Dating back to the Bourbon Restoration in France and the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, l’Escalier de Cristal (the Crystal Staircase) was founded by Madame Veuve Désarnaud as the first company to offer decorative objects made from crystal and gilded bronze. The firm was located in the Palais Royal in Paris, opposite the Louvre. It grew through a series of owners to become the gold standard for reproductions of 18th-century furniture — so perfect they were often mistaken for originals.
Désarnaud won numerous awards for her creations, including a gold medal at the 1819 Paris Exposition des Produits de l’Industrie Française for a dressing table featuring her signature bronze-crystal combination. A tailor named Boin bought the company around 1830; he in turn sold it to Pierre-Isidore Lahoche in 1840. Lahoche’s son-in-law, Émile Pannier, joined in a partnership in 1952 before Émile’s sons took over in 1885, establishing Pannier Frères. The company ceased commercial production in 1923.
Starting as early as the 1860s, there was a growing appetite for Japanese-style furniture, thanks in large part to the Japanese pavilion at the International Exposition of 1867. Henry Pannier reimagined some of the company’s designs to meet this new demand. The stylized furniture was a huge success and earned the company many awards, including the gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Others who contributed to this stylistic trend included French artist Émile Gallé, French glassmaker and ceramicist François-Eugène Rousseau, French furniture designer Louis Majorelle and French cabinetmaker Gabriel Viardot.
Henry Pannier made a constant effort to sketch each object the company sold and record it in his notebooks. Over 50 years, he recorded 2,800 furniture designs, each with its own name, date of sale and price. On some pieces, l’Escalier de Cristal signed the models, adding a layer of authenticity and distinction for today’s collectors.
Museums around the world have collected pieces from l’Escalier de Cristal, including the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the Corning Museum of Glass in New York.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of l’Escalier de Cristal decorative objects, vases, desk accessories and more.
Escalier de Cristal x E. Leveille & E. Rousseau, Chrysanthemums Pot-Pourri Vase
By L'Escalier de Cristal, Ernest Baptiste Leveille, Frères Pannier
Located in PARIS, FR
A magnificent collaboration between renowned glassmakers Ernest-Baptiste Leveillé and François-Eugène Rousseau, this exquisite pot-pourri urn is a testament to the Japonism period st...
Crystal, Bronze
Porcelain "Dove" Planter by L'Escalier de Cristal, France, circa 1880
By L'Escalier de Cristal
Located in PARIS, FR
Inscribed HA et Cie and numbered 403 Signed in red Escalier de Cristal Paris Beautiful planter in gilded and painted porcelain. The rounded belly with a platinum background is decor...
Porcelain
Bronze and Glass Vase, Escalier De Crystal Vase, circa 1890
By L'Escalier de Cristal
Located in New York, NY
Bronze and glass vase, Escalier De Crystal vase, circa 1890.
Bronze
Victorian Porcelain Spittoon, circa 1880 by Imari, Japan
Located in Incline Village, NV
The mark on the underneath (see image) indicates that this spittoon is of Japanese Imari porcelain, manufactured circa 1880, and made specifically for the American market for the preponderance of bars and saloons at that time. These were popular from 1865 to the turn of the century; this is a particularly fancy and elaborate example. Note the copious and highly detailed and beautiful floral decoration to the inside of the upper portion of the spittoon; pretty fancy for something meant for spit and saliva! Fantastic and all original condition with no cracks, no chips and very bright paint in sharp colors of blue rust and pink, and meticulously painted in a floral pattern. Several of these would have been “stationed” in strategic places within a saloon. This is a wonderful piece of porcelain, and quality item of saloon and Western United States history...
Porcelain
Pair of French Porcelain Cornucopia Vases, circa 1880
Located in New York, NY
Pair of French porcelain cornucopia vases, circa 1880.
Porcelain
Japanese Porcelain Studio Vase, circa 1880
Located in New York, NY
Depicting white and blue flowers in a brown basket. With underglazed blue mark. Makuzu Kozan.
Porcelain
Exceptional Chinese Porcelain Planters, circa 1925
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Exceptional Chinese porcelain planters circa 1925 Original pedestals. Porcelain measures: Height: 26 cm. Diameter: 63 cm. Total height: 139 cm.
Porcelain
Gallé Fine Enamel-Decorated Cameo Glass Vase, circa 1890
By Gallé
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Property of a Palm Beach Gentleman EMILE GALLÉ, FRENCH (1846-1904) A Large and Fine Enamel-Decorated Cameo Glass Vase, circa 1890, 'Bleeding Hearts'17.5 in. (44.4 cm.) high sig...
