The Luxury of Rene Lalique: Unique Drawings and Objects: 1900-1930, is the title of a wonderful selling exhibition of the works of the great Rene Lalique being held at San Francisco’s world renowned Montgomery Gallery to coincide with the major exhibition of the works of Lalique, Faberge and Tiffany at San Francisco’s Legion of Honor Museum (see previous post for details). The exhibition represents the largest assemblage of original Rene Lalique drawings ever shown together in the United States. In addition, there are wonderful glass objects including an Amber Suzanne Statue, and both Suzanne and Thais Statues in opalescent glass. The Montgomery Gallery has a great international reputation and is an extremely high quality place to showcase Lalique’s works. Additional information is available by calling the gallery at 415-788-8300. The exhibition is now open and runs through March 28th. It adds yet another reason to visit San Francisco this Spring (so says the Oracle)!
Archive for the ‘R Lalique and Rene Lalique History’ Category
Rene Lalique Exhibition Opens at Montgomery Gallery in San Francisco Featuring 20 Original Rene Lalique Drawings!
February 26th, 2009
Who Bought 30 TONS of R Lalique Glass? A “Castle In The Air” and An American Success Story!
January 10th, 2009
In 1906, James Oviatt left Salt Lake City and headed to Los Angeles to make his fortune. 5 years later in 1911, he partnered up with Frank Alexander to create what would become THE high end fashionable clothing store in Los Angeles: Alexander and Oviatt.
Oviatt traveled extensively buying fabrics and keeping up with fashions worldwide to bring his clients the latest and greatest from around the world. 1925 saw Oviatt at the Paris Exposition, where he gave the great Rene Lalique a commission to fabricate the architectural glass for his planned Oviatt Building in Los Angeles, which was to become the first Art Deco building in the city. More than 30 tons of glass made for the new Oviatt Building were shipped thru the Panama Canal and installed all over the 12 story building.
Lalique also created a perfume bottle to commemorate the opening of the building, the distinctive “Le Parfum Des Anges” which is pictured below.
And Oviatt also ordered custom tableware from Lalique, monogrammed with his initials for use in the penthouse. Only a few pieces of this tableware are known to have survived.
Oviatt and his wife lived on the top of the building, in a 10 room penthouse with two floors of outdoor terraces that became famous not just for the parties and the celebrities that frequently visited there, but also for the magnificent R Lalique glass which can still be found there to this day. The Penthouse terraces had a pool, tennis courts, a sand beach, a putting green, and gardens. Everyone from Howard Hughes to Errol Flynn frequented the penthouse. It was in its day, and it remains 80 years later, an amazing place. The Oviatts lived in the penthouse for nearly 50 years until the mid 70’s.
Recently, the penthouse has been magnificently restored, and can be rented for weddings, parties, etc. The original roof top pool is gone, but you can party there both indoors and out with no curfew on your live music. Rumor is that the penthouse is also rented from time to time by LA celebs wanting privacy and an in town get-away. Here is a link to a Video Tour of the Oviatt Penthouse (sorry, it’s from TV Bride, showing the penthouse as a place to rent for a wedding :)!
As the building is in the National Register of Historic Places, here is a link to added information at the LA Conservancy. And here is a video about the Modern History of the Oviatt Building. And finally, here is a link to a very Detailed History Of The Building. It is possible to get a tour of the Penthouse under certain circumstances. The Oviatt is an LA Landmark, an Iconic Art Deco Structure, and a lasting testament to the work of Rene Lalique! If you’re in LA and decide to inquire either at the Oviatt or at the Conservancy, don’t forget to tell them you read about it here, at RLalique.com!
In 1906, James Oviatt left Salt Lake City and headed to Los Angeles to make his fortune. 5 years later in 1911, he partnered up with Frank Alexander to create what would become THE high end fashionable clothing store in Los Angeles: Alexander and Oviatt.
Oviatt traveled extensively buying fabrics and keeping up with fashions worldwide to bring his clients the latest and greatest from around the world. 1925 saw Oviatt at the Paris Exposition, where he gave the great Rene Lalique a commission to fabricate the architectural glass for his planned Oviatt Building in Los Angeles, which was to become the first Art Deco building in the city. More than 30 tons of glass made for the new Oviatt Building were shipped thru the Panama Canal and installed all over the 12 story building.
