Value and rating of Daum lamps

If you own a lamp by or after Daum glassware, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its current market value. Then, if you wish to sell your work, we'll guide you towards the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.

Rating and value of Daum lamps

Daum is a French glassmaker well known to lovers of crystal lamps. If you own one, it may be worth more than you think. On the art market, Daum lamps can fetch very high prices under the auctioneer's hammer.

Their lamps are particularly prized, and the price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €350 to €350,670, a fairly substantial range, but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to Daum lamps.

In 2019, a "nénuphar" table lamp, created in collaboration with Jacques Majorelle, sold for €149,700, whereas it was estimated by Christie's at between €105,700 and €158,500, so the high estimate was almost reached.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of Daum glassmaking

Daum is part of the Art Deco movement. Jean Daum opens and runs the Daum glassworks near Nancy after the war against Prussia, following in the footsteps of Émile Gallé. The Daum glassworks also took over Gallé's mushroom lamps. His ambition is to continue producing glass works in his artistic vein.

The history of the Daum glassworks

French glassmaker Jean Daum (1825-1885) gave his name to the world-renowned Daum company.

A notary by profession in the north of France, after the war against Prussia he moved to Nancy and opened a glassworks there in 1878. The business soon became a family affair, with his son working alongside him from the outset. Auguste Daum took over management of the glassworks on his father's death, and was joined by his brother Antonin. Closer to the artistic side of the business, Antonin Daum signed a number of works, and is more frequently found on the auction market as head of Daum's artistic department.

Antonin Daum produced his first works using acid decoration. He also used multi-layered glass and wheel engraving.

He recruits Jacques Grüber, in charge of creating the works, the first artist employed by the glassworks. They take part in the Chicago World's Fair in 1893.

The factory then exhibited throughout France, receiving several awards for its work. At the 1900 Universal Exhibition, both Daum and Gallé glassworks receive awards for their work, marking the beginning of international recognition.

Henri Bergé, Émile Writz and Almaric Walter successively joined the factory at short intervals, contributing to its artistic development.

The success of Daum lamps  

When the factory opened in 1878, Jean Daum took Emile Gallé as his model. It was therefore natural for him to use the acid decoration technique on Daum creations. Auguste and Antonin continued to use it, in addition to pâte de verre. Glass paste is sometimes left as it is, as it enables more stylizing relief designs than acid.

Each series is unique and made in a limited number of pieces (200 to 300 maximum). This is why Daum lamps are so popular on the auction market. The glassworks offered a wide variety of lamp models, both in terms of design and form (table lamp, nightlight, suspension, chandelier, floor lamp...).

These lamps, however, are all in the Art Deco vein, and look relatively well in any interior.

The lamps created in collaboration with Jacques Majorelle remain the most sought-after pieces at auction, and are therefore the best-selling. 

Recognizing the signature on a Daum product

Not all lamps produced by the Daum glassworks are signed. What's more, as several artists have worked and sometimes collaborated for the factory, the lamp may be signed with another name even though it was produced by the Daum glassworks. That's why it's important to have your pieces appraised.