Daum was a prominent glass manufacturer in Nancy, France since the 1800s. Antonin Daum founded the company with his brother Auguste, and their great-grandson was Xavier Froissart. Until the 1980s the company was managed by Xavier’s uncles, Michael, Jacques and Pierre de Chérisey-Daum.
Froissart created a series of glass automobile sculptures consisting of small versions of a full car and relief versions, which looked as if the car was cut off on each side. The first crystal piece he made was the Coupé Riviera. He worked closely with Daum until the 1990s and he went on to create 38 cars in the collection. Deauville was one of several relief style cars
that were made and 1000 were produced. Deauville is a seaside resort in the Normandy region of France.