Archive for the ‘R Lalique – Rene Lalique Authentication Identification’ Category
Fake R.Lalique: Identifying The Sources Of Forgeries Or Items Represented As Lalique That Are Not By Rene Lalique
May 15th, 2012
 Identify Fake Lalique is a new sub-section of our information packed Lalique Fakes section here at THE Worldwide Gathering Place for R.Lalique Collectors and Enthusiasts.
Through this new sub-section, we’ve made available three different kinds of information on the sources of items that turn up with forged R.Lalique signatures and items just misrepresented as R.Lalique. We estimate that the items accessible from this new sub-section account for as many as 75% of all such items that appear.
First, we have put relevant old catalogues of Czech glass online, and linked to other sites having such catalogues. These catalogues document the source of a great percentage of later forged pieces. Keep in mind that the pieces shown thru the Identify Sources pages were not created with the intent to fool anyone. It is only the later addition of a fake Rene Lalique signature of some kind, or the false representation that the item is the original work of Rene Lalique that makes the piece a fake as far as R.Lalique collectors are concerned. But many of these items have value and are collectible in their own right, and again, were not produced with the intent to deceive anyone.
 Second, we’ve linked to websites that currently sell new pieces that sometimes end up with forged signatures and sold as R.Lalique.
Third, we’ve linked to one general information website (with hopefully more to come) which is helpful in identifying Fake R. Lalique.
We’ve also created an outline on our Authenticating Lalique page, which directs interested owners of possible problem pieces or potential purchasers of any R.Lalique piece, through a four-step process utilizing the resources available here at RLalique.com. The process steps through the resources on Lalique Forgeries, the Modern Lalique Crystal Signatures page, the new Identify Fake R. Lalique sub-section, and finally to the documented R.Lalique Copies that are known to exist.
 We also placed online and accessible from the navigation bar on every page of the main RLalique.com website (all pages except the Blog) a new section on Lalique Signatures! The signature section is broken down into three sub-sections: Authentic Rene Lalique Signatures, Fake R.Lalique Signatures, and the previously mentioned Lalique Crystal Signatures. Actual signatures from actual pieces are shown on all three of these sub-sections. It’s worth keeping in mind that signatures do not authentic pieces as many signatures are easily faked. However, armed with knowledge you can differentiate between modern Lalique Crystal and authentic Rene Lalique signatures. And of course, some signatures are so far off the reservation that being able to spot those saves a lot of time (and possibly money and headaches) as well. Previously the reference literature had but a handful of mainly line drawn signatures for collectors to examine. Now there are hundreds of real examples taken from real pieces. And for the Rene Lalique Signatures and the Cristal Lalique Signatures sub-sections, if you put your cursor over any photo in those two sub-sections, a text window will appear telling you what piece the signature was found on.
 In the future, time permitting as always :), we’ll add over 1000 more photos to the Forgeries section of items that have appeared falsely represented as R. Lalique. And we’ll be breaking the Forgeries section down into more categories to make it faster to look just for the type of piece you have instead of having to scroll thru photos that may show items unrelated to the specific type of item you are researching.
As the value of the great authentic R.Lalique glass and other items continues to appreciate, more and more vigilance is needed to become educated and watchful for the increasing number of fakes entering, or attempting to enter the market. Our Suspicious Lalique Auctions page continues to grow with more and more listings on a continuous basis as fakes and questionable pieces come up for auction in greater numbers. The good news is that this problem is minor for R.Lalique when compared to many collecting fields, some of which have been greatly damaged by the intrusion of fakes and forgeries. But only through information, education, and vigilance by the entire collecting community, can the fakes and forgeries be kept at bay**. This is an effort that benefits everyone involved with the works of Rene Lalique.
 In that regard we are actively soliciting additional sources of information for the new Identify Fakes section; for help in finding and exposing current fakes at auction; in getting information on any other R.Lalique copies that appear; or about ongoing scams as they develop. Also for example, if you have a photo of an R.Lalique signature that we do not show, or of a Cristal Lalique signature we are missing, we would gladly accept help in that area as well. If not for the generous contributions of time and information from many R.Lalique collectors, the information on fakes that we have organized and highlighted here would be just a fraction of its current volume. We have accomplished a lot, but more work remains, and we can use all the help we can get.
 And finally related to this topic, we have a major sub-section where we are assembling photos of known Lalique Crystal Reproductions by the modern Lalique Company of original Rene Lalique designs. This information lets collectors know on which R.Lalique pieces they need to be even more vigilant to ensure they don’t have a modern crystal piece with an altered signature. This sub-section is nearly complete for reproduced vases, but far from complete in other types of items, and we would welcome photos from anyone having pictures of modern crystal reproductions not yet shown on that page.
We are quite hopeful that these latest steps to augment and organize the vast information on Fakes here at RLalique.com will make it easier and faster for potential buyers to get the added information they may need to make better informed decisions about a potential purchase, or for owners to get information about the true nature of a piece they possess.
Oh ya, none of the items pictured in this article are authentic R. Lalique glass.
** “keeping at bay” is an idiomatic expression which means to keep something or someone away from you that might be harmful or unpleasant.
Tags: R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication, R Lalique and Rene Lalique Fakes-Copies-Frauds
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LR – RL Signature: Louis Rault – Art Nouveau Medalist, Designer, Chaser & Rene Lalique Contemporary
April 6th, 2012
 On almost any day of the year, somewhere in the world there is a medal, button, pendant, cufflink, locket, hatpin, or similar object for sale with the mark you see in the first photo here, represented to be the work of Rene Lalique. The hard evidence is the signed “RL” signature. And the soft evidence is the style of the piece, and the likely period of its creation.
But the hard evidence is wrong. The signature is not RL, it’s LR and it’s the mark of Louis Armand Rault, a Frenchman who lived from 1847 to 1903. Rault was a sculpture, a chaser, a jeweler and a medalist. Born the son of a shoemaker in St. Calais in the Pays-de-la-Loire region of northwestern France, by the age of 21 he was working for Boucheron in Paris. The great Henri Vever believed that Rault might have been the most talented chaser of all time! Rault created many unique and attractive objects, a number of which are in major museums.
 But his most often seen works are in a handful of designs that were apparently licensed for use by many different manufacturers. So for example, one of his females in profile designs, may appear in a gilt metal stickpin stamped out in France, or on Sheffield Silver buttons made in England, or on a pendant with the addition of gems around the neck of the female. In addition to sometimes being enhanced with various gems and stones, Rault’s medals also appear inside intricate surrounds or incorporated into other objects such as ashtrays.
 The objects with these designs all have two things in common. They all sport the LR mark shown here. And they all often appear advertised as the work of Rene Lalique. This is true for direct sales ads, online auctions, and at auction houses.
In the very active Fake Lalique section at THE R. Lalique Worldwide Gathering Place, we receive a steady steam of reports from buyers, sellers, and interested parties about the never ending offers of Rault signed LR works improperly attributed as being signed RL for Rene Lalique.
Keep in mind that a false attribution does not always mean purposeful malice by the seller. With that supposed RL mark, a seller may think it’s truly R.Lalique, or maybe it’s just their best guess or wishful thinking. Or maybe the did some research and found the same design attributed to Rene Lalique by other sellers.
 Whatever the seller’s motive or knowledge or lack thereof, the only thing that should concern you as a buyer is to be armed with enough information to dodge these kind of bullets. What the seller knows or doesn’t know is of little import.
We decided that the best way to minimize the continued occurrences of these false claims was to create a Louis Rault reference page that can be easily found by owners and potential buyers of these Rault items who are looking for information and photos to identify these signed LR pieces. And so has been born the LR-RL Signature-Mark confusion page. Check it out.
Tags: R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication, R Lalique and Rene Lalique Fakes-Copies-Frauds, Rene Lalique Jewelry and R Lalique Jewelry
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Yet Another Rene Lalique Sibling Revealed: Sabino Lalique Makes It R. Lalique Triplets!
December 15th, 2011
Yes friends, you read it right. It turns out that there is a second identical twin of Rene Lalique (that would be identical triplets?), this latest one discovered by an enterprising R. Lalique dealer no less! You can see the amazing resemblance from the three photos that we dug out of the archives here at World Headquarters. The resemblance between the three photos is uncanny!