Lalique also created a perfume bottle to commemorate the opening of the building, the distinctive “Le Parfum Des Anges” which is pictured below.
And Oviatt also ordered custom tableware from Lalique, monogrammed with his initials for use in the penthouse. Only a few pieces of this tableware are known to have survived.
Oviatt and his wife lived on the top of the building, in a 10 room penthouse with two floors of outdoor terraces that became famous not just for the parties and the celebrities that frequently visited there, but also for the magnificent R Lalique glass which can still be found there to this day. The Penthouse terraces had a pool, tennis courts, a sand beach, a putting green, and gardens. Everyone from Howard Hughes to Errol Flynn frequented the penthouse. It was in its day, and it remains 80 years later, an amazing place. The Oviatts lived in the penthouse for nearly 50 years until the mid 70’s.
Recently, the penthouse has been magnificently restored, and can be rented for weddings, parties, etc. The original roof top pool is gone, but you can party there both indoors and out with no curfew on your live music. Rumor is that the penthouse is also rented from time to time by LA celebs wanting privacy and an in town get-away. Here is a link to a Video Tour of the Oviatt Penthouse (sorry, it’s from TV Bride, showing the penthouse as a place to rent for a wedding :)!
As the building is in the National Register of Historic Places, here is a link to added information at the LA Conservancy. And here is a video about the Modern History of the Oviatt Building. And finally, here is a link to a very Detailed History Of The Building. It is possible to get a tour of the Penthouse under certain circumstances. The Oviatt is an LA Landmark, an Iconic Art Deco Structure, and a lasting testament to the work of Rene Lalique! If you’re in LA and decide to inquire either at the Oviatt or at the Conservancy, don’t forget to tell them you read about it here, at RLalique.com!
The Godfather Box Appears
November 15th, 2008
For those Marlon Brando fans out there, the appearance of the seldom seen R. Lalique Du Barry box coming up at auction on November 19th, and which is referred to in certain esoteric circles as “The Godfather Box”, brings back fond memories of what was perhaps Brando’s greatest modern movie role. The box appeared in the original Godfather Movie released in 1972 (was it that long ago – 48 years as of 2020?) in a bit of a cameo appearance. A Du Barry is coming up for sale at Kodner Galleries in Florida. Most times you see this box with the cover missing (go figure!), but this one is apparently complete. Next time you see the original movie, watch for it! And when you contact Kodner Galleries, don’t forget to tell them you saw this great R Lalique box here, at RLalique.com. And for all the information we have about the Du Barry Box including many sale examples plus a link to the movie clip showing the box with Brando, see the Du Barry Box Model Page in the Rene Lalique Catalogue.
Original Date: 11-2008.
Updated: 11-2020.
For those Marlon Brando fans out there, the appearance of the seldom seen R. Lalique Du Barry box coming up at auction on November 19th, and which is referred to in certain esoteric circles as “The Godfather Box”, brings back fond memories of what was perhaps Brando’s greatest modern movie role. The box appeared in the original Godfather Movie released in 1972 (was it that long ago – 48 years as of 2020?) in a bit of a cameo appearance. A Du Barry is coming up for sale at Kodner Galleries in Florida. Most times you see this box with the cover missing (go figure!), but this one is apparently complete. Next time you see the original movie, watch for it! And when you contact Kodner Galleries, don’t forget to tell them you saw this great R Lalique box here, at RLalique.com. And for all the information we have about the Du Barry Box including many sale examples plus a link to the movie clip showing the box with Brando, see the Du Barry Box Model Page in the Rene Lalique Catalogue.
Original Date: 11-2008.
Updated: 11-2020.
