R Lalique Cire Perdue Wasp Vase by Rene Lalique

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Posts Tagged ‘R Lalique Rene Lalique Auctions News and Results’

Lalique Auctions: Christies Rene Lalique Results At The Semi-Annual Lalique Sale Are Very Strong

November 13th, 2009

Rene Lalique Vase Salmonides in Opalescent GlassRene Lalique Auction Results for Christies South Kensington’s Semi-Annual Lalique Sale were very strong! Lalique auction items exceeded estimates and once again marked another in a string of very strong auction sales for the works of the great Rene Lalique.

The Lalique sale totaled ₤450,012 or approximately $750,000 U.S. including buyer’s premiums. Note that all prices mentioned in this article include the buyer’s premium, and all dollar conversions are approximate.

Rene Lalique Vase Archers in Frosted GlassOur man in the room reported that bidding was fast and furious on most lots, with the highly estimated pieces attracting the most attention from a trio of different phone bidders. Trade and collectors in the room competed heavily on the mid and low estimated items, but found the phone bidding competition, which ran many of the most expensive items past their high estimates, to be too much to compete with as prices soared. When all was said and done, many participants left with tired arms and no purchases!

Here is a summary of the 17 R Lalique auction lots that made $10,000 or more:

Rene Lalique Vase Penthievre in Amber GlassThe first lot to go over $10,000 was Lot 6, the large Sirene Opalescent Bowl. It sold for ₤7,500 ($12,500) against a pre-sale estimate of ₤3,500 to ₤4,500. The vase Salmonides was the next RLalique item to go over 10K. Selling as Lot 17, it made ₤32,450 or about $54,500 against a pre-sale estimate of ₤15,000 to ₤20,000. This would be the second Opalescent Salmonides in as many years to make over $50,000 at South Kensington. A fitting price redux for a striking high relief vase model. It was also the high selling RLalique lot in the sale.

The vase Archers in clear and frosted glass, surprised the crowd as Lot 33, making ₤7,250 or about $12,000 against a pre-sale estimate of ₤3,000 to ₤5,000. It was quickly followed by Lot 34, the Rene Lalique Vase Dryades, which made ₤6,875 or approximately $11,500, exceeding the pre-sale estimate of ₤3,000 to ₤5,000. For “three in a row” over the $10,000 figure, Lot 35, a frosted Bacchantes Vase matched the Archers at ₤7,250 ($12,000).

Rene Lalique Vase Sauterelles in Opalescent GlassTwo Penthievres were offered as Lots 46 and 47; one amber glass and the other gray glass. They made ₤17,500 ($29,500) and ₤13,750 ($23,000) respectively.

The Rene Lalique Vase Sauterelles, the Grasshopper Vase in Opalescent Glass, always a popular saleroom model when it appears in good order, sold for ₤9,375 ($16,000) against a conservative estimate of ₤4,000 to ₤5,000. A solid result for a classic Rene Lalique Vase design.

Rene Lalique Statue Voilee Mains Jointes in Opalescent GlassLot 68, the frosted Escargot Vase made ₤6,000 or almost exactly $10,000. The rare Myosotis Vase (#10-918) sold for ₤17,500 ($29,500) as Lot 72, and the Lalique Lamp Paons, Lot 93, sold for ₤28,750, or about $48,000, marking the third highest Lalique sales price.

Lot 101 was the rare Lalique Statue Voilee Mains Jointes in Opalescent Glass (#828). It sold for ₤16,250 ($27,000) against a very low estimate of ₤2,000 to ₤3,000, followed quickly in succession by the frosted Lot 102 Suzanne Statue at ₤6,000 ($10,000) and the Dragonfly Lalique Car Mascot Libellule (#1145) which made ₤10,625 ($18,000) as Lot 103.

Two other notable results preceded the last lot; a Milan Vase in green glass, Lot 112, which made ₤10,625 ($18,000) and a cased yellow Sauge Vase, Lot 115, which sold for ₤10,000 ($17,000).

The last item in the sale was also the 2nd highest R Lalique seller, edging out the Paons Lamp for the runner-up price. It was the R Lalique Vase Languedoc in green glass, which made an all in round number of ₤30,000, or just over $50,000.

Rene Lalique Vase Sauge in Cased Yellow Butterscotch GlassIf our counting by fingers is correct :), the sale featured a total of 120 Lots, of which only 11 failed to sell. All the passed lots were on the low end of the sale estimates, the highest estimate for any of the passed items being ₤2,500 to ₤3,000, for a take up rate of near 92%. A great sales percentage combined with very strong prices!

