Page 14 - 2022 Glass Editorial

to “create something that had never been seen before” even earned him With his glass business growing in the perfume
the accolade of “inventor of modern jewelry” by Emile Gallé, the sector, Lalique bought the Combs-la-Ville
famous French glassmaker, ceramist, and cabinetmaker. Glassworks in 1913 and moved out of his country
Lalique and his work were also a sensation at the 1900 Paris workshop. There, he could focus on techniques
Exhibition, where he exhibited not just jewelry but also objects d’art that allowed him to produce in larger
made using bronze, ivory, and glass. By the end of 1900, René Lalique quantities and to make his creations more
was recognized not only as the premier Art Nouveau jeweler of his affordable to a wider population with a
day but as a decorative artist of the highest order by both the public and focus on more industrial techniques of glass
his contemporaries. production. This investment confirmed his
transition from a designer and manufacturer
of jewelry and objects d'art to a designer and
Designed in 1912, manufacturer of glass objects.
this clear, frosted, sepia- Lalique’s work during this period and
stained, and foil-backed moving forward is defined by his signature
perfume bottle holds an style, characterized by iced surfaces, elaborate
auction estimate of
$4,000-$7,000 at Lyon & or partially realistic patterns in relief, and
Turnbull in London occasionally applied or inlaid color. His relief
(Bottle also featured decoration was produced by blowing into
in title image) molds or by pressing.
Over the next decade, Lalique became
completely devoted to glassmaking, and in 1922 founded the Verrerie
d’Alsace (Alsace Glassworks) at Wingen-sur-Moder in Alsace, the heart
of a region with a strong and historic glassmaking tradition. There,
Lalique specialized particularly in table-
ware, designing, and producing glass
services that were exported all
over the world. The factory,
together with his renown as a
jewelry artist and master glass-
A hawthorn blossom brooch, in glass, enamel,
diamonds, and gold, by René Lalique. It is part of maker, positioned Rene Lalique
the collection at the Petit Palais in Paris. and his company to fully embrace
and capitalize on the opportunities
photo: Epoque Fine Jewels
presented by his exposure on
At right: Created between 1899 and 1901, this Lalique necklace depicts four the world stage at the 1925
gold-and-enamel wasps with diamond wings on a hawthorn branch of enamel Paris Exposition. Corysé scent bottle designed in 1926, clear with
and opalescent glass. There are leaves of plique-à-jour enamel—a vitreous black enamel, for Corysé-Salomé perfume
enameling technique where the enamel is applied in cells, similar to cloisonné, but with
no backing in the final product, so light can shine through the transparent or
translucent enamel—including two on the 20-inch chain, and a baroque pearl at the AFTER THE Exposition
bottom. photo: Christie's
The 1925 Paris Exposition was another crowning achievement in
A FASCINATION with Glass Lalique’s story, propelling his brand and glass objects d’art into the
forefront of the style moderne movement, later termed “Art Deco.”
Lalique’s bold approach to modern design and work with glass was
At the pinnacle of his jewelry career, Lalique
began to increasingly experiment with glass in both quickly embraced throughout Europe and the United States.
Following the Exposition, Lalique was inundated with commissions
his jewelry and unique objects, working out of his and large-scale interior design projects. His glass fountain at the Expo,
workshop at a country home in Clairefontaine, Les Sources De France (The
outside of Paris. In 1905, René Lalique opened a Springs of France), was such
shop at 24 Place Vendôme to exhibit not only his a huge success that he
jewelry but also the glass objects he was crafting at would go on to create
the Clairefontaine workshop. many more glass fountains
His work with glass in this early period captured
the attention of Perfumer François Coty. Coty was both for exhibitions and
for everyday use, such as
so impressed by René Lalique’s designs that he the fountains for the
asked him to put his talent to work for the perfume roundabouts on the
industry. The two launched a collaboration that not Champs-Elysees, later
only shifted Lalique’s business interests from jewelry taken down due to the
to creating perfume bottles but changed the face of high cost of maintenance.
the perfume business forever by making it possible Lalique was also chosen
for the first time to offer perfumes in attractive to undertake the decora-
bottles at affordable prices. tion of the Côte d’Azur
Before this time, perfume bottles were just plain
Ambre D’Orsay flasks that held expensive perfumes. But with the Pullman Express carriages,
Scent Bottle, invention of synthetic oils that could be used to decorated the famous
designed in 1911 mass-produce perfume, René Lalique saw the fashion designer Madeleine
using clear and potential to take a plain everyday object and turn it Vionnet’s haute couture
frosted glass with into an art object. Lalique went on to become the salons, designed glass doors
sepia stained glass, for Prince Yasuhiko
estimated at preeminent manufacturer of perfume bottles, Asaka’s residence in
$2,800-$4,000 at designing and producing hundreds of Lalique Rare Poissons (Pices) design fountain Tokyo, and designed many
Lyon & Turnbull perfume bottles for dozens of firms in addition designed in 1937 for sale at 1stdibs.com architectural components
in London to Coty. with the asking price of $95,000.

12 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles