Daum (French, founded in 1878)

In 1878, Jean Daum (1825 – 1885) founded the Daum glass and crystal works in Nancy, France. The company soon became one of the most prestigious glassworks in Europe, often combining carving, enamelling and engraving on a single piece of glass to create superb decorative works.

After Jean’s death in 1885, his two sons Auguste and Antonin assumed ownership of the glassworks. The Daum brothers became one of the major forces in the French Art Nouveau movement, rivalling the famous works of Gallé. Indeed, when Gallé died in 1904, the Daum brothers became the leaders in the field of decorative glass.

Daum remains the only commercial crystal manufacturer to employ the pâte de verre (‘glass paste’) technique for glass and crystal sculptures, maintaining the company’s reputation for excellence and high quality design.