French Art Deco Hand-Enameled Glass Vase by Charles Schneider 1922

A hand-blown glass vase by Charles Schneider, France, in a smoky taupe-grey glass with a gently swelling ovoid body, tapering neck, and flared rim. The surface is hand-enameled in a stylized, whiplash-influenced decoration combining Art Nouveau linear motifs with an Art Deco sensibility — vertical fluted banding in oxblood-red and cobalt-blue rises from the shoulder into the neck, framed by a scrolling foliate border at the rim. The body is decorated with medallion motifs centered on jewel-like cabochon roundels in cobalt, bordered by dotted white enamel and radiating red arcs, with sprays of green and white enameled leaves above. This combination of restrained, fluted geometry with painterly, jewel-toned enamel work is characteristic of Schneider's output in the transitional years between Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

Charles Schneider (1881–1953) trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Nancy and later in Paris, and began his career at the Daum glassworks in Nancy, where he worked in the engraving and decoration studio while also studying drawing and modeling with Henri Bergé. In 1913, together with his brother Ernest, he founded the Schneider Glassworks (Verreries Schneider) in Épinay-sur-Seine, near Paris, which became one of the leading French art glass houses of the interwar period.

The Schneider workshop produced richly colored, often mottled and controlled-bubble glass, ranging from Art Nouveau-inflected naturalistic forms to bold, faceted Art Deco vessels and lighting. A special line, "Le Verre Français," was introduced around 1918 for the firm's cameo and enameled glass, sold through the Schneiders' own Paris gallery (managed by their sister Ernestine) as well as major department stores in France, Europe, and the United States. Pieces from this period carry various signatures, including "Schneider," "Charder" (a contraction of Charles Schneider's name), and "Le Verre Français," sometimes accompanied by a small tricolor glass cane referencing the French flag. Schneider's glass is held in museum collections internationally and remains highly sought after by Art Deco collectors today.