The knowledgeable and experienced staff at Christies South Ken did a great job by all reports in selecting and presenting the sale, which could not help but have contributed to the outstanding results. Many times, high take-up rates indicate low estimated goods, but this was not generally the case for this auction. Highly competitive collector bidding for the majority of the expensive lots, and solid trade and local participation throughout, combined to push both the sales percentage and the sales totals to highly successful levels.

Overall, another very bright spot in the increasingly strong performance of the works of Lalique at Auction!

Rene Lalique Fountain Statue: An R Lalique Pigeon! Is this Lalique Glass Bird For The Birds?

November 4th, 2009

Rene Lalique Pigeon Statue From A Fountain! A Lalique Glass Big Bird!

Rene Lalique Fountain Statue PigeonAn apparently surviving Rene Lalique statue likely from a long ago disassembled fountain that once occupied a roundabout intersection on the Champs Elysées in Paris has appeared at auction. An R Lalique Bird so rare, it is not shown in the Catalogue Raisonne (except in a photo of the fountain) even as a drawing; though the mate to this bird, the head down pigeon does appear as a drawing in the Catalogue. See page 871 of the 2004 edition.

Rene Lalique Fountain Element PigeonThe R Lalique Art Deco style Pigeon is quite large, measuring 35 cm in length and 22 cm high.

The Pigeon fountain element has damage to the base that attached it to its original resting place, but otherwise, seems in pretty good shape from the detailed photos provided by the seller.

Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 170399426823 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.

Rene Lalique Fountain Element PigeonMight be worth taking a flyer** at the current price of around $1140, and maybe some distance north of that amount as well. 🙂 As usual, check it out and satisfy yourself before bidding, not just on the piece, but on the terms (a big bird for international shipping that won’t fly itself to your house)! See our Rene Lalique Auction Buyers Guide for extensive details on bidding at auctions!

We’ve listed this bird in the Rene Lalique Auctions Worldwide section here on the website. And of course, the out of print and extremely hard to find R.Lalique Catalogue Raisonne is available in the Rene Lalique Books and Library section.

Leave it to the great Rene Lalique to create a pigeon covered fountain that is not also covered by the mess!

* The expression “For The Birds”, also “That’s For The Birds”, and the even more emphatic “Strictly For The Birds”, is an American expression that has not caught on elsewhere. The earliest records of it are from the mid 1940’s, being used as a slang in the US Military! The expression indicates something that is meaningless or worthless, something for gullible people.

** The expression “Take a Flyer” is a mainly American and British expression that means: Take a chance!

Rene Lalique Sales Results For R Lalique Glass At Sothebys London Are Strong

October 29th, 2009

Rene Lalique Motif Decoratif Deux PerruchesLalique Sales Results for Rene Lalique Glass at Sothebys London Auction on October 27th represented another in a great season of Lalique Auctions results for the works of the great Rene Lalique. The three high quality R Lalique Auction offerings made a total with buyer’s premium of £246,850 or about $415,000 in U.S. dollars at today’s exchange rates, against total pre-sale estimates of £125,000 to £190,000.

First lot to sell was the Motif Decoratif Deux Perruches. A large, over 50 cm display piece, it sold for £46,850 all-in against a wide but cautious pre-sale estimate of £15,000 to £25,000. The catalogue raisonne notes that this creation was intended to be part of a fountain that was never constructed. The appeal of this great motif is not just its classic Rene Lalique Perruches design, but also that it has an appeal as a decoratif object of great scope and presence to a wide audience far larger than just R Lalique collectors.

Rene Lalique Decanter Orielles GraveesNext was the great decanter Oreilles Gravees (oreilles literally means “ears”) which sold all-in for £12,500 against an accurate pre-sale estimate of £10,000 to £15,000. There is a famous photo in the catalogue raisonne showing two of these early Rene Lalique Decanters, one at each end of a mantel. This example was reported to be characterized by extremely heavy thick glass, almost folded over inside the vase. A great insight into early Rene Lalique glassmaking.

The final R Lalique item was the vase Deux Cigales, thought to be unique, and formerly owned by Lalique Perfume authors Glen and Mary Lou Utt. We wrote about this great Lalique Vase when the Sothebys sale was first announced. The pre-sale estimate was £100,000 to £150,000, which was exceeded by the final all-in price of £187,500, or over $300,000 U.S. A great Lalique auction result.

In addition to the great results, several readers of RLalique.com reported that their experience at Sothebys in viewing and handling the three items was extremely satisfactory, with knowledgeable senior staff and specialists in attendance to answer questions and provide information, including a great willingness to accommodate serious potential bidders at times outside the scheduled previews. And of course Sothebys heard from runner-up and high bidders alike, what auction houses around the world are hearing when they sell the works of the great Rene Lalique: “I saw it at RLalique.com!”

