Referred to by the French as "poetry in glass," richly colored and graceful in shape and design, Gallé glass was unique for its time. Its namesake, Emile Gallé (1846-1904), was regarded as a highly distinguished glassmaker, many of whose works were inspired by Japanese style and the balance of nature. Gallé is considered to have been one of the architects behind the Art Nouveau period, pioneering new glass techniques by pairing ancient methods with the new industrial processes of the mid-19th century.
Gallé believed functional pieces could also be beautiful, and his constant desire to create new effects and designs resulted in many successful cutting-edge techniques. As demand for Gallé's creations increased, he expanded his factory to 300 employees and became the first factory to use industrial techniques to mass produce his wares. Even after his death in 1904, production continued, and although his signature was still applied, a star was engraved after it to show the pieces were made after his death. Production stopped in 1914 with the outbreak of World War I, then began again after the war ended. The factory closed in 1936, and no further authentic Gallé pieces were made beyond that year.
The many forms of Gallé's work continue to be in demand today, from more rare lamps to well-recognized vases, and many still command high prices. For example, a rare Gallé Wisteria glass table lamp sold at Christie's in 2017 for $331,500, and in 2016, a Gallé Calla Lily vase led another Christie's auction with a selling price of over $106,000.
There are plenty of fake, look-alike, and reproduction Gallé pieces on the market. In fact, experts say that the number of fakes and reproductions now outnumber the remaining authentic Gallé pieces. Some reproductions are honestly sold as "Gallé style," "Gallé-like," or a myriad other descriptives indicating that the pieces are not original Gallé works. And some of these are even signed by the contemporary artists who make them.
Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous resellers who misrepresent and even alter these well-crafted pieces to make them appear as original old Gallé. Many are so well done that they fool experts and auction houses knowledgeable in Gallé glass. One known technique used by fraudsters is to grind off the contemporary artist's signature, polish the base, and add a Gallé signature. Because there were so many different Gallé signatures throughout the years, the signature style alone isn't enough to weed out the fakes. However, a raised glass signature is a sure sign of a fake. In addition, vases with the Gallé signature and the letters "TIP" are reproductions made in Romania. TIP means "type" in Romanian, and the mark could be near the signature or somewhere else on the piece. Sometimes fraudsters will grind off the “TIP” letters and leave the Gallé mark, so check the entire piece carefully for any signs of something having been removed.
Knowing, and knowing well the designs, colors, and shapes used by Gallé can help you eliminate a lot of the fakes out there. While some colors on fakes are harsh or way outside the range of Gallé, others merely hint at the wrong shade or tone. Yet others, particularly cameo glass made in Taiwan about 20 years ago, may have streaks and/or blotches that you'd never find on an authentic Gallé, which would be smooth and uniform in color. A key thing to remember is that Gallé was known for fine artistry, so anything less should raise a flag of caution.
Shape plays an important role in identifying authentic Gallé glass, with respect to both the overall size and shape of the piece itself and individual parts of the piece. For example, Gallé vases were made with rounded rims, whereas many fakes, especially those made in Taiwan in the 1990s, have sanded-down, flat rims. Another sign of a fake or reproduction is a rim with tool marks, which may look like crimping, these would have been polished out of an authentic Gallé piece. Reproductions made in other countries may also have plain polished bottoms, whereas a true Gallé would have a polished or ground pontil. Check out the shape of the overall vase too, making sure it's a shape Gallé used, as well as the shape of the foot, which could be the wrong size, too bulky, etc.
The artistry itself can distinguish a fake from a real piece. Any piece in which the artwork looks "cartoonish" or otherwise poorly done would not be a Gallé. Also, Gallé made a number of cameo glass pieces. Like the style states, the images on cameo glass are carved through thick glass so that the images stand off the surface, just like cameo jewelry. But some fakes from Asia and South America marked Gallé and sold as "cameo glass" merely have stenciled-looking images or simplistic patterns on them, which eliminates them from consideration as Gallé cameo glass.
As with many other types of collectibles, authentic Gallé pieces are typically a substantial investment. There's nothing wrong with buying a reproduction as long as it's identified as a reproduction and priced accordingly. But if you think you're buying an authentic Gallé vase for thousands of dollars, be sure the seller has a return policy, and have the piece appraised by an expert in Gallé's work. It's worth the small investment to confirm its authenticity.
Photos via Wikimedia.

At A Glance
Signs of a reproduction or fake:
1. Cartoonish figures
2. Design, color, or shape not used by Gallé
3. Blotches and/or streaks
4. TIP next to Galle mark
5. Smooth, polished base

Reference books, websites and collecting groups are the best ways to keep from being fooled by fakes. Here are a few: “Glass by Galle” by Alastair Duncan, “Emile Gallé: Dreams Into Glass” by William Warmus.