Pâte de verre, French for glass paste, is a technique in which finely crushed glass is mixed with a binder and colouring agents to form a paste, which is packed into a mould and fired so that the particles fuse together. The resulting glass has a dense, slightly granular, often translucent rather than transparent appearance, with soft, subtle colours.
The technique has ancient origins but was revived in France in the late nineteenth century, notably by Henri Cros, and became one of the most admired forms of Art Nouveau and Art Deco glass. Leading makers include François Décorchemont, Gabriel Argy-Rousseau and Almaric Walter, who worked for a period with the Daum factory at Nancy, and their work includes bowls, vases, paperweights, lamps and small sculptures decorated with insects, flowers, masks and stylised motifs. Pâte de verre is labour-intensive and was produced in limited quantities, so fine pieces are scarce. Collectors look for strong, well-controlled colour, crisp moulding, a signature and good condition, as the material can be fragile and chips or cracks are difficult to restore. Modern artists and some factories continue to use the technique, so period pieces should be carefully distinguished.