We’ve posted these results on the Rene Lalique Vase Deux Cigales page in the R Lalique Auctions Past section of RLalique.com.

Lalique Jewelry: Rene Lalique Jewelry Makes For Great Lalique Auction Results at Christies

October 26th, 2009

Rene Lalique Hair CombThe Rene Lalique Jewelry at Christies New York on October 21st consisted of five lots of jewelry, (including the great hair comb shown here) and the Lalique Religious Chalice we discussed in an earlier report. All unique and original works of Rene Lalique, with mid-range estimates averaging nearly $250,000 for the six great pieces!

All six sold at the auction, for a total including premium of $1,778,750 or just a hair (comb) under an average price of $300,000!

Speaking of hair combs, the great looking Rene Lalique Hair Comb described as “Art Nouveau Horn and Enamel” was first on the auction block. Against an estimate of $18,000 to $20,000, it made a premium inclusive estimate crushing $92,500! This writer does not have enough hair to even need a comb, else the bidding likely would have continued even past that point 🙂

Rene Lalique BroochSecond up was the Rene Lalique Brooch featuring “two carved ivory bathers” in high relief”. The brooch made roughly double it’s $20,000 to $30,000 estimate, finding a home at a premium inclusive $56,250 total price.

As things would have it, these great Lalique pieces were just the appetizer, as the main course, high seller of the Rene Lalique pieces, and the piece that has graced the home page here at RLalique.com for the last several weeks, was next to sell.

Rene Lalique Pendant JewelryIt was ” AN ART NOUVEAU MULTI-GEM AND ENAMEL PENDANT NECKLACE, BY RENE LALIQUE The openwork oval-shaped enamel pendant, depicting Sarah Bernhardt as Mélissande in La Princesse Lointaine, walking through the woods with her dog, within a sculpted 18k gold leaf frame, set along one side with three old European-cut diamonds, suspending a drop-shaped amethyst, within a sculpted gold surround, to the gold fine link neckchain, mounted in 18k gold, circa 1898, 24 ins., with French assay mark, in a Lalique green leather fitted case”.

Quite a pendant it was; a tour de force of the techniques, talent and subject matter of Rene Lalique. To further entice buyers, it sold with a book that had some relevance to the entire story of Rene Lalique. The book was described as follows: ” … accompanied by a beige leather-bound copy of the script of La Princesse Lointaine, a gift to Sarah Bernhardt from Edmond Rostand, the front decorated with a gold and silver-topped gold lily stalk, the blossoms set with rose-cut diamonds and cabochon citrines, the sculpted gold foliate clasp set with garnets, peridots, tourmalines and amethyst, mounted in gold, 1895, 5½ x 8 ins., in an Edmond Rostand black leather case Pendant signed Lalique for René Lalique, script signed by Edmond Rostand.”

Sarah Benrhardt, Rene Lalique, Edmond Rostand, Paris 1895, art, art nouveau, jewelry, theatre; it was enough to entice any aficionado of the period and the subject. The pendant was the high seller of the Lalique pieces, outselling even the boxed suite to come, and making a premium inclusive total price of $554,500 against a spot-on estimate of $400,000 to $600,000.

Rene Lalique Dog Coller JewelryThe fourth Lalique lot to appear was a dog collar: “AN ART NOUVEAU ENAMEL AND DIAMOND DOG COLLAR, BY RENE LALIQUE Designed as a rectangular openwork panel depicting two light blue enamel revelers playing their pipes, with dark blue enamel tree branches and old mine and rose-cut diamond leaves, mounted in 18k gold, circa 1900”. Now who’s dog wouldn’t need a collar like this for those special occasions. Seriously, every dog has it’s day, and so apparently does every dog collar! This collar made $446,500 against a wide but conservative pre-sale estimate of $150,000 to $250,000.

Rene Lalique Jewelry SuiteNumber five on the R Lalique list, was the set of jewelry described as follows: “A SUITE OF ART NOUVEAU DIAMOND, STAR SAPPHIRE AND ENAMEL “THISTLE” JEWELRY, BY RENE LALIQUE Comprising a necklace, designed as a latticework of dark blue, lavender and pink textured enamel thistle motifs, enhanced by single and rose-cut diamond leaves and thorns, with geometric dark blue enamel detail, the center plaque and clasp set with an oval star sapphire; a bracelet and brooch en suite, mounted in 18k gold, circa 1900, necklace 14¾ ins., bracelet 6½ ins., with French assay marks and maker’s marks, (necklace may also be worn as two bracelets, 7¼ ins. each), in a R. Lalique blue leather fitted case”. What a great lot: an original set of matched jewelry from the great Rene Lalique! Against an estimate of $400,000 to $600,000, it sold for $482,500 including premium. A “sweet” set of jewelry it was!

