Green large sculpture in the shape of a cactus by Emilio Robb

Emilio Robba is one of the most renowned florists in the world. From a young age, he knew that his artistic roots would shape his life. Initially, he decided to express himself through painting, studying the language of shapes and colors at the School of Fine Arts. He quickly turned to floral art, driven by a fascination with nature.

Inspired by current design trends and his passion for nature, Emilio Robba created an extraordinary cactus garden for Daum. This season, the collection has been enriched with a sculpture over 1 meter tall, showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship of the manufacturer’s artisans. A spectacular decorative element, crafted from crystal carved with meticulous attention to detail, is accompanied by a large bowl made of crystallized agave leaves in soft green shades, and vases with cacti available in gray, white, or green tones.

Daum is a brand of the highest quality artisanal craftsmanship combined with a passion for creating beautiful objects.

Discover the story

Daum, the legendary master glassmaker who for over a century has maintained close relationships with the greatest artists of his time, giving their works a second life in crystal and color. From École de Nancy, through Art Nouveau, to decorative arts, from Majorelle to Dalí, Arman, and Hilton McConnico, Daum has missed no magical encounter between artistic creativity and modern knowledge, continuously renewing the union of art and true craftsmanship.

Few brands have collaborated with so many artists: over nearly 140 years, more than 350 exceptional autographs have created an unparalleled legacy, a unique collection of its kind.

How can we translate these works into crystal sculptures? Here is Daum’s secret: a producer of extraordinary objects, with a highly trained workshop, a laboratory of wonders, and a designer of unmatched items.

Creation methods

The crystal paste technique is rare and very ancient. It appeared as early as 5000 BC (found in the tombs of pharaohs). Long forgotten, it was rediscovered by Daum in 1900 and further developed in 1968. This process is extremely delicate. Items produced by combining pieces of crystal mixed in a mold feature graininess, material richness, and soft contours that cannot be achieved with blown glass.

Daum’s signature, the crystal paste—copied but never matched—, is a precious material that gives the object a sculptural dimension and continues to evolve. Crystal paste has the unique property of imparting transparency to the shapes it reproduces. The brilliance of this material, the intensity of colors, and subdued shades give it an unmistakable character.

Crystal paste contains nearly 30% lead. The material is produced from specially prepared crystal in pots. Several factors influence the final color effect: weighing of materials, proportions of mixtures, chemical reactions of certain minerals and metals, temperature rise, and cooling of the furnaces.

Thanks to the crystal casting and the lost-wax casting method developed by Daum, reproducing the original is perfect and faithful to the artist’s wishes. Currently, Daum is the only crystal manufacturer in the world capable of creating this exceptional material with such precision. Crystal paste is a substance that has evolved for over a century, adapting to the whims of master glassmakers’ imaginations. It is through mastery and ongoing research that world-renowned masterpieces are born.