Charles Schneider For La Verre Francais Art Deco Cameo Glass Charger c.1925

Striking “Le Verre Français” large Art Deco cameo glass charger in the “Eglantines” décor by Charles Schneider c1925. Broad rim with shallow central bowl. Stylised design inspired by the sweetbriar rose or eglantine. Acid etched cameo glass design in purple overlay over a pink and clear pâte-de-verre frosted ground. Signed Charder in cameo for Charles Schneider. The charger is 39 cm in diameter and 4 cm in height. Charles Schneider (1881-1952) was born in Chateau-Thierry, near Paris but at an early age, the family moved to Nancy – a major centre of the Art Nouveau movement in France. Both Charles and his brother Ernest (1877-1937) worked for Daum – Ernest in administration and Charles as a glass engraver, whilst also studying at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. In 1913, together with Henri Wolf, they founded the “Schneider Freres & Wolf” glass factory in Épinay-sur-Seine – starting with a group of workers they had persuaded to leave Daum. After closure during Wwi the factory re-opened in 1917 as the "Societe Anonyme des Verreries Schneider". By 1920, the factory was working at full capacity making mainly art glass. In 1921 the company introduced new trademarks – using Schneider, Le Verre Français and Charder (a contraction of Charles Schneider). Le Verre Français and Charder, made solely using the technique of acid etching, was primarily sold through the exclusive Parisian department stores such as Galeries Lafayette, Le Printemps and Le Bon Marche. Pieces signed Schneider tended to be sold by specialist galleries such as Delvaux, Rouard, La Vase Etrusque and Le Grand Depot. The same design often being produced under the three trademarks. Following the 1925 Paris International Exhibition, new designs were created in the Art Deco style. Schneider’s geometric designs inspired from nature proved popular both in France and abroad – and the factory expanded to employ around 500 workers. However, after the Wall Street crash demand dwindled to a few pieces a day – produced mainly for the home market. On top of this they started a costly legal battle with David Guéron (the owner of Degué glassworks) – accusing him of plagiarising their designs. They won the case, but by then the Depression had already taken its toll and Schneider glass filed for bankruptcy in 1939. In 1950, Charles Schneider together with his son (Charles Schneider junior) founded "Cristalleries Schneider" producing art glass in the ‘mid-century modern’ style. A factory fire together with financial problems led to its closure in 1981.