The hitherto unknown Sabino Lalique has apparently languished in obscurity for, well for over a 100 years until finally being discovered by an RLalique dealer moonlighting as a genealogist. We’ll just shorten that to Genie, which makes more sense than you might know. For as western readers of Arabian Nights will remember, Aladdin was granted wishes for doing what? For freeing the Genie from a LAMP! So Genie it is. And shown just below in the first photo is the Genie’s lamp, being sold under the auction title “Illuminated nude figure believed to be by Sabino Lalique”!
 And to think the fruit of all the Genie research is being given away for a mere £650 on Ebay in a listing titled: “Illuminated-nude-figure-believed-Sabino-Lalique” no less. Just when the thought occurs to you that every story ever to be told has been told, a good morning laugh awaits.
Of course, all this would be merely ridiculous if some guy picked up a piece of opalescent glass at a garage sale and claimed or inferred some relation to Rene Lalique (of course maybe that’s what happened here :). But when a longtime R. Lalique dealer ties in the great Rene Lalique to this? Well, ridiculous would be most kind. We especially like how Genie tossed out Suzanne this and that in the auction ad. We’ve got a creative thinking Genie here for sure, with some real ingenie-ous tendencies!
 Funny thing is that even the Sabino thing might be questionable. We are not Sabino experts, so it might be Sabino for all we know. It might be Fenton too. Heck for all we know, it might be Picasso’s girlfriend in a one-off glass creation that old Pablo thought up after a basketball game.
Seriously, to be frank (and yes, pun intended as you’ll see shortly) if we had to throw out an equally likely possibility in our minds, we’d propose FRANKART glass as a good guess.
Frankart glass you ask? Well yes there is such a thing. And the 2nd photo shows what is advertised as Frankart and identified as a portrayal of Sally Rand (real name Harriet Beck), the famous Deco and Depression era flapper burlesque star! Sally was especially noted for her ostrich feather fan dance AND her balloon bubble dance!
In Chicago during the 1933 World’s Fair, Sally was arrested four times on the same day for indecent exposure while riding a white horse thru the City while seemingly (but not really) nude!
And ignoring Genie, whom we’ve never met, there’s more of an esoteric ying-yang relationship with Sally Rand and our own experience than meets the eye, all from reading the articles and never looking at the pictures of course, and which explains why we’re so interested in Sally. You see, Sally was arrested for going around creating the illusion of indecency, whereas some people we know in certain circles*** are busy doing just the opposite; going around creating the illusion of decency. Hmmmm.
  And when you look at the details of these two pieces together, the one attributed to Sabino Lalique and the one attributed to Frankart and to Sally Rand, well the thought occurs to expansive thinkers that old Sabino Lalique might have worked for Frankart at some point and used some of his old ideas to create similar glass figures. Heck, while Rene Lalique was busy associating with Sarah Bernhardt, old Sabino must have been out flapping his wings, taking in a little Burlesque, and associating with an entirely different group of glamorous people. How else would he have met Sally and known about the balloon bubble burlesque thing to use for a lamp design?
The whole thing is Genie-us!
The final touch in the online ad for the Sabino Lalique lamp are the entire “Terms and conditions of the sale”: “It is quite normal on R Lalique pieces to have a certain amount of bubbles or lines and small imperfections related to the manufacturing of the piece and also a certain amount of wear and scratches is expected due to their age. I would be happy to deal with any queries and explain the extent of these details about any item.”
Ignoring the obvious question: “What exactly does this have to do with the lamp?”, why not S Lalique? 🙂
*** Circle, as used here, has several synonyms in the Merriam-Webster Thesaurus including pack, ring, crowd, and bunch.
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R. Lalique Catalogue Raisonne 2011: Rene Lalique Glass New 4th Edition Of The Works Of The Great Lalique!
September 11th, 2011
A new and updated edition of the R. Lalique Catalogue Raisonne De L’Oeuvre De Verre by Felix Marcilhac was released this week! Lalique’s works are shown in nearly 4000 photos in the 1064 page 4th Edition. UPDATE: The new Lalique Catalogue Raisonne 2011 Edition is in stock here on the website with a special offer of Free Shipping to buyers in the continental U.S. for orders placed by Pearl Harbor Day 2011!
 The new edition has arrived just in time for RLalique collectors and Rene Lalique enthusiasts needing this great reference work. The last edition was published 7 years ago in 2004. It has been sold out for several years. Actual sale prices have risen north of $750 (sometimes well north) in our R. Lalique For Sale section, and on Ebay for the 2004 Lalique Catalogue Raisonne, and are quoted at over twice that at some online services.
The new edition of R Lalique, released in the last week, has a suggested retail price of €250, or about $350 at today’s exchange rates. There have already been well over a dozen of these change hands on Ebay at a 5% discount to list, or €237.50 (about $330), plus €70 to €87 (about $100 to $120) of shipping charges for buyers outside of France, where the current sellers are located. So a total delivered price of around $425 to $450.
 The total price still represents a major drop from recent sales of older editions, and while some sellers are still hoping against hope (there is one listing currently on Ebay for a 2004 Edition for $1500), others have quickly brought their prices down below the cost of the new book to reflect the new reality.
A quick summary of the 4 Editions (each new edition adding new and correcting info):
Year: 1989 Dust jacket: Black
Year: 1994 Dust jacket: Blue
Year: 2004 Dust jacket: Red
Year: 2011 Dust jacket: Green
We expect within the next couple of weeks to have this new edition for sale in the Rene Lalique Books section of the site. It is likely that all potential buyers of this book, and especially U.S. buyers, will have their patience rewarded with a decent amount of savings if they wait for the book to appear at what has become THE address on the web for everything R Lalique! UPDATE: The new Lalique Catalogue Raisonne 2011 Edition is in stock here on the website with a special offer of Free Shipping to buyers in the U.S. that purchase by Pearl Harbor Day!
Tags: R Lalique and Rene Lalique Library
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R Lalique Signatures: Authentic Rene Lalique Signatures – Samples of Lalique’s Marks
July 6th, 2011
 Rene Lalique pieces show many different authentic R. Lalique signatures and we get regular inquiries asking where R. Lalique owners or collectors can go to see samples of actual R. Lalique signatures. In response, we’ve developed a page where readers can review the different signatures found on genuine pieces of R. Lalique. This new page showing how R. Lalique pieces were signed can coincidentally be found at this link: R.Lalique Signatures.
We also thought this would be a good time to answer some questions that come up quite regularly about the signatures found on R Lalique. This is not intended as a comprehensive discussion, but merely to answer common questions about Lalique’s signatures on his R. Lalique glass and other items. Jumping right in:
 1. Is every piece of R. Lalique signed?
In the big picture of Rene Lalique’s works that were produced, by the percentages it is fair to say that the overwhelming majority of R. Lalique was signed in one form or another. However, Lalique produced a lot of pieces, so just a miniscule unsigned percentage can mean that many pieces were not signed with an R. Lalique mark. It appears that architectural items, especially parts of larger installations can be unsigned with some regularity (considering how irregularly these types of pieces appear that is :). And an apparently authentic (and original) piece appears without a signature from time to time. However, it would be a mistake in our opinion for the average collector to think they had found the pot of gold at the end of the Rene Lalique rainbow each time or any time an unsigned something or other popped up represented as R. Lalique, on one of the slim chances mentioned (or not mentioned) above. So we typically advise collectors to proceed in life as if everything was signed and should be signed. Basically, nearly every single piece percentage wise was signed, so why mess around. And when you go to sell, it’s usually much better to have a signed piece of R. Lalique than an academic explanation of why the unsigned piece is authentic. Note: The apparent cire perdue vase shown here appeared at auction advertised as unsigned and sold for over $100,000. We didn’t have the vase in-hand, so we don’t know one way or the other if it was in fact an unlikely unsigned R. Lalique Cire Perdue vase. However, it appears that at least two bidders were satisfied on the subject.
2. Does every authentic signature contain the phrase “R Lalique”?
  No, not all signatures or marks contain the phrase “R. Lalique”. Some exceptions would be jewelry with metal backing is many times stamped LALIQUE in the metal, and may or may not be signed on the glass.
