Georges Dunaime had his work distributed by five agents between 1921 and 1927. At the 1925 exhibition in Paris he was represented by the four companies Gagnon, Gagneau, the Bézault brothers and Christofle. He also occasionally designed lamps for E. Etling & Co. However, most of the work was intended for the foundry and engraver Gagnon, who made the table lamps, floor lamp bases and chandelier holders according to his specifications in bronze, which were then either silver-plated, gilded or patinated. He used cut glass, pieces of quartz, marble and alabaster as lampshades. Although Dunaime did not provide any significant artistic inspiration, he achieved considerable success with his elegant and well-proportioned designs.
In 1921, Léon Rosenthal commented in a report on the interior decoration for the ocean liner Paris.
The lighting is quite lush and varied. The ceiling lighting is made of marbled alabaster in bronze sockets. The bowls and half-shells made of crystal on golden bronze arms are powerful and dignified in their execution. The artist who created them is called Dunaime – a name worth remembering. <<
The following year, Dunaime received first prize in a bronze casting competition. Gagneau had the lamps designed by Dunaime on display. In 1924, he was also awarded first prize at a Paris competition for solving the problem of “table lamp for an average household”. He also received an honorable mention for a piano lamp.
Source: Alastair Duncan, Lampen Lüster Leuchter, Jugendstil Art Déco, Prestel-Verlag, München 1979, p. 168-169.