Glass
$2,250
H 8.4 in W 13.5 in D 8.75 in
Antique French Onnaing Majolica Pumpkin Cachepot Jardiniere Planter, circa 1880
By Onnaing
Located in Pearland, TX
A gorgeous antique French Onnaing majolica pumpkin cachepot / jardiniere / planter, circa 1880. Maker's mark on reverse. This fine jardiniere is a nice large size decorated with vibr...
Ceramic, Majolica
Meissen Porcelain Pot-Pourri Vase, Germany, 19th Century
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Meissen porcelain pot-pourri vase, Germany, 19th century.
Porcelain
French Aesthetic Movement bronze mounted barbotine vase circa 1890
Located in Sleepy Hollow, NY
A large and highly decorative French Aesthetic Movement ormolu-mounted barbotine majolica vase, Choisy-le-Roi, circa 1890. The vase is richly ...
Ormolu
$3,547Sale Price|20% Off
H 5.91 in W 5.71 in D 4.34 in
Baccarat Japonisme Crystal Vase with Sculpted Handles, circa 1878-1890
By Cristalleries De Baccarat
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Baccarat Japonisme Crystal Vase with Sculpted Handles, circa 1878-1890 Clear crystal vase of globular form resting on a circular foot, with a short, slightly flared neck. The decorat...
Crystal
English Porcelain Aesthetic Movement Vase, circa 1880
Located in New York, NY
With gold and platinum and translucent enamel decoration.
English Majolica Bamboo Planter and Stand, circa 1880
Located in Austin, TX
English Victorian Majolica bamboo planter and stand, circa 1880.
Ceramic
$1,900
H 14.5 in Dm 15.5 in
A French Japonisme Bronze-Mounted Cobalt Blue Porcelain Jardinière circa 1880
Located in Sleepy Hollow, NY
A striking late 19th-century French Japonisme centerpiece or planter, exquisitely crafted in richly glazed cobalt blue porcelain and lavishly mounted in finely chased gilt bronze. Da...
Bronze, Ormolu
Sold
H 10.24 in Dm 5.52 in
Pair of Japonisme Baccarat Crystal Vases, attributed to L’Escalier de Cristal
By Frères Pannier, L'Escalier de Cristal, Cristalleries De Baccarat
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Rarrissim pair of Japonisme Baccarat Crystal and Gilt Bronze Vases Attributed to L’Escalier de Cristal, Paris France, circa 1885–1895 Important pair of decorative vases in smoky gre...
Crystal, Ormolu
Sold
H 8.47 in W 3.55 in D 3.15 in
Baccarat for L'Escalier de Cristal, A 19th Century Japonisme Vase, circa 1875
By Baccarat, Frères Pannier, L'Escalier de Cristal
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Baccarat for L'Escalier de Cristal A French 19th Century Japonisme Vase circa 1875 Translucent glass with gray, black and gold hand-painted and acid-etched enamel, floral and geom...
Enamel, Ormolu
Vase from the Escalier de Cristal, Gilt Bronze Mounting, 19th century
By L'Escalier de Cristal
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Crystal vase decorated with a gilded bronze dragon from the Maison de Cristal, Napoleon III period, 1880. Dimensions : H: 17cm, D: 5.75cm Contact us before ordering to confirm prod...
Crystal, Bronze
Sold
H 4.34 in W 3.94 in D 3.55 in
Aesthetic Mouvement Cache-Pot by L'Escalier de Cristal, circa 1870-75
By L'Escalier de Cristal
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
An Aesthetic Mouvement mini Cache-Pot Polychromed enamelled and Gilt hand-painted porcelain on a turquoise blue ground simulating Japanese cloisonné enamels with Japonisme design o...
Ormolu, Enamel
Sold
H 8.27 in W 7.09 in D 4.73 in
Japonisme Crystal Vase, Ormolu Mount by Maison Baccarat for Escalier De Cristal
By Frères Pannier, L'Escalier de Cristal, Cristalleries De Baccarat
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Maison Baccarat for Maison Escalier de Cristal des Frères pannier A Japonisme design vase Hand carved Baccarat crystal and open-worked Ormolu mounts designed...
Crystal, Ormolu
Sold
H 22 in W 6.5 in D 6.5 in
French Japonisme Ormolu and Silvered Bronze Cut Glass Vase L'Escalier De Cristal
By L'Escalier de Cristal
Located in Long Island City, NY, NY
A rare French Japonisme ormolu and silvered bronze cut glass vase by L'Escalier De Cristal, Paris, circa 1870. Provenance: The Strong Museum, Rochester, New York Profusely decorat...
Bronze
Rare Japanese Style Planter by L'Escalier de Cristal, France, Circa 1880
By L'Escalier de Cristal
Located in PARIS, FR
This circular planter in enamel ceramic, by L'Escalier de crystal, is embellished with a floral and vegetal polychrome décor upon a celestial blue ...
Bronze