 There are 2 different VDA molded marks, one with FRANCE molded under it and one without FRANCE. VDA stands for Verrerie D’Alsace which is French for Alsatian Glassware. There’s also the Masque mark shown here. These 3 marks do not say R. Lalique. There are also some pieces signed just Lalique in the glass, either inscribed or in the mold. And there are a small number of items with just R L in the mold. Those are mainly (but not always) perfume bottles with small bases. So while most of what appears is signed R Lalique in one form or another, many pieces are signed differently.
3. Is each example of the same R. Lalique model signed the same way, or can the same models have different signatures?
Many models can be found with different signatures that were used over time. It seems that the more popular a piece, or the longer it was in production, the more different signatures are seen.
4. Is it true that no R. Lalique piece has “Made In France” signed on it?
No, there are a few pieces that have the phrase “Made In France”. For example, some Palmes Vases have a molded R. Lalique and Made In France on the underside as shown here. Another example is one of the Figurines Atomizers with a similar molded signature. Also some Tzigane Perfume Bottles for Corday are molded BOTTLE MADE IN FRANCE R. LALIQUE.
5. Do any R.Lalique pieces have more than one signature or mark?
Yes, a good number of pieces (but again, small percentage wise in terms of overall production) have more than one signature. Three examples:
 A. We sometimes see pieces with molded signatures that are perfectly readable, with a full R. Lalique France engraved or etched signature present as well. On the R. Lalique Signatures Page linked in the first paragraph above, we currently have a couple examples of double signatures at the end of the page, and more may be added over time.
B. The molded signature is faint or unreadable, so an inscribed signature is added. This is pretty typical on the Escargot Vase for example, where the molded signature is often quite faint, and a script Lalique is added. Shown here is a Courges Vase with the added script Lalique, as well as multiple signatures relevant to the following paragraph.
C. Whatever instrument or technique was used to impress an intaglio signature skipped (or who knows what), and more than one signature was impressed in the piece. We have seen up to six identifiable signatures on one piece. Shown following is a somewhat typical Courges Vase signature, a model that is often seen with multiple signatures.
6. When a piece is signed in script: R Lalique France #888, what does the number stand for?
This is the Rene Lalique et Cie model number to identify the model of the piece, which in this case is a Sauterelles Vase.
 7. Do all pieces contain the word France in the signature?
No. Early produced pieces do not contain the word France. Our understanding is that no later than with the Tariff Act of 1930, the United States required the country of origin to be marked on imported goods. The USA being the biggest import market in the world on an overall basis at that time (and it still is the largest by far to this day (2019) if you were wondering), stuff all over the world that might be exported started getting the country of origin marked on it at the time of manufacture. This would naturally include Lalique’s great pieces.
8. Are any pieces signed “Rene Lalique”?
Well, never say never. But we are joining the Missouri crowd on this one….. show me.
9. Where were R. Lalique pieces signed?
In France of course!
Seriously, Lalique’s signature appears in many different places on his R. Lalique pieces. They can be signed on the bottom half of the side of a vase for example, anywhere on the underside of the base of nearly any piece, right in the design somewhere, or on the edge of something such as the edge of a box cover or on the side edge of the upper part of a disk shaped seal.
10. Were any pieces made after the death of Rene Lalique signed with an R. Lalique signature?
After World War II, small numbers of pieces were made from old molds that incorporated a molded R. Lalique signature before these molds were updated. However, most of these pieces were also given a modern Lalique France signature to indicate they were post war production. Notable among models that fall into this category are the Coq Nain Car Mascot, the Perche Car Mascot, the Sanglier Car Mascot, the Tete D’Aigle Car Mascot, the Saint-Christophe Car Mascot (all marketed only as paperweights post-war), the Quatre Perruches Frame (also used pre-war only for the Inseparables Clock), and Marienthal Plates. The Meudon Box has been seen several times with the molded R. Lalique signature on the side of the top, but the bottom is engraved Lalique France indicating it was produced after the war. And we have seen the Worth “Stars” Dans La Nuit Perfume Bottle with the molded R. LALIQUE signature but then with an engraved Lalique France as well. Keep in mind that the added post-war signature on any of these examples could later be polished off by an unscrupulous person, leaving only the molded R. Lalique signature. In addition to the above, there are also the molded R. Lalique CREATION signatures on some perfume bottles where the word CREATION tells you it’s post-war.
Further Discussion, Summary, And Resources
If readers that check out the page of Lalique’s signatures have photos of signatures or variations we are missing on that page, please email those in using the link and directions on the signature page. And if you have a question omitted here, or additional information you feel is important to this discussion, please email us using that same link.
 If you are looking for examples of faked, forged, and copied R. Lalique signatures, see them on our site at this link: Faked, Forged, and Copied R Lalique Signatures! You’ll find that many of those faked signatures are quite good
In that regard, we wrap up this article with our constant admonition: Signatures do not authenticate pieces, it’s the other way around. Pieces authenticate signatures. Make a decision about the piece first, and then see if the signature fits. Just because a signature looks right, does not mean it is right. And signatures in most cases are far easier to fake than authentic pieces.
To put an emphasis on this point, once or twice a year we see authentic pieces with forged signatures! Usually it’s clearly an attempt to “boost” the signature from what the person thinks is a modern signature to a pre-war signature when no such boost is necessary. For example, a great early vase that was originally signed just Lalique on the lower part of the side in script, and someone adds the R. in front not realizing they have a great and rare thing that does not require further enhancement. And then there’s the example shown here, where someone not knowing that the great molded VDA (without FRANCE) or VDA FRANCE signatures are authentic R. Lalique marks, decides to improve things a bit with an R. Lalique addition. And there is also the occasional piece that for whatever reason (never signed originally, minor polishing or major repair or wear and tear removed the original signature, etc.) that has just a forged signature and none other.
So enjoy your collecting, but do it with your eyes open!
Tags: Articles of Interest to R Lalique Collectors, R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication, R Lalique Cire Perdue And Rene Lalique Cire Perdue
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Renaissance Antiques: Naim Bouchareb – Dounial The Ebay Seller And R Lalique Dealer
September 5th, 2010
Renaissance Antiques of Davenport Iowa, in the person of owner Naim Bouchareb, a regular seller on Ebay under the Ebay screen name Dounial, sells a lot of R Lalique items online. Some of these listings raise serious questions. We have been motivated to write about this R Lalique Seller for a variety of reasons including complaints and negative comments that have come in thru and because of the website, and also a recent couple of listings that squarely highlight the questions.
We have previously written in these pages, that if you are going to purchase from a dealer, that it is extremely important that your dealer be honest and competent. It’s also important that you are armed with the most information possible, which is the best defense against regrets and the various dark arts practiced throughout any collecting field.
Here we have what in our opinion is as fake a signature as can be found. The signature resides on a piece sold on Ebay by Renaissance Antiques. The piece in the cached version**** of the Dounial Ebay Listing sports the signature on the underside of the base as shown above. This item has graced the pages of the R Lalique Police Report Section for some time.
 Stranger than the signature, is its location on the underside of the base. Note in the photo the dark little pads under the piece and a signature that appears in the photo to be raised out of the glass. Of course, if you put a raised signature on the underside of a piece that has a flat bottom:
A – The signature will touch the surface of whatever it’s sitting on!
B – The piece will not sit level due to the signature being elevated from the rest of the base!
C – And the signature itself will be scraped up and maybe even off, and worn totally over time.
And there you have the little green pads, apparently to protect the signature and level the piece.
How many pieces do you have of authentic R Lalique, where the signature is raised on the flat part of the underside; an underside that by design comes in direct contact with the surface the piece is sitting on? Seriously, whoever put the signature on this piece wasn’t thinking it through, wasn’t familiar with R Lalique, or just didn’t care. Or there is a fourth possibility!
Many buyers of glass assume that a molded signature is a mark of authenticity. We have repeatedly stressed on RLalique.com that you should never buy a signature; that the signature does not authenticate the piece. In fact, the piece must authenticate the signature. In the example at hand, whether this piece is a post war Cristal Lalique reproduction or a Czech copy, the addition of the molded signature would typically be intended to give an assurance of authenticity of the piece being an original work of Rene Lalique.
