A provisional chronology of glass and wood designs by Établissements Gallé (December 2020)
A provisional chronology of glass and wood designs by Établissements Gallé (December 2020)
A first reference list of 65 dated designs
What this list is and what it is not
In the past several years, I have published a number of scholarly articles on the Établissements Gallé after Émile Gallé’s death, in which I have been able to establish a secure chronology of some designs. They are related both to glass objects and wood marquetries on cabinet furniture, produced from 1904 to ca. 1931. These important data for experts, collectors and antiques dealers alike, are thus scattered across these publications, some of which, despite my best efforts, are not easily available in their full form. It seemed useful, at the beginning of this newsletter, to set the baseline for the current state of knowledge in this matter. I have therefore collected in this article all the mentions of specific designs I have written about – sometimes only mentioned –, which I consider now more or less securely dated, with a precision spanning from a few months to a few years. I have also added a few specific designs I have commented on in the Facebook group French Art Glass and to which I will return in future articles.
It’s important to note that the date given here reflects the artistic creation of the design in question : some were discontinued shortly after but others had production runs covering many years, several decades even. I am therefore not attempting to recreate the whole chronology of these industrial series. The date of some pieces’ manufacture or sale is known, thanks to some commemorative inscription or some external document preserved by their owner, but this represents only a terminus ante quem for the design’s creation date, so I will not take them into account here.
On the other hand, I have not included either the designs whose creation dates have long been known from contemporary published sources, like the pre-1914 exhibitions catalogues or their reviews in the press at the time : these are not too difficult to find. I will add them in due course.
Some descriptions are generic (e.g. Forest), and it’s impossible to identify a particular series from them alone, especially when it’s a popular theme with many designs. The chronology sometimes helps to pinpoint a specific design, when it can be cross-referenced with the signature’s type for instance, but that’s not always the case.
For each of the designs listed below, I have indicated, in the following order, when known,
the date of creation,
the material (G for glass, W for wood),
the original name of the design (in italic),
a short description if needed,
the artist when identified, i.e. Herbst, Hestaux, Nicolas or Rouppert,
the source of the chronological information (a two letters abbreviation, see below),
the bibliographical reference in parentheses, abridged to the date and relevant pages – the full references are in the bibliographical section at the end.
I have decided against giving separate lists for the glass and wood designs, given the frequency of cross-support/material designs (noted G/W in the list), something I will comment about in a future post. For now, let’s note that some of these were not created contemporaneously on glass and wood. As for the glass series, I did not distinguish between the lamps and the rest of the glass products, since they shared the same designs with some very limited exceptions.
For practical as well as for obvious copyright reasons, I cannot illustrate each of these here, but I am also providing a link to the relevant pictures, when possible. Sometimes the description linked with these pictures has a wrong date and/or attribution : in that case, I added a warning icon ⁉️ next to the link.
This list will be regularly updated in the future, as my researches go on. At the moment, it represents only the already published information about the industrial series’ chronology, so it covers a minuscule fraction of all the known designs. But many of the more famous ones, emblematic even of Etablissements Gallé’s production are already covered. Furthermore, there is much more to come from the identified primary sources, in particular for the floral and landscape designs.
Abbreviations of the referenced archives and primary sources :
AD : Albert Daigueperce, manager of the Gallé depot in Paris up to August 1920. His archives’ current location are unknown, but part of their content was referenced by Françoise-Thérèse Charpentier in her work files (private collection).
EN : Musée de l’École de Nancy, archives from the Gallé, Herbst and Hestaux families.
GF : Gallé Family’s correspondence and documents, private collection.
JR : Jean Rouppert’s correspondence and studio archives, private collection (acquired in part by the Musée de l’École de Nancy).
PP : Paul Perdrizet’s correspondence with René-Jean, INHA (Paris).
RD : René Dézavelle’s souvenirs.
Chronological list (as of December 2020)
Unless stated otherwise, all the glass series referenced are cameo acid etched ones.
September 1904-May 1914 : under Henriette Gallé’s management
1905 : Gallé with star signature. [1]
G. Lys de montagne, martagon lily or Turk’s cap lily, red on yellow and white, AD (2017a, p. 364).
W. Glass blowers and workers, vitrine à deux corps du conservatoire national des arts et métiers (2018a, p. 282). [link]
1906, March : Gallé with star signature.
