Muller Frères Lunéville Fumé Glass Footed Vase

A beautiful piece of French decorative history, this rare Muller Frères Lunéville footed vase dates to around 1920. With its elegant tulip silhouette, broad flared rim and pronounced vertical ribbing, the design has a wonderful architectural simplicity characteristic of the quieter side of French Art Deco.

The vase is formed in warm fumé glass, shifting between tobacco, bronze and smoky amber depending on the light. The deep ribbing creates a beautiful play of reflection and shadow across the surface, giving the piece a remarkable sense of movement despite its restrained form.

The exact form is documented in a 2021 French auction catalogue, where it is described as a “coupe en verre fumé” by Muller Frères Lunéville. This piece is also signed Muller Frères Lunéville to the base.

Muller Frères was one of the important names in French artistic glassmaking. Founded by the Muller brothers and based in Lunéville, the house produced highly regarded glass alongside the better-known Nancy houses such as Daum and Gallé. Its work forms an important part of the history of French decorative arts in the early 20th century.

Recently acquired from a private family collection, the vase had been cherished and enjoyed in the home and retains the honest signs of a long life. There are fine scratches to the underside of the foot and some small, fixed marks to the interior of the lower bowl. These marks are visible on close inspection, particularly when the vase is empty, but become remarkably discreet when viewed from the exterior or when the vase is filled with water. There are no chips, cracks or structural damage. The price has been carefully considered to reflect the honest vintage condition of this more than century-old piece alongside a video for your viewing.

More than a century old, this is a distinctive piece of French glassmaking history — an object with the character and patina of something that has genuinely been lived with and enjoyed.

Dimensions: 20.5 cm high × 23 cm diameter
Base: 12 cm diameter
Weight: 1.7 kg
Signed: Muller Frères Lunéville
Date: c. 1920