But these “molded” signatures can be faked; with not too much more work than scratching in a phony signature with a sharp object. In simple terms, the forger protects with a stencil of some kind, the outline of the desired signature, and then using acid, cuts back everything else on the underside of the base a millimeter or two, leaving a raised “molded” signature that was not cut away with the acid. See Fake Lalique Signatures for other examples similar to the signature on this Coq Nain.
So here we have a regular seller of R Lalique pieces selling a piece that does not even appear right at first glance. What does the R Lalique Dealer, this regular seller of R Lalique, this Antiques Dealer, this Specialist have to say about this piece in his ad?
“AMAZING! R. LALIQUE FRANCE “COQ NAIN” CLEAR/FROSTED” and “Condition: very good condition, small chip on the base rim”
Who is the likely buyer of this piece? A beginning or novice collector that doesn’t know. Someone from the very group of collectors from which long term serious collectors emerge, assuming they don’t have the kinds of regrets to sour them on the entire collecting field that might be caused by a signature like the one on this piece.
The time spent to read up a little on Faked Lalique works and the related subjects covered by that link, may save you many regrets. And of course a little independent Lalique Consulting can go a long way toward avoiding bad experiences.
 And if you liked the Coq Nain, you’ll like this cached version**** of a second Renaissance Antiques Ebay listing just as well. A bit of a play on an old Wendy’s**** advertising slogan “Where’s the Beef?”, we are inclined to ask Renaissance Antiques, Where’s the Rim? Oh yea …. “Excellent condition” so says the seller.
Compare the Dounial Ebay Domremy Vase pictured here with the photo of the Rene Lalique Domremy Vase below that came up for auction last year.
Renaissance Antiques thru their Ebay screen name Dounial is also featured on the website TiffanyFakes.com! Hardly surprising.
Is Dounial, Mr. Naim Bouchareb, Renaissance Antiques, guilty of nothing more than ignorance? Is it omission or commission? Responsibility or irresponsibility? Regardless, the result is the same for a buyer that relies on “Amazing!” and “very good condition” and bizarre “molded” signatures blazoned across the bottom of car mascots or paperweights.
 And this is why, if you are buying from a dealer, that having a competent and honest dealer (along with getting independent advice concerning your purchases) is so important. If you know a fair amount about R Lalique, and if you are careful, and if you purchase from many sources at auctions, online, thru individuals, etc., you may make a few mistakes and have a couple of regrets. But if you are buying regularly from the same dealer, a dealer that is not competent and honest, you may end up with many, many regrets. It is for this reason that we emphasized previously (see Lalique Bacchantes article) and reiterate here the great importance to you as a buyer, that if you are buying from a dealer, you should ensure that the dealer is honest and competent.
And how much did Renaissance Antiques make on the Coq Nain sale? They sold the piece for $399, a lot less even than the few pieces of silver you hear tell about.
UPDATE October 30, 2010:
 New Dounial Ebay LIsting: R. LALIQUE FRANCE “ROSES EN RELIEF” DRESSER BOX W/ LID
Here is a link to a cached version**** of another listing from Renaissance Antiques selling as Dounial on Ebay. The actual name of the listed box, shown here on the right in a photo from the Ebay listing, is Coppelia. It is a modern post war crystal box made by Cristal Lalique. The Cristal Lalique model number is 10578, which is documented along with the name of the box in the below photo from the book Lalique Par Marie-Claude Lalique on Page 251.
A nice modern crystal item. Certainly not an R. Lalique France “Roses in Relief” Box as described in the title to the Renaissance Antiques Ebay ad. Curiously, we cannot see the signature on the Ebay box in the photos that Renaissance Antiques has used in the ad. Curioser, the ad does not state what the signature says!
UPDATE July 18, 2011: Get Your R. Lalique Perfume Bottle – It is Signed!!
 In July of 2011, Ebay Dounial put up for auction Item No. 370527285412, a modern crystal Clairefontane Perfume Bottle described by Renaissance Antiques in the Auction Title as Circa 1945 R. Lalique. Here is a link to the Cached Image Version**** of the Dounial Ebay Perfume Bottle. At least they show a (very dark) photo of the signature at the bottom of the ad; a signature that indicates it is a post war crystal reproduction Perfume Bottle by Cristal Lalique. What makes that so great is in the auction description they again say it’s an R. Lalique Perfume Bottle and add some gravitas by stating “… it is signed.” Taken by itself, that last quote is true, it’s just too bad it isn’t signed R. Lalique. We can already see the next ad: “Get your signed Picasso Painting?” And you look and see the painting is signed “Renaissance Antiques”.
UPDATE August 14, 2011: Get Your R. Lalique Drinking Glasses oops Vases!!
 In August of 2011 Dounial put up at auction two different listings for Marienthal drinking glasses but advertised them as vases! Hmmmm, wonder what the motive was for that. Get your “MAGNIFICENT 1927 R LALIQUE AMBER MARIENTHAL VASE”, and don’t worry if you have a strange urge to use it for a soda or even a mixed drink!! Here are the cached versions **** of the two listings: Dounial Ebay Vase 1 and Ebay Dounial Vase 2! What will he think of next?
Oh yea, don’t drink the flowers.
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UPDATE September 24, 2011
Get Your R. Lalique damaged perfume bottle oops Bud Vase!!
 
“SPECTACULAR R. LALIQUE BUD VASE WITH NUDES”
The Ebay item, the “BUD VASE” which is shown above and to the left, appears to be an Ambre Antique Perfume Bottle that is missing the stopper, the entire rim, the neck, and more. Compare that to the Ambre Antique Rene Lalique Perfume Bottle made for Coty on the right! Pity the unsuspecting vase buyer. Get your one of a kind, newly discovered R. Lalique Bud Vase, so rare, it’s not documented as a vase, but it is signed 🙂
UPDATE December 17, 2011
The Buffalo Bill Cody Perfume Bottle!
“MAGNIFICENT C.1920 R. LALIQUE PERFUME BOTTLE MADE FOR THE CODY COMPANY”
 Yes friends, who knew Buffalo Bill Cody was in the perfume business?
Yet another exciting discovery brought to you by Dunial of Renaissnce Antiques on Ebay! And as usual, the best thing about this bottle; the mark of authenticity is ” …… it is also signed.” Now that’s comforting. Too bad it’s not signed R. Lalique of course, but rest assured ” …… it is also signed.”
Here’s a link to the cached version of an Ebay Listing where you’ll see someone bought the thing for $199!
If anyone has any documentation that the Buffalo Bill Bottle is an authentic R. Lalique Perfume Bottle as represented in the advertisement, please forward it to us. Or if anyone has an old photo of Buffalo Bill holding this bottle, please send that to us also. 🙂
UPDATE April 28, 2012: Get Your Lalique Studios Penguin Paperweight!!
 Just when you thought you’d seen everything, here’s a link to the cached version**** of a great Naim Bouchareb listing for a penguin paperweight made by Zellique Studios. If you take a look at the listing, you’ll see it’s signed Zellique Studios! But Dounial decided to sell it as Lalique Studios! You cannot make this stuff up. We also include a link to an Ebay listing from someone that properly identified the paperweight (by reading the clear signature on the piece), sold it as Zellique, and got more money with a truthful advertisement than Mr. Bouchareb did passing the thing off as Lalique. You can draw your own conclusions about what pays and what does not pay.
And the band plays on.
*** Wendy’s was founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1969 by one of the great (and regretfully late) American Entrepreneurs, Dave Thomas. There is a persistent and widespread story going around that he named the restaurant chain after his daughter Wendy. But he didn’t have a daughter named Wendy! His daughter’s name was Melinda Lou. Of course at a young age she couldn’t pronounce her own name, and got the nickname Wendy, a name she could pronounce, which makes the whole story true enough. To think we’ve really been eating at Melinda Lou’s all this time.
****You may have to use the zoom function of your browser (or whatever program opens images for you) to get the cached image to expand in the window if it does not appear full size. After clicking on the link to the item, a new window will open with the cached image in it. On a Mac, just click on the image and see if that expands it. If not, press the apple key and click on the cached image in your browser window. On a PC, hold down the alt key while clicking on the cached image.
October 23rd, 2010 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version
January 10, 2011 Update: Switched Roses Box Link to Cached Image Version
July 18, 2011 Update: Added paragraph to discuss current offering of a modern crystal perfume bottles as R. Lalique Circa 1945.