1906 : Gallé with star signature.
G. Flèche d’eau, sagittaria, AD (2017a, p. 364).
W. Chats, cats, service tray, Herbst, AD.
1907, March : Gallé with star signature.
G. Hippocampe, seahorse , AD (2017a, p. 364).
G. Primevère, primula, AD (2017a, p. 364).
G. Primevère et forêt, primula and forest, AD (2017a, p. 364).
G. Forêt, forest, AD (2017a, p. 364).
1907, April : Gallé with star signature.
G/W. Narcisse, daffodil, 11 shapes, AD (2017a, p. 364). [G link]
G. Narcisse et forêt, daffodil and forest, AD (2017a, p. 364).
1907, July : Gallé with star signature.
G. Nénuphars (avec horizon d’eau brillant), water lily (with a shining water horizon), AD (2017a, p. 364). [link]
G/W. Pavot (un peu dans les tons d’hortensia), poppy (a little akin to the hydrangea’s colours), AD (2017a, p. 364).
1908, August :
1908 :
G/W. Écureuils et noisettes, squirrels and hazelnuts on ceiling fixtures and side tables, Herbst.
1909 :
G/W. Jeanne d’Arc, Joan of Arc, black on yellow cameo series : Hestaux, AD. [G link⁉️]
1913 :
G. Fleur de lotus, lotus flower, Herbst, PP (2016b, p. 33, 36-37 fig. 1 ; 2021). [link] [2]
G. Fleur de papyrus, papyrus flower, Herbst, PP (2016b p. 35-37 fig. 5 & 6 ; 2021). [2]
G. Fraisier, strawberry, JR (2018b, p. 50).
1914 :
G. “La Ligne bleue des Vosges”, Vosges mountain landscape, vase parlant, Hestaux, RD. [link⁉️]
May 1914-1936 : under Paul Perdrizet’s management (with Robert Chevalier and Lucien Bourgogne after 1925)
1915, April-July : commemorative glass war series, usually inscribed with the date 1914-1915.
G. Qui s’y frotte s’y pique, combat de l’aigle allemand et des chardons lorrains, avec la croix de Lorraine, Eagle and thistles, vase parlant, inscribed “1914“ Hestaux, GF (2016a, p. 142 ; 2018c, p. 216 ; 2021). [link]
G. Combat de l’aigle allemand et des chardons devant la croix de Lorraine, village en ruines au dos, Eagle and thistles, with a Lorraine cross, inscribed “1914”, Hestaux, GF (2018a, p. 271 fig. 3 ; 2018d, p. 113, fig. 4) [link]
G. Le coq gaulois terrassant l’aigle germanique, the Gallic cockerel vanquishing the German eagle, Hestaux, GF (2016a p. 140-142 ; 2018c, p. 216 ; 2021).
G. Heure viendra qui tout paiera, incendie de la cathédrale de Reims, the burning Reims cathedral, also inscribed “1914”, vase parlant, Hestaux, GF (2016a, p. 142 ; 2018c p. 216-217 and pl. xxv, 2018d p. 112, 2021). [link⁉️] [link for the back]
1916 : commemorative wood marquetry war series, usually inscribed with the date 1914-1916.
W. Infirmière militaire, nurse in a military hospital, with a “1914-1916” inscription, service tray, Herbst, GF (2016a, p. 142 ; 2018c, p. 217). [link]
W. Soldats français en marche, French soldiers, service tray, Herbst, GF (2016a, p. 140-141). [link]
W. Grenadier à l’assaut, French grenade thrower, with a “1914-1916” inscription, service tray, Herbst, GF (2016a, p. 141-142). [link]
