Whatsit Wednesday: Val Saint Lambert crystal

With a history resounding from the conquests of Napoleon, the defeat of the Dutch to the French and the changing borders in the late 18th and early 19th century, this Belgian crystal has quite the pedigree. The specific crystal which is called Val Saint Lambert comes from a factory which was set up after the fall of Napoleon in what was a former abbey in Seraing, near Liege. This area had changed hands between the French, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and finally Belgium. 

The glass works served mostly Belgium, the Netherlands and Russia of the time, but they also opened a market in New York. It was after visiting this city that the then CEO realized that they had to step up their game and started creating what is now known as their “bright period”. The Art Nouveau and Art Deco pieces from this period are what made the name for the company. These pieces are still desired for collections. 

If you visit the factory in Seraing today - this is a city we drive by often when visiting churches in the west of Belgium - you will find only modern buildings built in the current century to replace the derelicts left after the bombing of WWII. A modern steel and glass factory with museum greets the visitor next to the restored office buildings of the 19th century.