Jean Perzel, master of art déco lighting

Jean Perzel (1892-1986) spent his life making light an art. A French master glassmaker of Bavarian origin, trained at Lalique before opening in 1923 his own workshop on rue de la Cité in Paris, he became one of the greatest lighting designers of art déco. His signature? Sandblasted frosted glass ceiling lights and sconces, nickel-plated bronze structures, sober geometries diffusing a soft, glare-free light. Perzel lamps equipped 1930s transatlantic liners, the Élysée Palace, the Monaco palace. Four generations later, the house continues.

Jean Perzel lighting, in original editions or workshop reissues, remains particularly sought-after on the French vintage lighting market. Perzel prices reflect the rarity of the craft and the exception of a signature that has crossed a century without ageing.