August 14, 2011 Update: Added paragraph to discuss offering Marienthal drinking glasses as vases.
August 15, 2011 Update: Updated links. Switched Marienthal drinking glass listings to Cached Image Versions. Both sold listings strangely disappeared from Ebay already. Dounial had also re-listed what appeared to be the same yellow amber Marienthal Glass (the “vase” that had just sold?) and that re-listing also disappeared. We also updated the Clairefontaine Perfume link to the Cached Image Version from our July update, as this listing also disappeared from Ebay along with the aforementioned other listings.
December 23, 2011 Update: Switched Bud Vase / Damaged Perfume Bottle link to Cached Image Version
April 28, 2012 Update: Added modern Zelique Studios Penguin Dounial sold as R.Lalique and switched the Wild Bill Cody Perfume Bottle link to the cached version.
Tags: R Lalique and Rene Lalique Fakes-Copies-Frauds, R Lalique and Rene Lalique Sellers, Rene Lalique Car Mascots and R Lalique Car Mascots, Rene Lalique Paperweights - Lalique Paperweights, Suspicious RLalique-R Lalique-Rene Lalique Auctions
Posted in R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication Identification, R Lalique and Rene Lalique Fakes-Copies-Frauds | 1 Comment »
Lalique Bacchantes Vase: Post-War Opalescent Cristal Lalique Bacchantes Vase At Roadshow
May 2nd, 2010
 The modern Lalique Company has reproduced the Rene Lalique Bacchantes Vase in crystal basically continuously since production of Lalique crystal began after the end of World War II. These crystal reproductions have continued to bring this iconic Rene Lalique design into the homes of tens of thousands of people worldwide even to this day.
The Bacchantes Vase has been reproduced most commonly in clear and frosted crystal, but also yellow amber and gray colored crystal as well.
Unfortunately, some of these modern crystal vases have appeared with altered signatures and sometimes added patinas to be passed off as original R Lalique Bacchantes Vases. By far the most common vase seen in this altered state has been the clear and frosted version. And this has created problems for unsuspecting collectors of the works of the great Rene Lalique.
But little known is the fact that the Bacchantes was also reproduced after the death of Rene Lalique in opalescent crystal, appearing with the signature LALIQUE CRISTAL FRANCE! Pictured here is just such a vase and two photos of the signature. One of these crystal opalescent versions appeared at the U.S. Antiques Roadshow in August 2003 in Oklahoma City that aired in March of 2004, and we thought bringing this to your attention would be a good opportunity to talk about the existence of these crystal reproductions and give a little information and advice about what to look out for.
A modern opalescent Bacchantes Vase has also appeared with a typical script Lalique France signature, and bearing all the other signs of post-war production as discussed below.
The hallmark of the post-war crystal reproduction Bacchantes is that the bottom of the vase is flat and does not have the concave (indented) center section to the underside of the base that is found on original Rene Lalique Bacchantes. This is the key point to look out for. R. Lalique collectors should avoid any flat bottom Bacchantes Vase no matter what the signature says.
But the next point: It is possible to alter a flat bottom vase and polish out a concave center section to the underside of the base. It’s a lot of work and will involve some expense and some risk, but the stakes are high, with the original R Lalique vases being worth much more than the post-war crystal reproductions. At the time this article was originally written it said: “We have not seen such a vase, but technically it is possible and just something to keep in mind.” However, we have seen several such vases in the years since this article originally appeared. We have seen modern colored Bacchantes that were altered by experienced glass workers from the Alsace region of France, including making the bottoms concave and adding forged pre-war signatures. The perpetrators were apparently caught but not until after some number of forged Bacchantes had made their way to the market. Those expertly altered and forged vases are almost certainly still out there in various collections and will appear in the future.
And the fact that experienced glass workers knew to alter the bottoms to make them concave to be convincing as pre-war? That kind of proves our point.
 Once you are past the flat bottom (see photo on left for an authentic Rene Lalique Glass Bacchantes Vase concave underside), all the regular general rules of evaluation apply. Three sample criteria to keep in mind are:
1. Crystal is heavier than glass, and it feels different. Your best defense is to have handled thousands of pieces of R Lalique so you might know just by handling if you have an original glass version, or a later crystal reproduction.
2. An equally good defense, especially with the amounts of money involved, is to hire an independent reputable Rene Lalique Expert Consultant to evaluate or locate potential purchases. Getting independent advice from a reputable source flows nicely to our third sample criteria:
3. Deal with an honest and competent seller!!! Dealing with an honest and competent seller is not the end of all potential problems, but if you have a choice, an honest and competent seller is the way to go. Not starting out every purchase having to think about how the seller is trying to get one over on you* does provide some assurance and makes the collecting experience a lot more enjoyable. Of course when buying online or making one-off purchases thru similar methods, you may not know much about the seller and we highly recommend in any event getting as educated as you can and spending your time focusing on the item you plan to purchase.
But if you know your seller or dealer makes a living selling R Lalique, then you definitely want to be dealing with someone that is both honest and competent. And when you combine dealing with an honest and competent seller with getting independent expert advice from a reputable consultant, you have drastically reduced the chance to have regrets and you are much more likely to obtain high quality examples at fair prices and build a great collection in a much more pleasant way.
And if you want to know more about Lalique Crystal, the crystal items made after the death of Rene Lalique, a good starting point is the Lalique Crystal section of the Rene Lalique Biography at RLalique.com. There you’ll find links to all the information on RLalique.com about Lalique Crystal, and also a link to the website of the modern crystal maker Lalique S.A.
*to get one over on you – to try and slip something by you, to dupe, trick, fool, or deceive you. On the other side of the pond there are similar expressions with similar meanings in use in different parts of the country – “get over on you”, “to have you off”, or “to have you on” are three examples.
**strong suit – something at which one excels
Tags: Lalique Crystal - Cristal Lalique Company, R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication, R Lalique and Rene Lalique Fakes-Copies-Frauds, R Lalique Vases and Rene Lalique Vases, R Lalique Videos and Rene Lalique Videos
Posted in Articles of Interest to Collectors, R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication Identification | No Comments »
Fake R Lalique: The Fake Lalique Sauterelles “Grasshopper” Vase – The Quintessential Close Call
April 25th, 2010
 Fake Lalique is something that all collectors have to be on the lookout for. It’s something that is a problem to varying degrees in every collecting field. In the big scope of things, it’s much less of an issue with R Lalique than in many other areas of collecting, but it still is an issue to be on guard against.
Here is an Ebay listing that in a nutshell* is one of the most prevalent items passed off as the work of Rene Lalique. The stereotypical fake Sauterelles embodies not just ease of identifying fakes for a collector, but also the truth in the concept that “a little knowledge can be dangerous”**.
First, a link to the cached version of the Ebay listing: Ebay Item 140401627596. You may have to use the zoom function of your browser (or whatever program opens images for you) to get the cached image to expand in the window if it does not appear full size. After clicking on the link to the item, a new window will open with the cached image in it. On a Mac, just click on the image and see if that expands it. If not, press the apple key and click on the cached image in your browser window. On a PC, hold down the alt key while clicking on the cached image.. Fake as fake can be. This supposed Lalique Sauterelles Vase has all the elements. The too tall rim, the too thick rim, the crude finish, the bizarre color. And it has the added oomph of this claim “It was purchased at a Christies auction along with many other signed Lalique pieces.”
Likely, if you had this vase in hand, and you had handled thousands of pieces of R Lalique glass, you would know just from the feel when you picked it up that it’s a complete fake***. This is an easy one to spot no doubt.
 But consider the danger of knowing about this piece and thinking you know-it-all about the fake Lalique Sauterelles. Because just when you think, “Oh, I can spot that coming a mile away!” the makers may adapt their tactics and go to plans B and C. So like everything else in life, when you learn about something, you have to think about not just what you do know, but what you don’t yet know.
Plan B: Take a vase like the blue/purple Ebay one, pick a more believable color, and then polish up (well, really down) the rim, and get it in a closer and less crude shape to authentic examples. With a better color and a better rim, “first glance” and “mile away” may not put you on alert! See the photo of the Amber Sauterelles Vase above.
