Rare Pierre D’Avesn French Art Deco Acid Etched Table Lamp

The glass medallion is signed by Pierre D’Avesn in the lower section, making this a particularly desirable work by one of the notable French glassmakers of the Art Deco period. The design is not simply decorative. The upper shade illuminates the signed medallion, so the sculpture like glass panel becomes part of the lighting effect. It would be exceptional on a desk, vanity, console, or buffet.

Pierre D’Avesn was born Pierre Gire and began his career at a very young age as an apprentice to René Lalique. He entered Lalique’s workshop at the age of 14 and remained there for approximately eleven years, leaving after the Paris Exposition of 1925. That early training helps explain the refinement of his molded and acid etched glass work. After Lalique, D’Avesn worked with Daum and was associated with the Verreries d’Art Lorrain division, where he was able to produce work under his own name.

Later in his career, D’Avesn worked for Verlys and then for Sèvres, continuing to design glass until his death in 1984. While he produced many designs for lighting and tableware, signed artistic pieces bearing his own name are far less common. This lamp is a rare and elegant example of his talent, combining French Art Deco glass, ironwork, and figurative design in a single object.