Daum were famous for making Table Lamps and other Art Glassware during the Art Nouveau and Art Deco revolutions in glassmaking.
They were direct Rivals of Galle and Lalique but produced absolutely different styles of glassware.
If you want to see a good collection (small but good !) then visit the Musee de Orsay in Paris where they have a small collection in their Art Nouveau Rooms (strangely enough without Lalique Glassware but with a small selection of his Jewellery)

Daum Freres did not start as a Glassmaking company – like so many good things it happened by accident.

After the War of 1870, Jean Daum who was a Notaire (Notary) in Bishwiller took as payment for a debt the Sainte-Catherine glassmaking company in Nancy France.

Auguste Daum (Jeans son) took over the control of the company and tried to sort out its finances while his brother Antonin took over part of the glass workshops to create his own Art Glass creations in the then fashionable Art Nouveau Style..
This was a stunning transformation and he took much of his inspiration from French Glass artists like Emile Galle , Lalique and other art nouveau artists.. with a huge effect on their business.
They became famous for heir Art Nuveau Lamps which often feature landscapes of a dreamy and almost mystical nature.
These have been so popular that glassmakers from Romania,Hungary and even Taiwan have copied them.

The Daum Art Glass Table Lamps became the Daum Brothers hottest product and they evolved into art glass landscapes (some only visible when the lamp was switched on ).
The most stunning of the lamps had fantastic bronze bases and some even had cameo glass shades (these are highly collectable today by themselves).

The School of Nancy began with Antonin as its vice-president.. because Antonin became a leader in the Nancy Chamer of Commerce and through his efforts submitted 3 thousand pieces to the various International Exhibitions that flourished in those days.
These exhibitions were the most popular way to advertise new products and sell to international markets.

The most popular pieces were those with up to 3 layers which were either acid etched or engraved to preceding layers.

Several famous French glass artists were trained there including:
Jacques Gruber,
Almaric Walter
Henry Bergé
the Schneider Brothers.
Eugene Gall was also the son of one of the Daums Glassmakers.
During this period several new techniques in glassmaking evolved.
Henry Bergé became a Master Decorator

Incredibly beautiful fantasy pieces were made and sold well.
All went well with Daum brothers until the evolution of the Art Deco Style.
Suddenly Daum and Art Nouveau style was unfashionable as were the outrageous and fantasy designs and colours.
Although the company continued with new generations of the family working there (Paul Daum and his nephews) They continued making French Crystal glass until 1990

Nowadays Daum has had a resurgence of popularity.
A group of superb designers has given a really new life to the rather staid company.
The popularity today is due largely to its new ranges of Art Glass which include the Love range – a sensual range of French art glass which even includes a nude Venusian !
There are also crystal French Art Glass animals and birds, Pate de Cristal pieces and so many beautiful works of art in glass that I could not list them all.

Investors might want to consider the current range of French Art Glass pieces whish should be an excellent investment for the future as the limited editions are only between 250 and 500 on average.(some only 50 !)

This is the most exciting range of collection of modern art glass that I have seen and includes many exceptional artists work.
The Collections are :
African Art
Texier ( amazing eccentric animals)
Arman (stunning viewpoints of Venus)
Black and White
Braque (an affordable Braque original !)
Botanics
China
Love
Art
Animal Sculptures
Jewellery (includes a range of Cabochon rings – similar to Laliques best seller !)
Design
Floral
Special Editions

The Daum Website is well worth visiting
Here is a gorgeous mixture of modern design
and Traditional Pate de Cristal (on the Floral and animal sections)
You need Flash installed on your computer to view it properly.
DAUM Website : http://www.daum.fr

Visit the best French Art Glass site.