Sculpture Motherhood by Jon DeCelles

Daum is the highest quality artisanal 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 this kind.

How can we translate these works into crystal sculptures? Here is Daum’s secret, a creator of extraordinary objects, a highly educated workshop, a laboratory of wonders, a designer of beautiful items.

Creation methods

The pâte de cristal technique is rare and very old. This technique appeared as early as 5000 BC (found in the tombs of pharaohs). Long forgotten, it was rediscovered by Daum in 1900, and then refined in 1968. The 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 specialty, copied but never matched — pâte de cristal, a precious material that gives the object a sculptural dimension, continues to develop. This 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 a distinctive character.

The crystal paste contains nearly 30% lead. The material is made from specially prepared 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 in furnaces.

Thanks to the Daum-developed lost-wax casting method and crystal casting, reproducing the original is perfect and aligns with 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’ imagination. It is through mastery and ongoing research that world-famous masterpieces are born.