Kabuki crystal sculpture by Marie-Paule Deville Chabrolle

Daum is the highest quality craftsmanship combined with a passion for creating exclusive objects.

Discover the history

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, Art Nouveau, to decorative arts, from Majorelle to Dalí, Arman, and Hilton McConnico, Daum has not missed any of the magical encounters 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 educated workshop, a laboratory of wonders, a designer of beautiful objects.

Creation methods

The pâte de cristal technique is rare and very old. This technique dates back to 5000 BC (found in the tombs of pharaohs). Long forgotten, it was rediscovered by Daum in 1900 and further developed in 1968. The process is extremely delicate. Items produced by combining pieces of crystal mixed in molds feature graininess, material richness, and soft contours that cannot be achieved with blown glass.

Daum’s specialty, replicated but never matched—the pâte de cristal—is a precious material that gives the object a sculptural dimension, and it continues to evolve. This crystal paste has the unique property of imparting transparency to the shapes it reproduces. The shine of this material, the intensity of colors, and subdued shades give it a distinctive character.

The pâte de cristal contains nearly 30% lead. The material is produced from specially made crystal in kilns. Several factors influence the final color: weighing of materials, mixture proportions, chemical reactions of certain minerals and metals, temperature increase, 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 in accordance with the artist’s wishes. Currently, Daum is the only crystal producer in the world capable of creating this exceptional material with such precise craftsmanship. The pâte de cristal is a substance that has been evolving for over a century, adapting to the whims of glassmaking masters’ imagination. It is through mastery and ongoing research that world-renowned masterpieces are born.