Although our library acquired the Chambon collection, which included some information pertaining to Val Saint Lambert, there is no correspondence, nor business records in the folders on VSL. (I have been the key interpreter of the Chambon files for the last 25 years, and am very familiar with them.) I have just gone through all of the files, and find no information about their exporting to India. In fact, Philippe's book on VSL lists the documents he consulted in the Chambon collection, and none of them point to Chambon owning information on VSL's exports. We have many trade catalogs for VSL, but those are not useful for your type of question.
Perhaps you should contact Anne Pluymaekers, at the Musee du Verre in Charleroi, who has recently written a book about VSL. Have you tried contacting the company as well? Val Saint Lambert, Rue du Val 245, B-4100 Seraing; TEL: 04 330 38 00; FAX: 04 336 20 25
info@val-saint-lambert.com
Philippe's book indicates that VSL was exporting to many countries, but I cannot find anything which confirms the date at which the exporting began. Philippe's book includes a photo showing VSL's agent in Bombay, and has a few more comments. I have made photocopies of these for you. As I re-read Philippe's comments, I see that he lists pattern names for goblets, which repeat the names of Indian cities - I will look to see if I can find these in the catalogs for the time period around 1900, and send you that information as well.
Some books on Indian palaces, with cut glass furniture, state that one of the firms to provide the furniture, but former curator Jane Spillman did not find anything to confirm that.