Rene Lalique Religious ChaliceLast but not least of the works of Lalique was the great Rene Lalique Religious Chalice we previously wrote about: “AN ART NOUVEAU IVORY, GOLD AND ENAMEL CHALICE, BY RENE LALIQUE The white, brown and beige enamel and gold base, depicting scrolling vines and leaves, extending an ivory stem, the base set with nine seated sculpted ivory worshipers in painted black robes, to the gold cup decorated with a series of eight white enamel Apostles, with white enamel ferns and scrolling vine detail, circa 1903-1905, 12½ x 8¼ ins., in a Lalique black leather fitted case”. The chalice, having a much narrower appeal than the typical jewelry items, was the only one of the six items failing (barely) to make the low estimate, yet selling for a great price of $146,500 against the estimated $150,000 to $250,000.

See more Rene Lalique Religion related items, or more Rene Lalique Jewelry sales.

A jewel of a sale for the “inventor of modern jewelry”, whose great unique artwork in all mediums from glass to jewelry are in high demand over 100 years after their creation. You can read more about Lalique at our Rene Lalique Biography page, and of course, you will find many fabulously illustrated jewelry reference items including a great Rene Lalique Hair Comb Exhibition Book in our library section on Rene Lalique Books & Catalogues From Modern Exhibitions.

Rene Lalique Boxes: Lalique Box Deux Sirenes – A Large Opalescent Lalique Glass Box at Auction

October 26th, 2009

Rene Lalique Box Deux Sirenes In Lalique Opalescent GlassA nice looking Lalique Box, the large Rene Lalique Deux Sirenes Covered Box in Opalescent Glass has appeared online at a starting price of only $24.99 and no reserve. This is the 10 inch large round box with a glass base.

The highly rated San Diego seller states: “CONDITION: In excellent condition with no chips, cracks or nicks of any kind. See photos for details of glass. I would be happy to email additional, larger photos.” There are lots of large detailed photos in the ad, and reasonable US shipping of $35.

This is a classic Lalique design with Lalique’s signature opalescent glass, in the always popular all glass large R Lalique box model. Seems it might be worth a look!

The auction ends November 1st. Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 120484545658 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 can also find this box on our R Lalique Auctions page, or in the Auctions Past section after it’s over, along with lots of other great R Lalique auction items from across the globe.

Rene Lalique Auctions: Lalique Antiques Online

October 24th, 2009

Rene Lalique glass (and a book!) at fair prices and no reserves online got our attention this week, and we thought we’d share our observations on a few of these current R Lalique antiques auctions with you.

Note: This page was updated on December 31, 2009 to change the links to the Ebay items from the actual listings to cached/saved copies of those listings. 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.

Rene Lalique Bowl Veronique with Silver RimFirst up, a silver rimmed Lalique Veronique Opalescent Bowl, #397. These silver rims were added post factory to pieces both in the period and as recently as yesterday :). Two reasons of course. First is decorative and personal preference, maybe a retailer enhancement (we know that sounds like three reasons but it’s really only one if you think about it). Second is to cover up damage and restore the usability of a piece. We always look at these with great caution, but the concept is found attractive by many potential buyers and silver rimmed items are saleable barring other problems. This is a good looking, somewhat opalescent bowl, in apparent good condition, and hardly seems a risk at the current price of around $125 U.S. dollars. The auction ends October 25th. Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 180421636980 listing online.

Rene Lalique Bowl Saint-DenisNext up is a piece that every time we see it, we think about the old Superman TV show in black and white seen on the nearly round TV screens of the early 60’s ….. it’s a vase, it’s stemware, it’s a chalice …… no, it’s a bowl (it’s also a stretch, but it did come to mind)! The Saint Denis bowl #388, in apparent good condition (the seller notes the bowl is slightly cloudy), black enamel on the stem, and under $10 to start with no reserve. Hmmmm. Hard to pass up. If you were wondering, Saint Denis is now basically engulfed as a suburb of Paris. The cathedral there is rich in history, being famous as the place where French Queens were crowned, and French Kings were buried! Are these two things related? The auction ends October 28th. Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 290362239638 listing online.

