will make for an easy day today. Our booth is unusual for us, because it’s double wide, meaning we have an entrance on two aisles. We’ll get everyone coming and going.

These two fine Daum Nancy vases are just in

These two fine Daum Nancy vases are just in

I bought one very fine Daum Nancy Fall vase at the show and just received a great Daum Poppy vase that was shipped to me. They are only the tip of the iceberg. We’ll have a fabulous display.

The lamps are all set to accept the shades on Thursday

The lamps are all set to accept the shades on Thursday

The show opens to the public this Friday at 10 AM and continues until Sunday at 4 PM. Hope to see you there.


Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I will update it as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

The Denver World Wide Antique Show opens this Friday, July 24, 2015

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.


The Denver World Wide Antique Show will be held in the Expo Building of the Denver Merchandise Mart

The Denver World Wide Antique Show will be held in the Expo Building of the Denver Merchandise Mart

The Denver World Wide Antique Show opens to the public this Friday, July 24, 2015, at 10 AM, and continues until Sunday, at 4 PM. The show is held three times per year, but we only exhibit in Denver in the summer.

Sunday afternoon at our booth last year

Sunday afternoon at our booth last year

The show is medium-size — just right for the Denver market. The quality is better than you might expect for a local show. Don’t expect a flea market with a lot of junk. If you’re anywhere in greater Denver area, you should visit, as you won’t be disappointed. My display will be top-notch and many others will be too.

Tiffany Studios 22-inch Nasturtium table lamp

Tiffany Studios 22-inch Nasturtium table lamp

We’ll have a large selection of Tiffany Studios lamps, including a 22″ Nasturtium. We’ll also have a fine selection of Pairpoint puffy lamps, including an Apple Tree. Our French glass collection will be second to none and will include extensive examples of Daum Nancy’s and Gallé’s works. Tiffany Favrile glass will be well-represented, as well as fine examples of glass and pottery by Loetz, Quezal, Rookwood, Newcomb and Amphora, and others too numerous to mention.

We'll have this rare Daum Nancy blackbird vase at the show

We’ll have this rare Daum Nancy blackbird vase at the show

Thursday’s blog will be from the floor of the show and Monday’s blog will have the results.


Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I will update it as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

A primer on Daum Nancy signatures

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.


Engraved signature on the Daum vase in question

Engraved signature on the Daum vase in question

I decided to write this blog post because of an interesting thread yesterday on my wife’s Facebook group, Antiques Identified. Matthew Scott submitted a Daum Nancy vase for authentication and evaluation. All of the replies to the post were on the money until Norman C. Callis made the following comment. “The bottom does not look right. The Daum Nancy glass house almost always signed their name on the side. With Cameo glass the name Daum Nancy would be wheel cut just like the rest of the design of the outside layer of glass.” As this was in error, I jumped in to explain that Daum frequently signed vases on the undersides, either by engraving, acid-etching, enamel hand-painting or gilding. Click here if you want to read the complete thread.

There is no one correct Daum signature. In fact, there are many different signatures and they’re all correct. Henry Blount, in his book French Cameo Glass devoted two full pages to various Daum signatures, which are just samples of the many authentic Daum signatures.

Daum acid-etched and enameled cameo signature

Daum acid-etched and enameled cameo signature

Daum signatures were frequently acid-etched, so they appear as raised cameo signatures, always found together with the Cross of Lorraine. They are usually found on the sides of vases, and rarely, if ever, on the undersides.

Daum hand-painted black enamel signature

Daum hand-painted black enamel signature

Many Daum vases are both acid-etched and enameled. These vases are often found with hand-painted enamel signatures on the undersides, mostly in black.

Daum hand-painted gilded signature

Daum hand-painted gilded signature

If a vase has gilding in the decoration or on the rim or the foot, the signature was often hand-painted in gold (gilded) on the underside. As long as the artist was holding a brush in his/her hand, it was convenient to use the same brush to paint the signature.

Engraved (wheel-carved) Daum signature on the foot rim of an inkwell

Engraved (wheel-carved) Daum signature on the foot rim of an inkwell

The same holds true for engraved vases. As long as the engraver was holding an engraving tool, he/she might as well engrave the signature. It is sometimes found on the foot rim or the underside (as in the first vase above from my wife’s Facebook group).

This hand-painted Daum signature is a work of art

This hand-painted Daum signature is a work of art

On rare occasions, the signature itself is a work of art, as on a monumental Fall scenic vase I sold recently.

