Miniature vase; DAUM, Nancy, c. 1905.

Miniature vase; DAUM, Nancy, c. 1905.
Multilayered glass with white and purplish inclusions, enameled and partially gilded.
Signed on the base.
Measurements: 14 x 4.5 x 4.5 cm.
This vase is an example of the artistic glass production that flourished during the height of the Art Nouveau movement, which revolutionized the European decorative arts between the late 19th century and the early 20th century. Its stylized silhouette, with an elongated neck and organic profile, is complemented by a decoration of iris flowers painted in enamel in soft violet tones, whose winding stems trace the surface of the glass, evoking the natural growth of plants—one of the movement’s fundamental aesthetic principles.
The Daum glassworks was founded in Nancy in the late 19th century, when Auguste Daum (1853–1909) took over the management of a small family-run glassworks. Shortly thereafter, his brother Antonin Daum (1864–1931) joined the business, and together they transformed the workshop into one of the most innovative centers of the French decorative arts. Under their leadership, the manufactory became a true creative laboratory, where numerous artists and artisans developed the aesthetic language that would define the renowned School of Nancy, one of the main centers of European Art Nouveau.World War I forced the temporary closure of the factory, but once the conflict ended, Daum resumed operations, adapting to the new tastes of the era. The exuberant, organic language of Modernism gave way to the clean lines and geometric compositions of Art Deco, a period during which the firm experimented with new techniques, materials, and decorative effects without compromising the artisanal excellence that had cemented its prestige.
Throughout more than a century of history, Daum has successfully combined tradition and innovation, establishing itself as one of France’s most prestigious glass manufacturers and an essential reference in the history of European art glass.