Lalique Friend Georges Clairin Watercolor Sells Well At Sothebys
November 12th, 2008
The Georges Clairin Watercolor, approximately 12″ by 9″, inscribed with the artist’s name and the dedication “a mon ami Lalique” (to my friend Lalique), and discussed in a previous post in this R Lalique Blog, sold at Sotheby’s London today, November 12th, for £11,000 plus 25% buyer’s premium of £2750 for a total price of £13,750, or roughly $21,000 at today’s exchange rates, all against an estimate of £6,000 to £8,000. A strong result for a great looking art nouveau watercolor with an extremely close tie to the great Rene Lalique. Hopefully, the buyer let ’em know that they saw it here, at RLalique.com!
Check out the Rene Lalique Biography for more information about the great Rene Lalique.
The Georges Clairin Watercolor, approximately 12″ by 9″, inscribed with the artist’s name and the dedication “a mon ami Lalique” (to my friend Lalique), and discussed in a previous post in this R Lalique Blog, sold at Sotheby’s London today, November 12th, for £11,000 plus 25% buyer’s premium of £2750 for a total price of £13,750, or roughly $21,000 at today’s exchange rates, all against an estimate of £6,000 to £8,000. A strong result for a great looking art nouveau watercolor with an extremely close tie to the great Rene Lalique. Hopefully, the buyer let ’em know that they saw it here, at RLalique.com!
Check out the Rene Lalique Biography for more information about the great Rene Lalique.
When is a great Rene Lalique item NOT RLalique? One is coming up!!
October 20th, 2008
On Wednesday November 12th in London, at Sothebys Sale of European Paintings, is a great 9″ by 12″ watercolor and gouache on paper by the famous French artist Georges Clairin, a contemporary and friend of the great Rene Lalique, as well as their mutual friend and Rene Lalique patron, Sarah Bernhardt. This wonderful watercolor was a gift from Clairin to Rene Lalique. It is inscribed by the artist…. “mon ami Lalique”….. my friend Lalique. The style of this 1899 watercolor is quintessential Art Nouveau, with the woman in profile having hair of seaweed and shells. What a spectacular lot; a wonderful period item that would add biographical, historical, and scholarly depth to any serious RLalique collection. And it’s a great looking watercolor. NOT Rlalique, but still Rene Lalique. What the heck, we listed it in our RLalique at Auction Section.
On Wednesday November 12th in London, at Sothebys Sale of European Paintings, is a great 9″ by 12″ watercolor and gouache on paper by the famous French artist Georges Clairin, a contemporary and friend of the great Rene Lalique, as well as their mutual friend and Rene Lalique patron, Sarah Bernhardt. This wonderful watercolor was a gift from Clairin to Rene Lalique. It is inscribed by the artist…. “mon ami Lalique”….. my friend Lalique. The style of this 1899 watercolor is quintessential Art Nouveau, with the woman in profile having hair of seaweed and shells. What a spectacular lot; a wonderful period item that would add biographical, historical, and scholarly depth to any serious RLalique collection. And it’s a great looking watercolor. NOT Rlalique, but still Rene Lalique. What the heck, we listed it in our RLalique at Auction Section.
Cleveland Museum Exhibition with Fabulous R.Lalique – An Inside Look – Some Great Stuff!
October 6th, 2008
Here is a link to the Blog of Stephen Harrison, the Curator of Decorative Art and Design at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The museum is putting on a great Exhibition which opens October 19th on the works of Rene Lalique, Tiffany, and Faberge. The Exhibit is titled: Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Tiffany, Lalique. It focuses on the early 1900’s work of the three named artists. Steve has a blog which contains some great tidbits of info, lots of photos, and which also links to a series of short videos on the work involved in setting up the Exhibition. Some great RLalique stuff throughout. More information about the Exhibition is contained in an RLalique.Com Blog Post We Did The First Week of August when we were just getting started. This info is well worth checking out for all admirers of Rene Lalique (and those other two guys that are also represented at the Exhibition), though suffering thru the short intro ad to each of the videos is not pleasant :).
And for more information, you can find out about all the exhibition resources at RLalique.com by visiting the Lalique Exhibitions section of the Rene Lalique Biography.
