Daum France Crystal Elephant Paperweight or Decorative Sculpture

Details

Description

Daum, France, created this adorable crystal elephant figurine paperweight or ornamental sculpture by hand in the late 1960s. The sculpture … Read more Daum, France, created this adorable crystal elephant figurine paperweight or ornamental sculpture by hand in the late 1960s. The sculpture features a lovely sitting elephant with dimensional carving. The paperweight is signed on the underside with the Daum acid-etched "Flower + Nancy" mark*.
The paperweight is in excellent condition, with no visible sign of wear.
Measurements: 2.57 in wide (6.5 cm) x 2.75 in deep (7 cm) x 3.13 in high (8 cm).

Note:
Animal representation has been one of Daum Manufacture's favorite themes since the beginning of the 20th Century. Almaric Walter and Antonin Daum, influenced by Naturalism and the Art Nouveau movement, were the driving forces behind the animal movement. The manufacturer then created decorative objects in crystal, pate de verre, and realistic animal sculptures with astonishing polychrome.

*The Daum mark, which featured a stylized flower and "Nancy," was reserved for artworks sold at the Daum factory in Nancy.
This stamp corresponds to the marking for the period from the 1960s to 2000. In 2000 a similar stamp design was used, but it contained the year (2001, 2002, etc.) as part of the design.
Considered factory seconds, these pieces were only sold in the factory store or were sold to Daum employees and local Nancy inhabitants once a year during an exceptional private sale within the factory premises.
Typically factory 2nds have some minor imperfections compared to the original piece and may or may not be fully finished. Imperfections may include internal bubbles, minor distortions, misaligned exterior icing, etc. These pieces may also have a missing finishing.
Pieces with serious flaws are directly discarded and never marketed as factory seconds.
The official factory 2nds are not signs with the classic Daum markings but rather engraved with this design.
Most of the time it is impossible for a novice to see what the imperfection is that motivated the decision to sell the piece in the factory store and not in the traditional sales channel. See less