French Degue Bronze Chandelier
I have a Degue bronze chandelier that was given to me as a wedding gift from a French uncle in 1977, while my husband and I were living and working in Paris. The chandelier is made of heavy, detailed bronze and is in excellent condition and consists of a center globe, which is signed "Degue". The center globe is in excellent condition. There are 4 additional shades, all of which are signed "Degue". Three of the shades are in excellent condition. The fourth shade has a small chip that is missing at the base of the shade, and also a small crack (see photo). When the decorative bronze "chapeau" is on the shade, the missing chip is barely visible (see photo). The chandelier is not currently mounted on a ceiling - it has been in storage. I have found an identical chandelier on an auction site and have included the photo from Carter's auction site so that you will see what the chandelier looks like when it is completely assembled. The chandelier described at this particular auction site had only 3 shades, as one was missing.
The bronze chandelier is 35" tall and 30" at its widest base. It weighs approximately 23 lbs. The center globe is 12" in diameter. Each of the shades is 5 3/4" tall and 4 1/2" diameter at the base.
Inherited
Yes
Hi Sylvie,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
Thank you for the link to the Carter's website; it didn't say when the chandelier was sold or what it sold for (it would have been in Australian dollars).
An auction house in New Orleans sold for $3,000 in 2021 this Degue chandelier (https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/103746178_french-degue-bronze-and-glass-chandelier); note the estimate on that one was $1,000-$1,500.
I found another Degue bronze and glass chandelier on the retail website 1stDibs priced at $2,777 (https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/lighting/chandeliers-pendant-lights/art-deco-pate-de-verre-ceiling-lamp-degue-1930s/id-f_36728352/); the conversion from that retail price to a fair-market one to be in line with Mearto's practice would be the retail price is 2-3x the high/low estimate, so in that instance, this would have a fair market value of approximately $1,000-1,500, the same estimate as the one auctioned by New Orleans Auction Gallery.
Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:
An antique French Art Deco Bronze Chandelier
By Charles Degue, circa 1920s-30s
Surmounted by a foliate-cast ceiling mount suspending four rope-form arms over a pierced cast base hung with four signed shades (one chipped) and a circular base oculus.
35 inches tall, 30 inches wide
CONDITION: Minor losses
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$1,000-1,500*
Insurance value $2,500
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.
Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia
Hi Sylvie,
I've updated this with the insurance value. Please let me know if you need additional help or have other questions.
Thanks again,
Delia
Thank you so much for completing this appraisal so quickly! Can you please add the insurance value to the appraisal so that I can have it appropriately insured when I ship it to a buyer? Many thanks!
Sylvie