Treasures: For Galle, a cameo appearance

Dear Helaine and Joe: I've enclosed two pictures of my Galle vase, front and back. I would love to know a little about Galle's art and today's prices. I am a widow now, and I might have to sell it someday. The color is pretty, with different shades of purple in the grapes. Thank you.

— R.S.K., Naples, Fla.

Dear R.S.K.: Emile Galle entered the world in Nancy, France, on May 8, 1846. His father owned a faience factory (faience is a type of tin-glazed earthenware similar to Delft), and some say that he also made furniture.

Galle's education (formal and informal) provided him a background in chemistry, botany and the practical craftsmanship of making pottery, furniture and glass. Starting in the early 1870s, Galle became one of the leading exponents of modern French design, which developed into the now-famous Art Nouveau style.

Art Nouveau is a decorative flourish that blossomed in the 1880s and persisted until the early 20th century. Based on organic forms such as plants, animals and the human body, the style embraces the sinuous, undulating curves found in nature. Straight lines were avoided.

In 1873, Galle established his glass studio in Nancy, and a year later, he took over his father's enterprises. Galle presented his work at the Paris International Exposition in 1889, and the world saw the depth of his work — his cameo glass, marquetry pieces, enameled and appliqued items, and other items of great beauty.

The Cristallerie d'Emile Galle became famous and won many international awards. Galle died in 1904, but the factory continued (on and off) until 1935. It is said that after his death, a star was added to the Galle signature. But it is also said that the star was used to denote commercial-quality pieces before and after his death that were made primarily to pay the factory's bills.

The vase in today's question appears to be a single-layer cameo representing purple grapes against a frosted background with a purple base and throat. In recent years, a literal flood of Galle fakes has hit the market like a tsunami, and we wish that R.S.K. had told us how long she has had her piece. But because the letter she enclosed from Sotheby's seems to accept the piece as genuine, we will, too.

How is cameo glass created? By overlaying a base glass with additional layers of color and then cutting through the layers to form an image. As a general rule, the more layers of color, the more desirable the piece. This single-layer example is beautiful, but it is not one of Galle's finest products.