W. Soldats britanniques en marche, British soldiers, service tray, Herbst, GF (2016a , p. 140-141).
W. Village en ruines, village in ruins, service tray, Herbst, GF (2016a , p. 141).
W. Basilique de Fourvière à Lyon, Fourvière basilica, side table, GF (2016a, p. 143) [link ⁉️].
G/W. Perruches, budgies, Herbst, GF (2016a, p. 143). [W link] [3]
1917, March-April :
G. Algues, algae, red on orange, GF (2018d, p. 116). [link]
G. Hellébore, red on orange, GF (2018d, p. 115-116, fig. 5).
1918, November :
W. Mon amitié pour vous finira, Gallic cockerel and poppy, side table, marqueterie parlante, Herbst, GF (2016a, p. 144-147). [link⁉️]
W. Gigogne gauloise, nesting tables, Herbst, GF (2016a, p. 143-145).
W. Nancy landmarks and monuments, nesting tables, Herbst (?), AD (2016a, p. 148). [4]
1919 :
G. Lac de Côme, landscape, Herbst, from a 1914 drawing, RD/GF (2018a, p. 283 ; here). [link]
G. Storks over the Strasbourg cathedral, Rouppert, JR (2018a, p. 278). [link]
G/W. Alouette au soleil levant, lark saluting the rising sun, enamelled landscape urn shaped series, corresponding design on a side table, Hestaux and Rouppert, JR (2018a, p. 276 fig. 7).
G. Paysage de collines, hilly landscape, enamelled, Rouppert, JR. [link⁉️]
1919, December :
G. Le Gouafre, dragon, enamelled series, Rouppert, JR (2018c, p. 217-218 and pl. xxvi).
1923 :
G. Algae on marbled background, from the Galliera exhibition series, Rouppert, RD (2018a, p. 276). [link]
Early 1920s :
1925 : introduction of the relief or mold-blown series. [5]
ca. 1926-1927 : development of the relief series. [6]
G. Arum, calla, relief, GF (2018a, p. 291, fig. 27). [link]
G. Cerises, cherries, relief, GF (2018a, p. 290). [link]
G. Clématites, clematis, relief, GF (2018a, p. 290). [link]
G. Coquillages, seashells, relief, GF (2018a, p. 290).
G. Crocus, relief, GF (2018a, p. 290). [link]
G. Cucurbits, relief, GF (2018a, p. 292).
G. Groseilles à maquereaux, gooseberry, relief, GF (2018a, p. 292). [link]
G. Lotus flowers, stylised, Herbst, GF (2016b, p. 34 fig. 3). [link]
G. Prunes, plums, relief, GF (2018a, p. 290-291, fig. 25-26). [7] [link]
G. Rhododendron, relief, GF (2018a, p. 290, fig. 4). [link]
G. Sorbier des oiseaux, mountain-ash, relief, GF (2018a, p. 392). [link]
G. Tomates, tomatoes, relief, GF (2018a, p. 291 fig. 26).
G. Tulipes, tulips, relief, GF (2018a, p. 290). [link]
1927, April :
G/W. Mouettes, seagulls, Herbst, GF (2018a, p. 279-280, 284, fig. 10). [G link]
ca. 1927-1929 :
1928, October :
W. Épicéa et chêne, spruce and oak tree, Herbst, GF (2018a, p. 284).
Comments
A few comments about this chronology :
My primary focus these past years has been on the history of the Établissements Gallé during the First World War – which was completely disregarded before – and it shows in the list. The chronological distribution of the available archives will make it more difficult to fill in the blanks (so to speak). Barring some major discovery of an archival treasure trove, it is very unlikely that we will be able to get a complete chronology.
Nevertheless, a corollary and an important warning is that, at this point, the strong disparity between some well documented periods (e.g. 1925-1927) and some completely void ones (e.g. 1911-1912) is still largely a byproduct of my research focus so far.
The most common industrial series are not (yet) listed. This is a sources’ bias easily understandable : with few exceptions, our historical witnesses did not write about what was trivial but preferably about the extraordinary or at least the uncommon. In consequence, we can know the creation’s date of a vase design with only half a dozen copies made, but we do not have this basic information for the industrial series sold in thousands over the years.
The landscape series appear only in 1907-1908 : their first two years are a period of experiment, when the mixed floral/landscape designs are also introduced. But the two types of designs seem to be clearly separated afterwards. There may well exist a direct link between the creation of certain landscapes and the personal history of the Gallé family – travels, holidays and such.
Paul Nicolas is the big missing name so far among the main designers who are mentioned. But judging from his later creations under his name and D’Argental, we can safely assume that many of the anonymous 1904-1914 series are his work.