Plan C: Start over, use a better, closer to reality glass and finish, and adjust your mold and finish to produce from the get-go**** a better looking product that more closely matches the authentic pieces in color, size, rim, and glass composition. See the photo of the Blue Sauterelles Vase below. Now, many collectors might not know the difference even after inspection if they had not handled sufficient amounts of Lalique glass, or did not take caution in examining the vase. Compare the Blue and Amber Sauterelles photos to the blue/purple one from the Ebay listing and see the improvement in technique between models.
 While it is thought that these cruder and usually older fake Sauterelles Vases come from South America, the Plan C vases that we have seen have come from Europe! And of course, Plan B vases can come from anywhere from New York City to Buenos Aires.
So for the Ebay vase, what is one of the easiest copies to spot is also a lesson in what to think about once you have gained some knowledge. Not to bask in the glory of what you know, but to give some thought to what you don’t yet know!
As always, keep in mind that the knowledge or motive of the seller of one of these Fake Lalique items is almost totally irrelevant to you. Your concern is the piece and not the person. Don’t waste your time wondering too much about the seller. Spend your time wondering about the vase. This listing presents a great example of that. Here, the seller makes the Christies provenance representation. Even if they don’t have a receipt to prove it, even if Christies never sold a vase like this, the seller may have been told this by the person or place that they got the vase from. They might just be passing along what they believe to be true. Either way, who cares? The only issue for you as a collector is the authenticity of the vase and not the authenticity of the claims of the seller.
Also, many of these vases were not made with the intent to fool anyone. Someone may have copied the design because they liked it, not to sell it as something it is not. In the Ebay listing, the manufacturer of the vase did not sign it RLalique or whatever. It’s unsigned. So at least at that initial stage, there may have been no intent to deceive, just to copy! And today’s seller may believe everything written in the ad on Ebay. But again, your only concern is the piece in front of you, the here and now, and what you know to be the facts.
You’ll find links to all the information about Rene Lalique Fakes everywhere on RLalique.com in the Fake Lalique Section of the Rene Lalique Biography, including links to the Copies and Close Calls Section of the website where additional photos and information about Lalique Copies can be found including specific information on Fake Sauterelles Vases.
And if you need expert advice in your purchase decisions, take a look at the services offered at RLalique.com in the Lalique Expert Consulting Section of the website. Independent expert advice can and should pay huge dividends when making your purchase decisions. For typically a small percentage of what you are spending, it can prove invaluable in helping you buy with confidence and avoid regrets.
* “In a nutshell” is an old expression used by Shakespeare in the early 1600’s (“….O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell ……..” declares Hamlet) and by Pliny 1500 years before that (when he relates Cicero’s statement that the whole Iliad was written on a piece of parchment which might be put into a nutshell). It means a small space, or something small such as a concise explanation.
**”A little knowledge can be dangerous” – First used by Alexander Pope (1688 – 1744) in An Essay on Criticism, 1709: “A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again.”
*** A “complete fake”? This begs the question: What is the difference between a complete fake and a regular fake? The answer: You’ll know it when you see it.
**** Get-go or getgo is American expression, kind of a vernacular contraction without the apostrophe. It really just shortens up the phrase “get going” or the phrase “get ready, get set, go!”. It means the start or the beginning and is usually used with in the form “from the get-go”.
Tags: R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication, R Lalique and Rene Lalique Fakes-Copies-Frauds, R Lalique and Rene Lalique on Ebay, Suspicious RLalique-R Lalique-Rene Lalique Auctions
Posted in R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication Identification, R Lalique and Rene Lalique Auction News and Results | No Comments »
Rene Lalique Cire Perdue Vase at Auction: A Carefully Crafted Impression In A Non-Lalique Story
December 21st, 2009
Hi. I have a bridge to sell you. It’s a wonderful bridge clearly marked “Golden Gate”. It’s in excellent condition. I inherited it from my uncle who loved bridges and had a bridge collection. My uncle told me it’s a valuable and important bridge, and I have great respect for my uncle. I don’t know anything about bridges or the value of bridges, but out of respect for my uncle and the high esteem in which he held this bridge, I have put a price on it to honor his memory. Oh, the bridge sells “as is”, payment by wire transfer, no guarantees, no refunds, no returns.
And when the deed is done the bridge seller will shout to the rafters as Iago observes to Cassio in Shakespeare’s Othello: “As I am an honest man ..!” Maybe he is, who cares (see seller motivation discussion below).
We have received half a dozen inquiries here at World Headquarters about this crafty listing. Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 370308740347 listing online. You may have to use the zoom function of your browser (or whatever program opens images for you) to get the cached image to expand in the window if it does not appear full size. After clicking on the link to the item, a new window will open with the cached image in it. On a Mac, just click on the image and see if that expands it. If not, press the apple key and click on the cached image in your browser window. On a PC, hold down the alt key while clicking on the cached image. You have got to love some of this stuff; you have to love it!
 So keeping in mind that an analysis from photos is no substitute for having the piece in hand, here it is:
The vase does not appear to exhibit the variability of finish typically found in Cire Perdue. It seems frosted either with acid or sand, instead of being Cire Perdue glass. Look at the design close up in the photo of the signature.
The underside of the base is polished and flat. Everything from fingerprints to imperfections, to almost a look of glass flow in some areas, incorporated shards and other issues that you typically see when looking thru the base of a Cire Perdue vase are not evident in the photos of the polished solid base shown in the ad.
 So this is two different flags. We can’t say that no cire perdue vase would have a polished and flat underside as even the Oracle has not seen every last one of them. But totally polished and flat is not a hallmark of a Lalique Cire Perdue Vase base. Of course, if you had not ever had one in your hand, and were only working from a photo, how would you know what the underside of the vase should look like?
The extended base itself is not coherent with the vase, or typical of how Rene Lalique Cire Perdues are normally designed.
The signature from the photo is not typical of the period Cire Perdue signatures we have observed in person. It also differs from the signature on the known authentic original discussed below that is in the collection of the Musee des art decoratifs in Paris. And again, if you have not had Cire Perdue in your hand, you may not have access to what the signatures look like.
 The signature appears frosted-over in the photo. This would not be typical with Cire Perdue.
The vase appears in shape and in reality to be a mold pressed vase. Briefly, in a mold pressed vase such as Ceylon, or Rampillon or Bacchantes, the inside is normally nearly smooth, as the plunger under high pressure presses molten glass into the relief design and the area between the plunger and the metal mold also has glass in it, else there would not be contact to have the pressure on the glass to push it into the relief design part of the mold.
Also, the plunger has to come out of the mold after pressing, so mold pressed vases are typically shaped wider at the top than at the bottom in a tapered looking way. Of course, it is possible to have offshoots in the mold where glass can flow in solid, and you can even have a wider base, such as with the press mold vase Danaides.
In a mold blown vase, like a Cire Perdue vase, the glass blows out into the high relief areas, and they are generally “hollow” would be a good way to describe the inside of the relief design, with the shape of the inside of the vase mirroring the shape of the design of the outside. Put your fingers into any blown vase such as Six Figurines et Masques, or Sauterelles, and feel the design from the inside, something that you can’t typically do in a press mold vase. One other example to point you to on mold-blown vases is the famous Cire Perdue Exhibition Vase Huit Perruches that is shown in part in the Rene Lalique Bio here on the site. You can put your fingers into the birds from the inside of the vase, they are hollow not solid.
 Now, there can be what we’ll call dimples on the inside of design elements in a press mold vase with high relief, little dips behind high relief design elements. From surmise and not glassmaking experience, these little dimples could be caused by the extra thickness of the glass where the high relief design element is, that is thicker than the surrounding wall area of the vase. When the vase is taken from the mold at the proper time, the thick design area will be a bit hotter than the wall, and there can be a little bit of a dimple created by very minor glass flow in the hotter area. But this is not the same as basically hollow where you can feel the design from the inside.
The vase in the ad has basically solid relief design elements typical of a mold pressed vase.
And think about the purpose of press molding, high pressure in a metal mold. Not in a clay or plaster mold used for Cire Perdue, where the pressure would typically blow the mold apart.
