Pressed, curved, oval, elongated blown form with wide opening and wavy knifed edge. Smoky-colored glass. Decorated in colored enamel painting with gold contours. Prominently large thistle flower, surrounded by the Cross of Lorraine, as a heraldic element of the city of Nancy, on the reverse. Additional thistle stems. Fine, diamond-cut signature: "E. Gallé Nancy". Height: 14.2 cm; Width: 23.2 cm. The Cross of Lorraine in connection with the thistle as a heraldic motif in the coat of arms of Nancy had a double patriotic significance. It appears early and often on Gallé faience, later also on smoky-colored and colorless Gallé glass with enamel decorations. See Duncan/de Bartha: "Glass by Gallé", Fig. 32, Catalogue Hilschenz-Mlynek/Ricke, Catalogue Collection Hentrich, No. 192 (Decoration). A rare French smoke-colored glass bowl with enamel decor of the Cross of Lorraine and thistles by Emile Gallé. Signed. France. Nancy. Emile Gallé. Circa 1890.