Here is a link to the Blog of Stephen Harrison, the Curator of Decorative Art and Design at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The museum is putting on a great Exhibition which opens October 19th on the works of Rene Lalique, Tiffany, and Faberge. The Exhibit is titled: Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Tiffany, Lalique. It focuses on the early 1900’s work of the three named artists. Steve has a blog which contains some great tidbits of info, lots of photos, and which also links to a series of short videos on the work involved in setting up the Exhibition. Some great RLalique stuff throughout. More information about the Exhibition is contained in an RLalique.Com Blog Post We Did The First Week of August when we were just getting started. This info is well worth checking out for all admirers of Rene Lalique (and those other two guys that are also represented at the Exhibition), though suffering thru the short intro ad to each of the videos is not pleasant :).
And for more information, you can find out about all the exhibition resources at RLalique.com by visiting the Lalique Exhibitions section of the Rene Lalique Biography.
Rene Lalique Biography Video With Crystal Lalique Executive Gerard Tavenas
August 19th, 2008
Here is a great short Rene Lalique Biography and History video interview with Gerard Tavenas. This is an informative video, mixing historical information about Rene Lalique with current video of modern crystal making today. You can find out more about Rene Lalique on our Rene Lalique Biography Page.
If for any reason the video does not appear, here is a LINK to it.
Here is a great short Rene Lalique Biography and History video interview with Gerard Tavenas. This is an informative video, mixing historical information about Rene Lalique with current video of modern crystal making today. You can find out more about Rene Lalique on our Rene Lalique Biography Page.
If for any reason the video does not appear, here is a LINK to it.
Cleveland Museum of Art Exhibit – Lalique Tiffany, Faberge
August 8th, 2008
The Cleveland Museum of Art is having an Exhibition titled Artistic Luxury: Faberge Tiffany Lalique. The Exhibition will go from October 19, 2008 to January 18, 2008. The Museum just acquired the famous Frogs Vase (Grenouilles Et Nenuphars circa 1912) shown here, which was sold at auction at Christies in New York in December 2006. Here is a link to the information about the exhibition on the Cleveland Museum of Art Website, where you will be able to get further information as it becomes available.
The Cleveland Museum of Art is having an Exhibition titled Artistic Luxury: Faberge Tiffany Lalique. The Exhibition will go from October 19, 2008 to January 18, 2008. The Museum just acquired the famous Frogs Vase (Grenouilles Et Nenuphars circa 1912) shown here, which was sold at auction at Christies in New York in December 2006. Here is a link to the information about the exhibition on the Cleveland Museum of Art Website, where you will be able to get further information as it becomes available.
Lalique Jewelry Exhibition at Boston Museum of Fine Arts Showcasing Lalique’s Art Nouveau Designs
July 23rd, 2008
An amazing exhibition of Art Nouveau jewelry, including more than 40 pieces of Rene Lalique Jewelry opened at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts on July 23rd this year, and will run thru November 9, 2008. The exhibit will later travel to the Cincinnati Art Museum and be on display there from November 1, 2009, until the end of February 2010. Though Rene Lalique is properly the star of the show and the most heavily represented jeweler, this exhibition features a total of over 100 pieces of fabulous period jewelry including works by Fouquet, Feuillatre, Gaillard, Louis Zorra, and American designers Frank Gardner Hale, F. Walter Lawrence and Tiffany. For added info, see the museum website at www.mfa.org and go to the exhibitions menu selection. Also, you can read at this link, an Article About The Exhibition in the Boston Globe.
An amazing exhibition of Art Nouveau jewelry, including more than 40 pieces of Rene Lalique Jewelry opened at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts on July 23rd this year, and will run thru November 9, 2008. The exhibit will later travel to the Cincinnati Art Museum and be on display there from November 1, 2009, until the end of February 2010. Though Rene Lalique is properly the star of the show and the most heavily represented jeweler, this exhibition features a total of over 100 pieces of fabulous period jewelry including works by Fouquet, Feuillatre, Gaillard, Louis Zorra, and American designers Frank Gardner Hale, F. Walter Lawrence and Tiffany. For added info, see the museum website at www.mfa.org and go to the exhibitions menu selection. Also, you can read at this link, an Article About The Exhibition in the Boston Globe.
