Victor Durand was a French glassmaker who founded Durand Art Glass. Trained at the Cristalleries de Baccarat in France as a young boy, Durand came from a family of glassworkers and worked closely with his father creating commercial glass. The Durands founded Vineland Flint Glass Works in 1897 after moving to New Jersey. This company created glassware used for chemical storage and scientific purposes and became one of the most successful glass companies in America.

Durand fulfilled his lifelong dream of starting an art glass line in 1925 with Martin Bach who had worked closely with Durand’s father at Ouzal Glass. The pair were inspired by Egyptian glass and Quezal vases, creating distinct peacock feather and coiled patterns that became the companies most popular designs. Durand Art Glass continued production until Victor Durand’s early death in a car accident in 1931.

Durand Art Glass is known for its precise and transparent coloring including iridescent lustre and opal finishes that were created with a mixture including tin. Durand also popularized crackle glass where hot glass was dipped in cold water to create a crackle texture on its surface.