Maison Gagneau

Bronzier and lighting manufacturer (founded in 1800)

Founded in Paris in 1800, Maison Gagneau first came to prominence through its improvements to the Carcel oil lamp, presented at the Exposition des produits de l'industrie nationale in 1819 and patented the same year. Established on rue d'Enghien, and later at 115, rue La Fayette, the firm was entirely devoted to lighting: bronze lamps, chandeliers, wall sconces, and torchères. Passed down from generation to generation, the company established itself among the finest lighting manufacturers of its day. It received its first medal at the London Universal Exhibition in 1851, followed by a first-class medal in Paris in 1855. In 1889, G. Gagneau sat on the jury for art bronzes at the Paris Universal Exhibition, a testament to the recognition of his peers. As late as 1908, the house supplied all the lighting fixtures for the new French Embassy in Vienna.