Rating and value of Charles Greber's vases and ceramics

If you own an object by or after Charles Greber and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services.

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Rating and value of Charles Greber's works   

Charles Greber is a French artist quite well known to collectors of ceramics and sculpture.

If you own one of his works, its value may be higher than you think. On the art market, prices for Charles Greber's works can be quite high at the auctioneers' gavel.

His ceramic works are particularly prized by French and European buyers, and the price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €10 to €2,800, a fairly substantial range, but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to Greber's works.

In 2015, a pair of ceramic and gilt bronze vases sold for €2,800, while they were estimated at €1,300 to €1,700.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Charles Greber's style and technique

Charles Greber was a major figure in French ceramics at the crossroads of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, notably in Beauvais. He favors glazed stoneware (sometimes called " grès flammé ") as a material, and implements decors inspired by nature (plants, animals) and architectural motifs (facades, decorative panels).

The pieces he creates often feature a surface rich in color, with vivid or iridescent enameling, a play of controlled drips and " flamboyant " visual effects. Enamel becomes both decoration and visible texture.

The formal vocabulary evolves towards greater geometry, particularly in decorative architectural elements (building claddings and friezes). He articulates ornament and structure.

Greber's style has a partial industrial dimension, as he also produces architectural ceramic coverings (facades, fireplaces) and not just vases or handcrafted objects.

The main material used is stoneware (high-fired clay), often glazed or covered with flamed glaze (flamed stoneware) to achieve unique color and texture effects.

The glazing and firing process is innovative, with Greber developing techniques that create surface effects akin to metallization or iridescence, which sets his pieces apart from more traditional ceramics.

He uses relief or bas-relief decoration; on certain panels or architectural elements, plant or animal forms are modeled or engraved before glazing, creating a volumetric and decorative effect.

Greber adapts to the architecture and the object, whether vases or decorative pieces or cladding elements, each format requiring adaptation of the technique (stoneware thickness, fixing, finishing) to guarantee durability.

The life of Charles Greber

Charles Greber (1853 - 1935) was born in Beauvais, Oise. From an early age, he joined the family porterie and cut stone business founded by his father, Johan-Peter or Pierre Greber in Beauvais.

From 1899, Charles Gréber took over the management of the family factory (formerly " Maison P. Gréber ", in Beauvais, and oriented production towards flamed stoneware and decorative architecture.

He was awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 1926 for his contribution to ceramics and applied art, and died in 1935.

He is recognized for transforming the family pottery business into a workshop and a renowned house, with an architectural and decorative dimension, marking the production of art ceramics in his region.

Market segmentation and artist's rating

The categories of goods present on the auction market for this artist are art ceramics (flamed stoneware, iridescent glazes, architectural stoneware) and decorative objects (vases, panels, coverings) produced under the direction of Charles Gréber in Beauvais.

The market is more accessible for small formats (10-30 cm vases and decorative objects). Large architectural panels or monumental pieces fall into a high-end segment.

Potential buyers are collectors of French art nouveau and art deco ceramics, museums or applied art enthusiasts, as well as specialist dealers. The market is mainly French (Beauvais, Oise region) with extensions to Paris, Belgium and Switzerland.

Valuation factors include legible signature, good enamel condition (absence of cracks, chips), provenance and rarity of decoration (e.g.: iridescent enamel drips), format and architectural pieces.

At entry level, we find small-format objects in the hundreds of euros, decorative pieces in the thousands of euros. Larger formats or decorative panels can fetch higher sums.

Vases signed Charles Greber are often estimated at between €300 and €400 for common examples. For larger lots, estimates range from €2,500 to €3,000. The price dispersion is notable, suggesting that the quotation is highly dependent on format, condition, signature and rarity of decoration.

The Greber market is quite segmented. It still seems accessible, like Dalpayrat, Alice Colonieu or Axel Salto but offering possibilities for mounting value if the piece is of exceptional quality (rare decor, large format, architecture).  

Recognizing Charles Greber's signature           

Pieces are often marked " GB " (Greber Beauvais) or bear the name Geber and the location " Beauvais ", which facilitates identification and testifies to quality control.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by or after Charles Greber, don't hesitate to request a free valuation using our form on our website.

A member of our team of experts and chartered auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your work, as well as ad hoc information about it.

If you are considering selling your work, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market inclinations.