Walter of Nancy, France. Pate de verre. The artist is A. Walter (1869-1959). The first name is either Almaric, Almeric, Amalric, or Amelric—you see it all of these ways in the literature. His works are signed A. Walter Nancy – Nancy is the city in Lorraine, France (at times Germany) where he worked. Walter became a master of the lost art of pate de verre, an art form where “glass paste” in a variety of colors is directed into a mold which is often first spot filled with a variety of colored glass pastes. The result can be exquisite. Walter was one of the first to experiment with this technique in the modern era. The technique dates to ancient Egypt. Walter worked at the famous Daum glassworks in Nancy as their pate de verre expert up to the start of World War One when the Daum works closed for the duration. Walter joined the army. After the war, with Alsace Lorraine now repatriated to France, Walter established his own glass works using the signature “A Walter Nancy”. These are all 100% glass and date to the early 20th Century. They capture the spirit of the world of French Art Glass for the early 20th Century as very dense and beautifully crafted works of fine art. Every one of these is in excellent original condition with no problems – no chips, no cracks, no issues at all.
WARNING: In the past decade or two a great many FAKE Walters have come onto the market. They are junk. They are first of all counterfeit and secondly most are weak artistically as copies. The glass is very different from the very heavy glass of the originals and the colors are often garish. They often have the feel of dense plastic as opposed to glass. All of the Walters on my website are GENUINE ORIGINAL pieces from the late 1900s to early 1900s. The Walters I have here have been screened by a leading French Walter expert and verified as authentic. I have also carefully examined them and they appear in all counts consistent with originals, including the all-important density factor.
PW2361. A. Walter, Nancy, Crab Museum Piece. Pate de verre crab sculpture/paperweight. A nicely made crab with clear features and a delicious butterscotch color in the base. Signature on the side of the base: AWALTER NANCY, stylized with a flourish at the top of the W extending over the rest of Walter, and on the other side of the base Berge, SC, the designer. Condition is excellent/perfect/no issues. The piece measures 2 7/8 inches by 2 5/8 inches and the top of the crab is 2 inches. Weight is one pound and four ounces. $1400
PW2374. A. Walter, Nancy, Scarab Museum Piece. Pate de verre scarab beetle. Beautifully colored, rich red and deep shiny black. Nice detail. Signature on base: AWALTER NANCY, stylized with a flourish at the top of the W extending over the rest of Walter, and Berge, SC on the other side. Condition is perfect. I’ve seen a dozen or so of these in person over the years. First importance is always perfection, and this is a flawless beetle. I’ve seen Walter scarabs range from dull to lustrous. This one has the best luster. 2 3/16 inches in diameter by 1 11/16 inches tall. Weight is ten ounces. $1200
PW2377. A. Walter, Nancy, Duck Museum Piece. Pate de verre duck sculpture. Excellent quacker on grassy ground. Signature on the side of the base: AWALTER NANCY, stylized with a flourish at the top of the W extending over the A. Condition is excellent. The base is 4 11/16 by 2 3/8 inches and the top of the duck is 2 1/4 inches. Weight is one pound and thirteen ounces. $1850
PW2450. A. Walter, Nancy Museum Piece. Pate de verre Golden Warbler paperweight or statue. Words can hardly describe the magnificence of this piece. The quality of the glass is exquisite and remarkably heavy. When I hold it I feel like I am holding the Maltese Falcon. It has It is finely and accurately detailed right down to ruffed chest feathers. The wings are elegant. A branch holds bright polished berries. It is as finely detailed as any Walter I have seen, exemplifying the pinnacle of pate-de-verre art form. This piece is in excellent condition with no issues.. The signature is at the base and reads AWALTER NANCY stylized with a flourish at the top of the W extending over the rest of Walter. The base is 1 ½ by 2 ½ inches. It is 4 ¼ inches tall. Weight is one pound and one ounce. A top piece. $2500
PW2581. A. Walter, Nancy Museum Piece. Hermit Crab. Beautifully crafted and colored with fine detail. Perfect condition. 2 5/8 inches across its pentagonal base; the height is 2 1/4 inches; weight is one pound and one ounce. $1100
PW2886. A. Walter, Nancy Pate de verre Blue Bird. The blue glass is an elegant, translucent color which shades from dark to light at the head. The feet are yellow and the base is dark blue. The signature on the side of the base reads AWALTER NANCY stylized with a flourish at the top of the W extending over the A and the L of Walter. The top of the base is signed with a “B” for Henri Berge, the designer and a famous French sculptor. The base is 2 3/4 inches by 3 inches and the height is 4 inches. Weight is two pounds and two ounces. This beautiful blue bird looks fabulous. Everything about it looks great. The glass is simply gorgeous as only authentic pate de verre can be. It took me years to find one of these in excellent condition and this is it. The design is appealing and it has a pleasing heft. Attractive translucent aquamarine. A top Walter in really amazing condition and quality. $1900
PW2368. A. Walter, Nancy Museum Piece Glass Box. Pate de verre glass box. This is an attractive pate de were box with lid – both of which are in excellent condition with no chips or repairs. The sides and the top are decorated with burgundy and green floral or berry motifs. The box is composed of translucent honey-colored glass. The signature is – AWALTER NANCY stylized with a flourish at the top of the W extending over the rest of WALTER. Two inches tall with the lid on and 2 3/4 inches in diameter; weight is ten ounces. Condition is excellent with no damage or restoration. $2250