This translucent make of glass with its distinctive, iridescent blue-ish finish is one of the best firms out there.
The brand was established by René Jules Lalique, a famous jeweller and glass designer from the French village of Ay. He rose to prominence by producing innovative and naturalistic jewellery in the Art Nouveau style. He officially opened his own business in 1885 and by 1890 he was recognised as one of the foremost Art Nouveau jewellery designers in France.
He did not start working with glass until 1908, when he was commissioned to design perfume bottles for François Coty. This partnership would eventually revolutionise the perfume industry, by presenting fine perfumes in attractive containers, for affordable prices. In 1909, Lalique further experimented with glass by applying technology from French wine and pharmaceutical industries.
The first Lalique show devoted entirely to glass, was held in 1911 in Turin, Italy. His exhibits included pieces from his collaboration with François Coty, as well as several window designs which can be seen on display today at the Henri Bendel store on Fifth Avenue, New York.
Due to his rapid growth and success, Lalique opened a new factory in 1921 at a site in Wingen-sur-Moder, in the Alsace region of France. This factory remains the sole producer of Lalique glass to this day.
Their range of car mascots, designed for car bonnets are late Art Nouveau, early Deco in design and are highly sought after.
Anything by Lalique sells if the price is right – the quality is always there and even their later pieces such as the colourful, one-inch fish have a market. Quality of workmanship and style – buy what you can when you can afford it.
Their older pieces fetch large sums, especially from the Art Nouveau and Deco periods – so be prepared to spend good money buying them.