Reproduction Daum vase with fake signature

Reproduction Daum vase with fake signature

Reproduction vases can also be signed “Daum Nancy”, with authentic-looking signatures. Spotting these vases can be very difficult for novices and not much easier for many others.


Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. I will update it as often as time permits. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

What’s new at Philip Chasen Antiques?

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.


Business has been good, so I’ve been buying up a storm (and selling quite a bit too). Most of my energy has been in French glass, but I’ve bought some wonderful items in other categories, including Tiffany glass and lamps, Loetz glass, Amphora pottery and much more. This entire last last week has been an exercise in continuous cleaning, labeling, and packing for our show next week in Denver. If there’s any chance you can make it, please try. Our display will be second to none. Here are a few examples of this exciting new merchandise.

Tiffany Studios 22-inch diameter Nasturtium table lamp

Tiffany Studios 22-inch diameter Nasturtium table lamp

How about a superb and huge Tiffany Studios 22″ diameter Nasturtium table lamp on an adjustable Cat’s Paw base? I haven’t had a Tiffany lamp this large and this fine in quite a while. It’s priced right, so it’s not going to last long.

Daum 17¼-inch blownout scenic vase

Daum 17¼-inch blownout scenic vase

Daum produced only a few different models of blownout vases, with the 11″ forest scenic the most common (and the most beautiful). What they made very few of is the large, 17¼” tall version. (This is only the second time I’ve owned this vase.) Besides rarity, it’s more impressive, with extensive wheel-carving between the trees and to the foot. It’s a stunning vase.

Daum inkwell with 4 applied insects

Daum inkwell with 4 applied insects

I love this Daum Nancy inkwell from the 1920s, which includes techniques developed earlier in the century. The 1920s characteristics are the bright colors and the foil inclusions. The technique is called paperweight, where the outer layer is clear glass. The foil and the colored glass are internal. The earlier influences are the applied and wheel-carved insects, four in all, each a different color. When molten, clear glass was applied over colored foil, giving each insect a different color — blue, purple, red or yellow. When the glass was cold, a craftsman engraver carved all of the details for each insect, including the legs into the body of the inkwell, making them very realistic and very cool.

These are only a small sample of the new items. Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around.


Keep checking my site, as I will be updating it often. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

Who was B.S.? (Daum Nancy’s best artist)

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.


Extraordinary Daum 24

Extraordinary Daum 24″ Fall scenic vase

Even the signature is a work of art

Even the signature is a work of art

Daum is famous for vases that are both acid-etched and hand-enamel-painted. It’s what gives much of their work its distinctive look. Sometimes a vase is exceptional and more often than not, the artist will be “B.S.”. Only a small percentage of Daum vases were artist initialed, and of those, the very best were signed “B.S.”. I don’t know if I’ll ever find out the true name of B.S., but this post is to honor his/her work. All of the vases pictured in this post were painted by him (or her).

Daum Farm scenic vase

Daum Farm scenic vase

Another great example

Another great example

Daum’s Farm scenic vases are all rare and beautiful. The yellow flowers are rapeseed in bloom (used to produce canola oil). I think B.S. was the only artist who painted this scene. I really love them.

Very rare and beautiful Daum scenic pillow vase

Very rare and beautiful Daum scenic pillow vase

I devoted an entire post to a special Daum scenic vase that I’d never seen before, with a woman picking flowers. It’s extraordinary and of course B.S. painted it. Click here if you’d like to read it.

I look forward to acquiring additional Daum vases by B.S and one day being lucky enough to find out his/her name. Please write to me if you have any information.


Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. There’s more coming this week because we’re back from vacation, including two important Daum Nancy Blackbird vases, two large Tiffany Favrile Jack-in-the-Pulpit vases, two Gallé Magnolia vases and lots more. Keep checking my site, as I will be updating it often. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.

Sleuth Work Leads to Discovery of Art Beloved by Hitler

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.


nazi-artwork-NYTimesWe’re on vacation this week, so I thought you might like this intriguing story from the New York Times of how lost Nazi-commissioned artwork was recovered. Click here.


Click here to check my website for the latest items and to look around. There’s lots more coming in in the next couple of weeks, including two important Daum Nancy Blackbird vases, two large Tiffany Favrile Jack-in-the-Pulpit vases, two Gallé Magnolia vases and lots more. Keep checking my site, as I will be updating it often. We’re still very much in business between shows, so please don’t hesitate to email or call. I always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on my website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. And remember to keep reading my blog.