Beautifully preserved and exceptionally large antique art glass rose bowl featuring its original, custom-fitted metal flower frog insert. The scenic landscape features two individual cottages painted on opposite sides of the bulbous body. Rather than being mirrored reflections or identical factory stencils, each side shows distinct freehand variations in the layout of the silver birch branches, the window frames, and the heavy texturing of the white blossoms.
While completely unsigned on both the glass and the metal gallery—which is entirely standard for early 20th-century presentation centerpieces that originally relied on paper labels—this exceptional piece carries a strong attribution to Verrerie de Leune (Societe Anonyme des Etablissements Leune, Paris). Historically significant as an elite Parisian decorating boutique rather than a traditional high-volume foundry, Société Anonyme des Établissements Leune occupied a prestigious niche in the French luxury market by outsourcing its raw glass manufacturing. Rather than melting common industrial silica on-site, Leune commissioned premium, heavy-walled crystal blanks directly from the legendary Daum Frères company. These elite blanks were then shipped to Leune’s Paris workshop on rue du Cardinal Lemoine, where master decorators transformed the high-end glass canvases using their proprietary acid-etching treatments, classical metalwork collaborations, and meticulously hand-painted vitreous enamel landscapes.
The immense, heavy-walled glass construction (weighing over 4.5 lbs), the specific matte satin finish, and the meticulous hand-painted enamel landscape featuring hallmark stark silver birch trees and finely textured white floral blossoms are textbook characteristics of Leune production from the pre-WWI 1900–1910 era, which utilized high-end glass blanks outsourced from premium houses like Daum Freres before applying their proprietary vitreous enamel decorations in Paris.
The semi-opaque, frosted opalescent glass body serves as a canvas for a stunning, meticulously detailed hand-painted landscape. The scene features a cozy rural cottage nestled among heavily textured silver birch trees and white blossoms, rendered with fine, visible enameled brushwork executed a chaud to fuse the minerals directly into the acid-frosted substrate.
The piece retains its original heavy brass/bronze-tone metal collar and wire dome grid. The openwork pattern on the collar is an exceptional example of Classical Revival design, featuring detailed pierced openwork with repeating festoon drapery swags suspended between classical columns. This architectural motif is framed along the very top and bottom edges by a delicate geometric meander border, highlighting the elegant transition into Edwardian and early Art Deco design sensibilities. The custom, hand-woven two-tier metal mesh dome remains intact with its original laced wire perimeter wrapping, allowing for elaborate, structured floral displays.
Width: Approximately 7.5 inches at the widest bulbous point
Height: Approximately 7 inches to the top of the wire dome
Top Opening: Approximately 5.5 inches inner diameter
Weight: A very substantial and heavy 4.533 lbs
This piece is in beautiful antique condition. The enamel paint remains vibrant with minimal wear to the scenic detailing. The heavy metal frog shows a gorgeous, authentic aged patina with natural minor oxidation in the wire joints.
The upper inner rim of the glass features one small, shallow fleabite/flake chip (pictured photo #13), which is typical for this type of ware and is completely hidden when the heavy metal collar is in place. No other major chips or cracks.
An incredible, statement-making centerpiece addition for any collector of Art Nouveau, Art Deco, or early European art glass.