The Hindu Business Line : Indian pantheon in crystal glass from France!

Radha Krishna as embodiment of divine love entwined by eternal passion bordering on the sublime remain the essential part of the Hindu mythology, evoking admiration and reverence. But to capture their divine posture in crystal needs the sharp skill of master craftsmen. When such a dazzling crystal image of Indian pantheon is wrought in France and imported into India for sale, one is struck that the world never ceases to spring wonder!

The French creator of exclusive crystal sculptures Daum launched the latest in a series of Hindu pantheon — Radha and Krishna in a function held recently at the residence of the French Ambassador to India Dominique Girard here.

Perfecting the métier of acid engraving and addition of metal oxides to render colour in glass, the Daum artists have blended the precious material — pate de verre into crystal. Regional Director Asia-Pacific Daum (Hong Kong) Ltd Hugues Ducoin, told Business Line here that pate de verre is an ancient technique of the transformation of glass dating back to 5,000 BC (pieces have been found in the tombs of the Pharaohs). He said that his company is the only crystal-maker to master this exceptional material as pate de verre is a mutable substance that has bent to the whim and imagination of the master glassmakers for over a century.

He said Daum has selective distribution networks. Thanks to tight collaboration with specialised resellers around the world, Daum has managed to retain an image of exclusivity and the quality of its products, he added.

Ducoin said that the Euro 25-million Daum and winner of the Grand Prix award in Paris in 1900 has chosen Kolkata-based Ganga Creations Pvt Ltd for its crystal ware sales in India over the last 15 years. He said that so far Daum has etched in crystal the images of Indian divinities ranging from Ganesh, Balaji and Mahavir to Goddess Laxmi and now Radha Krishna. He said given that Daum pieces in pate de verre are all hand-made with each piece, at every stage of fabrication — creation, shaping, fusion and finishing — these pieces are produced in limited numbers and priced accordingly. This, he said, ensures that Daum pieces, in particular, the Limited Editions should appreciate in value in a couple of years after their sale.

The CEO, Ganga Creations, Jag Mohn Daga, said that his firm has been importing the crystal images of Indian divinities from France Daum for quite some time and each one of the pieces it sold at the high-end of the market has been a success.

He said only 100 pieces of Radha Krisnhna are available in two different colour variations and is priced at about Rs 2 lakh each.