Some designs evoke older creations from the time of Émile Gallé, at least by their theme, in particular when it comes to the patriotic productions during the war, but also at the beginning of the 1920s : this has been a source of misattributions and mistakes in datation among the first generation of contemporary Gallé experts, reflected in the errors in the auctions and museum sites alike (hence the warnings signs ⁉️ peppering this page). The fact that some main designers were active almost during the whole history of the factory also did not help.
© Samuel Provost, 28 November 2020
Footnotes
[1] An important reminder for dating these series is that from January 1905 to May 1908, the star was added to the Gallé underlined mark in use.
[2] The drawings are almost certainly from 1913, but judging from the signature, it’s quite possible that the vases themselves were only made a few years later, and maybe after 1919.
[3] For the exceptionally rare glass budgies' series, this is more a terminus post quem than a creation date, since they could not have been made before 1917 and most likely not before 1919. When I first referenced the wood design in the 2016a article, I had not yet located it, but the exact object mentioned in the archives (a box top with orchids and budgies) has surfaced since in a Nancy antiques’ store.
[4] There is much uncertainty with this series about Nancy : it could have been originally created for the 1909 exhibition or even earlier, but it’s attested in a 1919 stock inventory along other victory celebrating designs.
[5] The precise chronology of these series still elude us inside the 1925-1927 span. The series I have attributed to 1925 are the ones cited by Jean Bourgogne in his technical notes from ca. 1926 (2018a, p. 278 n. 22).
[6] These relief designs are the ones pictured in the Gallé sales catalogues – there are others, certainly genuine, but for which I have yet to uncover some documentation.
[7] The large presence of the plum relief vases in the 1927 sales catalog suggests they were a recent creation, so more likely a 1927 series. But it could also simply show their popularity.
Bibliography :
Provost S. 2016a, « La marqueterie, un art de guerre des Établissements Gallé », Le Pays Lorrain, 97, 2, p. 139‑148 [open access link].
Provost S. 2016b, « Les sources des décors égyptisants sur les verreries et marqueteries des Établissements Gallé », Arts nouveaux, 32, p. 30‑37 [open access link].
Provost S. 2017a, « La signature Gallé à l’étoile : une révision chronologique et une estimation quantitative », Journal of Glass Studies, 59, p. 349‑365 [open access link].
Provost S. 2017b, « The Etablissements Gallé in the 1920’s », in The Joel Schur collection of important works by Gallé, New York, Christie’s, p. 6‑12 [open access link].
Provost S. 2018a, « Etablissements Gallé and the Industrial Mold-blown or Relief series of the 1920s », Journal of Glass Studies, 60, p. 269‑293 [open access link].
Provost S. 2018b, « Les Établissements Gallé dans les années vingt : déclin et essaimage », Revue de l’Art, 199, 1, p. 47‑54 [open access link].
Provost S. 2018c, « Quelle direction artistique pour les Établissements Gallé après 1914 ? Les relations de Paul Perdrizet avec les artistes Gallé », in Gril-Mariotte A. (dir.), L’artiste et l’objet. La création dans les arts décoratifs (XVIIIe-XXe siècle), Rennes, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, p. 213‑223, pl. XXV‑XXVIII [open access link].
Provost S. 2018d, « Une cristallerie d’art sous la menace du feu : les Établissements Gallé de 1914 à 1919 », in Thomas C. et Palaude S. (dir.), Composer avec l’ennemi en 14-18. La poursuite de l’activité industrielle en zones de guerre. Actes du colloque européen, Charleroi, 26-27 octobre 2017, Bruxelles, Académie royale de Belgique, p. 105‑118 [open access link].
Provost S. 2019, « De prétendus triptyques publicitaires des Établissements Gallé », Le Pays Lorrain, 100, 2, p. 135-142 [open access link].
Provost S. (ed.) 2021, Paul Perdrizet, René-Jean, Correspondance 1904-1938, Paris, INHA, 2021 (under press).
How to cite this article : Samuel Provost, “A provisional chronology of glass and wood designs by Établissements Gallé (December 2020)”, Newsletter on Art Nouveau Craftwork & Industry, no 2, 28 November 2020 [link].