FOUGERES.RENÉ
LALIQUE.1912
Lalique
crystal is a collector's dream. Since the early 20th
century when René Lalique started to design perfume
bottles for François Coty in Paris, collectors
all over the world have been searching for the most
beautiful pieces. For them, and to celebrate the launch
of their own first perfume in 1993 in the beautiful
honeysuckle flacon, Lalique creates every year a limited
edition, signed, and numbered. These pieces of art are
hand made by master glass workers.
Rene
Lalique became synonomous with French Art Nouveau decorative
arts. Rene Lalique was born in 1860 and first began
designing fine jewelry in Paris in 1881. Lalique pursued
increasingly more innovative experimentation in glass
commencing around 1883. Early works used the familiar
"lost wax" technique by which the model is
made in wax while a mold is formed around the model.
Then, the wax is melted and molten glass is poured into
the mold. Lalique glass was made in this manner until
approximately 1905 at which time the factory was redesigned
for a larger production. As such, the individual uniqueness
of each example of Lalique glass came to an end with
the end of the one-time only molding technique around
wax models. The success of this venture resulted in
the opening of his own glassworks at Combs-la-Ville
in 1909. During the art nouveau period, Lalique was
well known for a wide variety of objects including perfume
bottles, vases, inkwells, decorative boxes, and bookends.
In 1921 a larger factory was established at Wingen-sur-Moder
in Alsace-Lorraine. By the '30s Lalique was world renowned
as the most important designer of his time.
Lalique
glass is lead based, either mold blown or pressed. Favored
motifs during the Art Nouveau period were dancing nymphs,
fish, dragonflies, and foliage. Characteristically the
glass is crystal in combination with acid-etched relief.
Later some items were made in as many as ten colors
(red, amber, and green among them) and were occasionally
accented with enameling. These colored pieces, especially
those in, black, are highly prized by advanced collectors.
During the '20s and '30s, Lalique designed several vases
and bowls reminiscent of American Indian art. He also
developed a line in the Art Deco style decorated with
stylized birds, florals, and geometries. In addition
to vases, clocks, automobile mascots, stemware, and
bottles, many other useful objects were produced. While
not well known, Lalique also experimented with bronze
and other materials as well. Most glass was clear or
opalescent glass and signed via engraving or in the
mold "R. Lalique". The R. Lalique signature
was only used until 1945 with the death of Rene. At
that time, Rene Lalique's son Marc took over the company.
Production of many pieces produced prior to 1945 ceased
following Rene's death although some are still in production
albeit with a different marking. The firm is still in
operation
today.
Links
to some very good books to read about Collectible Glass