The design of the vase in the ad appears to be a loose copy of the vase design from the Lalique Cire Perdue Vase Quatre Feuilles De Rhubarbe, CP14, that is at the Musee des arts decoratifs in Paris. This famous vase was bought by the museum directly from Rene Lalique in 1913. According to the 1991 Rene Lalique Exhibition Catalogue from the Musee that is available here in the Rene Lalique Books and Library Section on Lalique Exhibition and Museum Books, on the museum’s inventory documentation it is noted their vase is a “Unique Piece”. Hard to believe that Rene Lalique would sell this as a unique vase to the curators of the Musee des arts decoratifs, and then make a copy or near copy to sell to someone else.
 Note that we have this great museum book available in hardback, softback, English or French, new and nearly new. This book also has the included great photo of the famous authentic CP14 vase which you see here.
Obviously, analyses can differ, especially from photos. But between the great “bridge” language in the advertisement and the 10 or 12 points above, you should avoid the vase.
In the end, keep two things in focus. First, the motivation of the seller is irrelevant to you as a potential buyer. You only care what you know and what you get, not what the seller thinks or knows. It’s too much of a waste of time to worry about the motives or lack of motives of the seller. Worry about the piece! And two, in this instance the seller is not even claiming the vase is an RLalique vase, or that it’s a cire perdue vase, let alone an RLalique Cire Perdue vase. Maybe the ad is supposed to get you to make that conclusion on your own. Maybe not. Either way, we’ve concluded that the vase should be avoided!
UPDATE 12-23-09 and 2/1/10: The sellers canceled their listing after the appearance of this News and Blog article, removing all their photos and substituting bridge photos! Bridge photos! Guess which bridge! You have to love it! But they have now removed the bridge photos as well, so the only thing left is the Uncle story! END OF UPDATE
February 26th, 2010 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version
Tags: R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication, R Lalique Cire Perdue And Rene Lalique Cire Perdue, R Lalique Rene Lalique Auctions News and Results, R Lalique Vases and Rene Lalique Vases, Rene Lalique Museums: R Lalique Museum Collections
Posted in R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication Identification, R Lalique and Rene Lalique Fakes-Copies-Frauds | 1 Comment »
Rene Lalique Ashtray Lapin: Does Anyone Else Have An Eerie Feeling About This R Lalique Cendrier?
December 20th, 2009
A bit late in the season, but a Halloween ashtray on all levels!
And this from the 100% Positive Feedback “Cowtown USA” seller’s description:” …. THE DISH HAS A CHIP ON THE TOP OF THE LAPINS HEAD …..HARDLY NOTICEABLE WHEN DISPLAYED…… ”
Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 160387582298 listing online. You may have to use the zoom function of your browser (or whatever program opens images for you) to get the cached image to expand in the window if it does not appear full size. After clicking on the link to the item, a new window will open with the cached image in it. On a Mac, just click on the image and see if that expands it. If not, press the apple key and click on the cached image in your browser window. On a PC, hold down the alt key while clicking on the cached image.
What a great color! For more information, visit the Rene Lalique Tailor Shop where you’ll find other common R Lalique alterations or damages to look out for.
Oh yea, we almost forgot. If anyone has any comments about this piece, we’re all ears!
February 26th, 2010 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version
Tags: R Lalique and Rene Lalique Alterations
Posted in R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication Identification, R Lalique and Rene Lalique Auction News and Results | 1 Comment »
Rene Lalique Jewelry: R Lalique Brooch Le Baiser – A Lalique Kiss – An RLalique Hug – And The RLalique.com Daily Mail
October 18th, 2009
Rene Lalique’s jewelry and all his original works have created a great public interest around the globe. As a result, every day mail pours into RLalique.com World Headquarters with people interested in everything from R Lalique Identification or authentication, to wanting to purchase something or track down a piece they have been looking for, or to talk about the Rene Lalique Sellers Services we offer, or wanting some Rene Lalique Consulting or looking for an R Lalique Appraisal; the emails and the reasons for them run the gamut of just about anything you can imagine to do with the great Rene Lalique.
We thought we’d publish one of our many email exchanges from this week to give you a glimpse of some of the goings on here at the desert hub of worldwide RLalique activity. From this email exchange, you might think we have WAY too much free time, but nothing could be further from the truth!
We’ve made minor edits to remove the identity of the RLalique.com Enthusiast, and to add photos and links for the benefit our RLalique.com Blog readers.
The Email Question:
 “Hey there,
Ok, you guys may be my last hope of finding an answer I’ve been looking so long for. About approximately 16 or 17 years ago we had at our Dallas Museum of Art, a fantastic Lalique exhibit. One of the items was a brooch of a man & woman just about to kiss. It must have been made of frosted crystal. It looked like a piece of carved ice. It was beautiful. But engraved around the edge of the brooch were words. Beautiful words that I thought I’d never forget. The words were just a short phrase. But now, I cannot remember what they said. This is my question. Do you know how I can find out what the words say? In my recent searches, I see they have mimicked this brooch on a perfume bottle. It seems the brooch may be called Le Baiser brooch (1904) If I knew at the time it would be so hard to remember I would have wrote it down at the time…. Can you help me?”
Our Reply:
 Hi RLalique.com Enthusiast. Thanks for contacting us and for visiting our website.
The brooch “Le Baiser”. This seems like a tough question. But, we have the answer!!!!!
The brooch you are asking about is owned by the Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris… having been donated to them in 1960.
It was lent by them in 1998 to the 3 city exhibition “The Jewels of Lalique” that was in NY at the Cooper-Hewitt, and in DC at the Smithsonian, and then in Dallas the last couple months of 1998 ending on January 10th, 1999 which is where you saw it.
The brooch also was in Japan in 2000-2001 at a huge exhibition of RLalique held there at 3 locations including in Tokyo at the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum that we talked about in the Blog a couple months ago… which is the former residence of Prince Asaka and which contains the great Lalique Doors!
AND, most importantly, it appears in the book Lalique Par Lalique, the smaller early edition from 1977/1983, where they discuss the inscription that is enameled on the edge!
“Je reve aux baisers qui demeurent toujours” ….. I dream of kisses eternal! Or ….. I dream of kisses which stay forever!*
And so do we!
Best Regards,
RLalique.com
PS – It is amazing what you can put together in a few minutes when you are sitting in the middle of The Rene Lalique Books and Library room! (End of Reply)
This brooch was donated to the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in 1960 by a son of Rene Lalique named Rene Le Mesnil. You can read about it in the Lalique Jewelry section of the Lalique Biography here on the website.
 Seriously, we know how the ancients felt when they walked into Ptolemy’s great Library at Alexandria! Ok, not that “seriously”, but you get the point
And of course, the Lalique Exhibition Catalogues for the exhibitions mentioned in our reply and shown in photos here are obviously available in the Rene Lalique Books and Library section here on the website. They will be found in what is by far the largest selection of Lalique Exhibition Books and Catalogues for sale anywhere in the world. The Lalique Par Lalique book mentioned in our email reply is also in the Library in the section on Modern Lalique Books, where similarly, you will find it among what is by far world’s largest selection of post war books on Rene Lalique and his works.
And don’t forget when you are traveling, to check out our extensive list of Lalique Museum Collections around the world. Wherever you go, you won’t be far from some great R Lalique items.
Now here is the reply (verbatim) from the RLalique.com Enthusiast!
Amazing!!!
You guys are my HERO!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much….
..I would give you a hug!!!!!!
So here’s a cyber HUG !!!!
Thank you (End of Reply)
Hmmmm, we never got a cyber hug before! But it’s greatly appreciated!
And now you know, not just a little more about Rene Lalique, you also know that the Testimonial Page here at RLalique.com likely contains just a small sampling of the great responses and reactions we’ve had from our global readership to the concept of our website!
Finally, having received our first cyber hug, we will leave you with this thought:
Nous rêvons aux étreintes qui demeurent toujours” ….. We dream of hugs eternal!
*Based on reader input we altered the 2nd translation changing the word “last” to the word “stay”.
Tags: R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication, R Lalique Exhibitions and Rene Lalique Exhibitions, R Lalique Rene Lalique Exhibitions Sales Catalogs, Rene Lalique Jewelry and R Lalique Jewelry
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R Lalique Guarantee: A Good Rene Lalique Laugh! That Lalique Dog Won’t Hunt!
