| Recently I was working with a client from Northwest Indiana who had inherited a beautiful collection of art glass. |
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| She understood that they were lovely pieces that her grandmother collected and warned her as a child to "be careful" around, but did not realize the magnitude of the value of these "candy dishes and bud vases." |
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| During the art nouveau period, beautiful, well-crafted art glass was produced. In general, the style of art nouveau uses flowing motifs based on nature. The popularity of this style was found in furniture, decorative arts, jewelry and architecture. It arose as a distinct style around 1895 and flourished into the early part of the 20th century. The two important glassmakers of this period are Emile Galle and the Daum family. |
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| Emile Galle was noted for his very distinctive style of cameo glass. In the broadest definition, cameo glass can be recognized by a cutaway or relief design. Galle trained in botany, chemistry and art, all three elements that are evident in his creations. Galle was one of the most influential glassmakers of this period and developed the "Galle style." |
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| Originally a family of lawyers, the Daum family took over a glassworks in Nancy, France. They are noted for their enameled and engraved vases. They quickly became a rival to Galle and eventually became the leaders upon the death of Galle. Daum continued on and changed with the new periods and current tastes including moving into art deco and later movements. |
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| The value of a Galle cameo glass vase or a Daum vase can range from a couple of hundreds of dollars up to the thousands. Art glass can be an enjoyable investment, although forgeries and counterfeits are pretty much commonplace. The advice I offer to any potential collector is that, first, be informed about your potential investments and secondly, when in doubt, contact a professional to assist you. |
