1930s Large Art Deco Stoneware Vase by Mougin Nancy, Bronze Flambé & Crystalline Glaze

Details

Description

At Maisons Rares, every piece is personally curated: beautiful historical objects from famous French designers and manufacturers, and art from … Read more At Maisons Rares, every piece is personally curated: beautiful historical objects from famous French designers and manufacturers, and art from around the world.

This important Art Deco vase is a documented creation of the Mougin brothers of Nancy — the celebrated "sorcerers of the great fire" of French stoneware. Model 305, a rare form within their production, is presented here in an exceptional glaze: a deep bronze flambé shot through with metallic reflections and fully developed frost-flower crystallisations, the technical signature that made the Mougin name.

History & Craftsmanship: The Sorcerers of the Great Fire

Joseph Mougin (1876-1961) and his brother Pierre stand among the great names of French ceramics, their story woven into the artistic adventure of Nancy — the city of Gallé, Majorelle and the École de Nancy. After conquering Paris with their grand feu porcelains in the early 1900s, the brothers established their production in Lorraine, where, from the 1920s, they created a celebrated line of Art Deco stonewares combining sculptural moulded decoration with virtuoso flame glazes.
Their mastery of kiln chemistry — flambé effects, metallic lustres, controlled crystallisations — earned them their famous nickname and a lasting place in the decorative arts, documented in the reference monograph Les Frères Mougin, sorciers du grand feu (Jacques Peiffer, Éditions Faton, 2001).

The present vase belongs to this golden Art Deco period, circa 1930. It bears the moulded mark "MOUGIN NANCY" around the recessed base together with the incised model number 305 — a form of which no other example is currently on the market, with a single documented auction appearance (Leonard Joel, 2019).

Design & Aesthetics: Architecture and Alchemy

Standing 35 cm (13.8 in) tall, the vase presents a full ovoid body rising to a short neck ringed with a crisp lattice of Art Deco crosses. From the shoulder, stylised pendant clusters descend over subtly ribbed sides — a sculptural, architectural vocabulary typical of the Mougins' finest moulded designs.

The glaze is where the alchemy happens. A deep bronze-brown flambé pools and flows over the reliefs, catching the light with almost metallic reflections, while across the body, expansive crystalline formations bloom — delicate frost-flowers suspended in the glaze, each one born in the unpredictability of the kiln and unique to this piece. It is precisely this controlled accident, this collaboration between the ceramist and the fire, that collectors of the Mougin brothers prize most.

Condition & Authenticity

This piece is in perfect condition. The vase has been carefully examined: no chips, no cracks, no hairlines, no restorations. The glaze retains its full depth and lustre, and the crystallisations are exceptionally well developed for this production.

Fully authenticated, it bears the moulded mark "MOUGIN NANCY" encircling the recessed underside, with the incised model number 305.

Like all pieces from our collection, this item comes with a Certificate of Authenticity issued by Maisons Rares.

Design Context

This is a piece with genuine presence. We recommend placing it where raking light can travel across the glaze — on a console against a plain plaster wall, on a marble mantelpiece, or on a stack-free sideboard in dark walnut, where the bronze and metallic tones resonate with the wood. It anchors Art Deco and classic contemporary interiors equally well, and pairs superbly with aged brass, dark marble, and deep-toned textiles. A single sculptural branch is all it ever needs.

Technical Specifications:
Creator / Manufacture: Mougin Nancy — Joseph Mougin (French, 1876-1961)

Model: No. 305, moulded decoration of stylised pendant clusters and lattice neck

Period: Art Deco, circa 1930

Origin: Nancy / Lunéville, France

Material: Glazed stoneware (grès) — bronze flambé glaze with metallic reflections and crystalline formations

Dimensions: Height: 35 cm (13.8 in)

Style: Art Deco / École de Nancy heritage

Condition: Perfect condition — no chips, cracks, hairlines or restorations

Literature: Jacques Peiffer, Les Frères Mougin, sorciers du grand feu, Éditions Faton, 2001

Authenticity: Moulded mark "MOUGIN NANCY" and incised model number 305 under the base. Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity issued by Maisons Rares. Part of the Salons Alexandre et Maisons Rares collection. See less