The Designs of Émile Gallé

 The vast majority of cameo and mould blown glass lamps produced by the Gallé cristallerie were not made until well after the death of Émile Gallé in 1904. It was not until the end of his career that the renowned French verrier was to embrace the full potential of his glass as lamps for electric light. This is perhaps unsurprising as the medium was still relatively experimental and by no means ubiquitous or stable, and certainly not in Alsace-Lorraine where this glass was made. Gallé for example did not install electricity in his own home until 1902. 

LOT 425 | ÉMILE GALLÉ (1864-1904) | RARE ART NOUVEAU COROLLA LAMP, 1902-1904


overlaid, acid-etched and fire-polished glass, bears maker’s marks to shade and base GALLÉ


shade 35cm high, base 32cm high | £10,000-15,000 + fees

View Lot 425 ⇒

If he was hesitant at first however, by 1900 Gallé was giving full expression to this new range, the sinuous plant and floral forms previously restricted to vases and other vessels now glowing from within by means of this thrilling new light source. One of the types of lamp made at this time were ‘Corolla’ lamps, with cased glass bodies moulded with the fine veining of petals either mounted in bronze or ormolu in various configurations. Lamps made in the artist’s lifetime are rare and the present example, to be offered in April 2021, is not thought to have been offered at auction before.

This Spring, we are delighted to present a series of DESIGN auctions including Design since 1860 on 21st and 22nd April April featuring late 19th and early 20th century designers and including the early Gallé ‘Corolla’ lamp featured here.

Auction Information

DESIGN SINCE 1860

Wednesday, 21st & Thursday, 22nd April 2021 10:00

Live Online

View the catalogue ⇒

Decorative Arts & Design Department

Lyon & Turnbull’s Decorative Arts & Design specialists are renowned for both their knowledge and their sales of artworks conducted from our Scottish auction house based in Edinburgh and via our live online auctions. Our specialists are experts not only on design from 1860 to the present, but also on current market conditions, an essential combination to any successful auction.

Learn more about the department ⇒