An emblematic name of Art Deco: Camille Fauré

An emblematic name of the Art Deco period, well known by amateurs... and much sought after at auction!

The specificities of enamel vases

The specificity of this vase lies in its technique: enamel on metal plate - here, copper. An ancient technique already used in Ancient Greece, enamel is a substance made from crushed and heated glass that is then tinted with colors by adding metallic oxides. It is important to know that some regions will make it a great specialty: the Russians, for example, set tables richly brightened by the presence of multicolored enamels with floral decorations on the serving pieces and other silverware. The Asian productions and, more particularly, those coming from the Middle Kingdom - China, therefore - reach exceptional levels of quality from the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, and as usual, our country is not lagging behind when it comes to arts and techniques, and this is also the case in the little known field of enamel art. 

The fashion of enamels

If during the Carolingian period, the fashion for enamels on jewelry and ceremonial pieces develops, it is in the 12th century that France - and specifically the city of Limoges - becomes a nerve center of this art. Production was initially devoted to liturgical objects: shawls, reliquaries and other processional crosses were made of gold or silver, decorated with polychrome enamels depicting episodes from the life of Christ or the Saints. This production - almost exclusively intended for ecclesiastics - will, over the centuries, diversify to reach a golden age during the Renaissance. The technique evolved and gained in quality and the painted enamels became masterpieces of meticulousness and detail. Production was now secular: rich and powerful sovereigns bought pieces from Limoges to complete their art collections. Gone were the bondieuseries, replaced by pleasure and pageantry! Princes ordered their portraits from Limousin enamellers (for an example, see the Portrait of the Constable of Montmorency, kept in the Louvre museum) and bought from the greatest dynasties of Limousin artists dishes and ceremonial pieces with varied decorative registers, ranging from Greek or Roman mythology to the Old Testament. 

Estimate of a vase signed Camille Fauré

Camille Fauré's most sought-after production period was between 1920 and 1930.

Values range from €3,000 to €20,000 for vases from this period.

Lighting fixtures are also highly sought after and can sell for between 300 and 5,000euros.

If you own a Camille Fauré vase or any other piece of art by the artist, feel free to request a free evaluation by filling out our online form.

A member of our team ofexperts and certified auctioneers will contact you to provide an estimate of the market value of your Camille Fauré work. If you are considering selling your work of art, our specialists will also guide you through the various alternatives available to obtain the best possible price for your work, taking into account market trends and the specific features of each object. 

The golden age of Limoges enamel: Camille Fauré

This great and beautiful tradition of Limoges enamel loses however in quality in the XVIIth and XVIIIth century to come back with the "revival" of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in the XIXth century. The techniques and the French heritage were brought up to date and enamel came back, on pieces of silverware or furniture. However, it was at the turn of the 20th century that enamel experienced its second golden age in Limoges, notably with the productions of Camille Fauré. An entrepreneur in various sectors, Camille Fauré had the brilliant idea of reviving the production of Limoges enamels. Surrounding himself with the best craftsmen of the city, he created his enamel company in the 1920s. From his workshop comes a production at the forefront of the fashion of his time - the Art Deco - enamelled vases with stylized and geometric designs, with bright colors, inspired by cubism and the Parisian avant-garde. The whole of Paris bought these works - luxurious and trendy - until the stock market crash of 1929. This event took away from Camille Fauré a part of his bourgeois clientele and forced him to adapt his production to the most modest purses by proposing less qualitative works, produced in series.