Glass Ball Vase Enameled Gold Thistles Legras Art Nouveau Late 19th Century

Small ball-shaped vase with a corolla neck by Legras*, in purple-colored enameled glass, decorated with gilded thistles, from the Art Nouveau period, late 19th-early 20th centuries. This vase is in very good condition. Unsigned but referenced model from Legras. Note: tiny micro-scratches and wear of time, see photos. * François-Théodore Legras (1839-1916) was a French master glassmaker. At the age of 20, he started working as a clerk in glassworks near his native hamlet. It was there that he learned his trade. At the age of 24, he left his native Vosges to work at the Plaine Saint-Denis glassworks, a district of the town of Saint Denis near Paris, where he was hired as a night clerk. Six months later, he became head of production and in 1866, at the age of 27, he became director of the glassworks. He then had a new modern factory and a workers' city built, which over the years became an industrial complex of nearly 20,000 square meters. He became chairman and CEO of Legras et Cie, then of the Verrerie et Cristallerie de Saint-Denis. He participated in numerous national and international exhibitions, where he was often awarded prizes. He was also responsible for the glass and crystal section of the 1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris. In 1909, he handed over the management of his company to his nephew Charles Legras. He was one of the four master glassmakers at the founding of Art Nouveau, along with Gallé, Daum, and Lalique. A very wide variety of work with considerable models of varied shapes and decorations. The most used classification method is that according to decorative themes such as landscapes, flowers, fauna. Diameter: max 14 cm Diameter at the base: 6.5 cm Height: 16 cm Reference: C10 599 All photos are on: www.antiques-delaval.com