Business has been pretty good the last few months, contrary to what I had originally thought when the Covid pandemic began. All of the in-person action from antique shows has moved online. Hopefully in-person business will start to resume as the vaccinations get rolling.
Most of my best recent sales have been French glass. Following are a few of the best.
Penguins are one of Daum Nancy’s rarest decorations. The example above is a beauty. The shape is not perfectly round, but a slightly oblong variation.
The two best makers of French pâte-de-verre glass were Argy-Rousseau and A. Walter. Argy-Rousseau produced mostly vases, while Walter produced more 3-dimensional objects, including many variations with lizards. The inkwell above is a rare, gorgeous example.
Daum Nancy made many vases with wild orchids and spider webs, as it’s beautiful subject matter. Sometimes the form is what make one example more special than another. The example above is killer. It also has a bee in the decoration that adds to its rarity and desirability. The Art Nouveau metalwork around the foot is a nice touch that you don’t often see.
Cranes are great subject matter for Daum Nancy. The example above is special for a few reasons. First, the subject matter is rare. Second, it’s on a shaded orange background, whereas the typical example is on a green or frosted background. Third, it’s exceptionally crisp. Fourth, it’s got beautiful gilded accents on the flowers, the rim and the handle. Last, it’s not a vase, but a pitcher with an applied handle. Just wonderful!