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The brothers Ernest and Charles Schneider were the founders of the famous glassworks in Epinay-sur-Seine (1913). On a young age they had lost their father, who died in a rail accident. Mother Schneider was left behind with her earlier-mentioned sons and daughter Ernestine. After travelling around in France they eventually stayed in Nancy. This city was known for its art academy and here Ernest Schneider became a teacher. Some years later he exchanged this profession for that of commercial employee at the famous glassworks Daum. Charles Schneider was artistically very talented and he soon studied at the "L’École des Beaux-Arts" in Nancy. In his spare time he worked for Daum on a freelance basis. When in 1909 Auguste Daum died, the company was taken over by his son Jean Daum, who couldn’t work together with Ernest Schneider. This resulted in the departure of Ernest at the Daum glassworks. The two Schneider brothers decided to set up a company on their own strength and in 1913 they took over an old mirror factory in Epinay-sur-Seine. Immediately glass workers from Muller Frères and Daum were invited to come and work for them. In this way their luxury line of products started immediately. The success was however of short duration, because of the First World War. The Schneider brothers and a lot of of their employees weremobilised. The factory was closed and Ernestine took on the supervision during the war. In 1917, Ernest and Charles were demobilised and at their glassworks the production of medical glass started. When the War was over last they were financially stranded and decided to write out shares. Under the name "Société Anonyme of the Verrerie Schneider" their glassworks restarted. Many of their former employees returned and the production of luxury art glass (particularly lamps and vases) came to life. This is also the start of the ' Le Verre Français ' line, which existed of cameo glass objects. |
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During the beginning of the twenties the art deco production line of the glassworks of the Schneider brothers was a unprecedented success. Ernest and Charles succeeded to redeem all shares, where upon they renamed their company to ‘Verrerie Schneider’. Charles was a very progressive man and experimented a lot with all kinds of new techniques. He even took two chemists with the sole purpose to develop new colours. The result was not in vain, because many creations won prices on large expositions. The particular glass and superb lamps of the Schneider glassworks found its way all around the world. |
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However this popularity had its hind side. Their competitor Degué was very much impressed by the succes of the designs of Schneider and his admiration went on to the point that he imitated their style in his own glassworks. That wasn’t to the liking of the Schneider brothers, who sewed Degué for his imitations. Although Schneider eventually won the matter, both companies lost a lot of money in their long lawsuit (1926 - 1932) and almost went financially over the edge. The arrival of Second World War meant the end for the "Verrerie Schneider" in Epinay-sur-Seine. The factory was confiscated by the Germans and was converted to a brewery. The son of Charles (Charles jr.) , started the "Cristallerie Schneider" after the war, but never had the fame and success of his father and uncle. It stayed in production on a small-scale up till 1981. The lacking of heirs meant the end of a Schneider glassworks. |
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