June 13th, 2009
 Lalique Glass Dog: “Garanteed” 75 Years Old AND “correctly” signed R Lalique! Correctly! We love it. It’s really important when you sign these things, that you do it “correctly”!!! Is this the greatest or what? Fraud and Funny – they’re both F words aren’t they?
“A Great Rene Lalique Crystal Scotty Dog”! “Garanteed (that’s right, it’s “GARANTEED”) 75 Years Old”! Does anyone know if a “GARANTEE” is the same thing as a guarantee? Seriously, why stop at 75 years? Why not go for 175 as long as you’re rolling in it? Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original Rene Lalique Fake At Auction listing online. You may have to use the zoom function of your browser (or whatever program opens images for you) to get the cached image to expand in the window if it does not appear full size. After clicking on the link to the item, a new window will open with the cached image in it. On a Mac, just press the apple key and click on the cached image in your browser window. On a PC, hold down the alt key while clicking on the cached image.
Grandpa (who wasn’t even from the South, but still had a bucket full of quaint expressions) used to say that you could write the word DOG on the side of a CAT but that wouldn’t make it bark! Well, what if you write R.Lalique on the side of a dog? Maybe the dog can do one of those O.J. “plaintive wail” sounds instead of a bark. Totally hilarious.
Another great thing about this crazy auction are the photos! They WATERMARKED the photos! Hmmmmmm ….. Don’t want anyone copying those great art photos and not giving credit where credit is due!
Then there’s this: “HE IS IN GREAT CONDITION FREE OF CHIPS OR CRACKS!” Well isn’t that a relief? Thankfully we won’t have to write the seller to ask about the condition, he’s got it right in the ad. Now we can bid with confidence!
This seller has all the bases covered boy. Protect the photos, issue the “garantee”, layout the condition right up front (is that “garanteed” too?), trumpet the age of the piece; all of this obviously after extensive research. Not missing a trick here, no way.
Of course, you’ll find this same dog pictured in our Rene Lalique Fakes Section, where it has been in residence not for 75 years, but for nearly 1 year!
We have only one more thing to say about this “Rene Lalique Scotty Dog”! Beam us up Scotty! Beam us up!
And for your info:
That Dog Won’t Hunt – at metaphordogs.org
And from Merriam-Websters.com Dictionary:
Plaintive – expressive of suffering or woe
Wail – to make a sound suggestive of a mournful cry
So “plaintive wail” is kind of an audible double dose of bad news….. That shoe fits pretty well.
August 21th, 2009 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version
Tags: R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication
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Lalique Glass Inkwell (Encrier) Cover: The Rene Lalique Cernay Inkwell At Auction: Sans Ink, Sans Well!
May 31st, 2009
 Rene Lalique Glass Cover to the R Lalique inkwell Cernay (Catalogue Raisonne Number 437) has appeared at auction advertised as a Small Lalique Glass Bowl! Hmmmmmm. A better caption to this photo would be: “How Do You Make The Bottom Of An Inkwell Disappear?” Now that’s a question the Oracle himself might ask! Inquiring minds might ask: How does the seller even know it’s Lalique glass?
The starting price is $0.99 (that’s ninety nine cents) and no reserve! Maybe the seller really is mrmeshugener! Seriously, this is the seller’s Ebay ID, we can’t make this stuff up!
 Here is a ink to a cached version of the Ebay Item: 320378153310***.
Several of the Rene Lalique Inkwells have plain covers that weren’t decorated. But the Cernay is one model where Lalique used the cover as an integral part of the design of the piece. So unlike some other R Lalique inkwell covers, this cover is not interchangeable with any other model inkwell.
 On the other hand, if you have the topless Lalique Inkwell Cernay shown above, and you match up the Cernay Cover from MrMeshugener, you will be in Cernay Heaven (hence the expression “A Match Made In Heaven”), as shown here!
Good luck, and if you get it all done, we’ll see you there, hopefully later rather than sooner.
***You may have to use the zoom function of your browser (or whatever program opens images for you) to get the cached image to expand in the window if it does not appear full size. After clicking on the link to the item, a new window will open with the cached image in it. On a Mac, just click on the image and see if that expands it. If not, press the apple key and click on the cached image in your browser window. On a PC, hold down the alt key while clicking on the cached image.
Tags: R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication, R Lalique and Rene Lalique on Ebay, Rene Lalique Inkwells and R Lalique Inkwells
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Rene Lalique Ashtray: R Lalique Deux Zephyrs Online: Listed as Lalique France – $5 – No Reserve
May 12th, 2009
 Rene Lalique’s early ashtray (cendrier) Deux Zephyrs appeared online at auction this morning. Listed as a Lalique France Coaster Open Salt and sporting a starting price of $5 and no reserve, it seems like a great opportunity to get one of the first of the R Lalique ashtrays at a fair price (but probably more than $5. 🙂 The ashtray is signed on the underside R. Lalique France as shown here and is circa 1913. The description indicates the ashtray is in pretty good condition with the seller having over 1400 feedbacks at 99.6% positive, and a set shipping price in the U.S. of under $6.
Update: The sellers canceled their original listing and have re-listed the item on Ebay to correct the errors in their description as item number 320370910728. It’s now $9.99 no reserve. The new auction expires May 19th.
Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original Rene Lalique Ashtray Deux Zephyrs listing online. You may have to use the zoom function of your browser (or whatever program opens images for you) to get the cached image to expand in the window if it does not appear full size. After clicking on the link to the item, a new window will open with the cached image in it. On a Mac, just press the apple key and click on the cached image in your browser window. On a PC, hold down the alt key while clicking on the cached image.
This item is also listed in our Rene Lalique Worldwide Auction Section.
July 19th, 2009 Update – Switched item link to cached version.
Tags: R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication, R Lalique and Rene Lalique on Ebay, R Lalique Rene Lalique Auctions News and Results, Rene Lalique Ashtrays and R Lalique Ashtrays
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Rene Lalique Green Gui Vases: What Would The Great Winston Say?
May 10th, 2009
 Rene Lalique Vases – The Unsigned Green Gui: “It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma;…” to borrow a phrase from Winston Churchill’s October 1939 Radio Broadcast about slightly more serious matters.
There have been many questions raised over the years about R Lalique Gui Vases and whether or not there is a copy or close call that should appear here in the appropriate place in the Rene Lalique Copies and Close Calls Section of this site. The issues center around low quality, feel and/or weight of the glass, color, and lack of signature.
And the immediate issue is the vase pictured here, which is Lot 2341 at Dumouchelles Auction House in Detroit on May 16th. This vase is cataloged as follows: ART GLASS VASE, CIRCA 1930, H 6 1/2″ Green bulbous glass with berry and leaf motif. Similar to Lalique. The reason for the cataloging in this manner, according to the auction house, was the lack of signature.
No one here at RLalique.com World Headquarters has ever had a Gui in hand that was adjudged a fake. But with recent events combining to raise multiple Gui Vase authenticity questions on several fronts, only one of which was the pictured vase, discussions were held among Oracles. Two different accounts in two different conversations about two different vases were given, both of which involved low quality Green Gui vases being marketed as the work of Rene Lalique. In each case, the reconnoiter had handled the vase they were describing and felt separately from knowing the other’s story or opinion on a separate Green Gui, that it was highly likely that they had a fake in their hand!
 As most purchasers and collectors would rightfully be thrilled to have the consultation of either of these Oracles, we relay to you this caution: At least for Green Gui Vases that are unmarked, or that are marked with patently spurious signatures, proceed with care. There are obviously good legitimate Green Gui Vases, and the one pictured may very well be one of them. So each vase has to be checked out. But if you see the particular example in person, and have reasons to raise questions (the feel of glass, the weight, the mold quality, the color, the signature), then you might want to pass and leave the leap to others.
As further information becomes available, we will pass it on to you. If any of our readers in the Detroit area sees and handles this vase in person, we’d like to hear your observations. And if anyone out there has additional information on any Gui Vase that they consider questionable, or any other information that would be helpful in clearing the fog of Gui Vase history from the lenses of our reading glasses, please contact us, so we can spread the word.
Tags: R Lalique - Rene Lalique Authentication, R Lalique Rene Lalique Auctions News and Results
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