Lalique Par Lalique BookThird on the list is the early, smaller (300 pages or so) edition of Lalique Par Lalique, 1977. $9.99 no reserve, with dustcover, in good condition, and $6 shipping in the US. Seems it would be cheap as chips, if it were in Britain of course. Oh …. and signed by someone (see photo)! If your name is Dick, this has to be hard to pass up. 🙂 The auction ends October 27th. Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 170397120939 listing online.

Rene Lalique Vase MyrrhisFourth on the list is the Rene Lalique Vase Myrrhis, a rare and not so great looking vase (opinions vary), but if you buy by the pound or the inch, a bargain at its current price of $160 and no reserve. And to be fair, a bargain for however you buy if you can get it near this price. The auction ends October 28th. Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 130339068924 listing online.

Last in our wrap-up is an Souris Mouse Cendrier Ashtray in opalescent glass. In pretty good shape, there may be a small chip on the nose (better than a big chip on the shoulder of course), but the starting price of 1 Brit Pound, and the current price of around 27 Pounds, seems to more than take a minor matter or two into consideration! The auction ends October 31st. Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 250517976871 listing online.

Rene Lalique Ashtray CourisWe’ve listed all of these items in our Rene Lalique Auctions Worldwide section here on the site. And of course, our usual caution to make your own investigation of the condition, and also to carefully review the terms of the sale if you take an interest in any of the items.

Rene Lalique Auctions: Rene Lalique Religious Design AND The Star Wars Vase Appears! Our Lalique Cup Runneth Over!

October 9th, 2009

Rene Lalique Vase Deux Cigales

Rene Lalique at Auction: Unique and Amazing Items are coming up at auction around the world in the next few weeks. There are enough really high-end lots appearing, that you might overlook some of the run of the mill great and rare (as opposed to unique and amazing) pieces. We thought we’d do a brief wrap-up of a few of the highlights and bright spots, all of which (and more) can be found in the Rene Lalique Auctions Worldwide Section here at the Worldwide Gathering Place!

Rene Lalique Vase Deux CigalesOn October 27th, at Sotheby’s London, it’s hard to get excited about the rare Oreilles Gravees Decanter or the Motif Decoratif Deux Perruches, both of which are standout lots in their own right, because of the great Deux Cigales Vase on offer. Thought to be unique (especially if you are the owner or the auction house), this 32 centimeter vase is likely the same one formerly owned by Glen and Mary Lou Utt. They even found a place in their seminal work Lalique Perfume Bottles to show a photo of the vase!

Rene Lalique Vase Deux CigalesAnd in case you didn’t notice the obvious, have you figured out yet where the design for the outfit for Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies came from? Heck talkies* weren’t even developed until the early 1920’s, and here, around 1912, the great Lalique already had the main costume design for a series of outer space high tech flicks that wouldn’t come along for more than half a century after that. Lalique was a true visionary that understood the future in ways scholars and scientists are just beginning to realize (and see Rene Lalique: Inventor of the Satellite Dish)! Maybe the fact of his costume design prowess is buried somewhere in the credits at the end of all the Star Wars movies?

Rene Lalique Religious ChaliceAnyway, if you’re serious about Rene Lalique vases, or if you just worship the work of the great Lalique, then this vase is nearly a religious experience. You might say Amazing Vase instead of Amazing Grace. Which brings us to Christie’s in New York on October 21st.

At Christies, amongst a few pieces of Lalique’s jewelry (trinkets really :), is the incredible religious motif “Art Nouveau Ivory, Gold And Enamel Chalice”! This chalice was exhibited both at the Musée des Art Décoratifs in the big retrospective exhibition in 1991-1992, and also in the fabulous US exhibition The Jewels of Lalique which was held in three locations in 1998, including the Cooper-Hewitt in New York, and the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. The chalice (as described by Christies) features white robed Apostles and seated robed worshipers. A jewel of a chalice to put it mildly. Not the top money lot in the sale by far, but an amazing example of the work of Lalique. And yes, there are also the 5 lots of Lalique’s jewelry, with estimates ranging from a low of $15,000, up to the $500,000 range. Great stuff. See more Rene Lalique Religious pieces, or more Rene Lalique Jewellery sales.

Rene Lalique Jewelry Set with Necklace, Brooch, and BraceletThe foregoing items might cause you to overlook some more typical rare and good looking pieces that we also thought to bring to your attention. In Florida on October 21st, what looks like a fantastic nearly white opalescent Thais statue is coming up at a local Florida auction house. Also on the 21st in East Sussex in the UK at Gorringes, the Veilleuse Brule-Parfums Perfume Burner Roses and the wood and glass box Chrysanthemes. In France on the 26th of October, the Perruches Bowl in mint green opalescent glass! And not big money, but as cool as anything R Lalique; at Christies London on October 20th, the pair of Libellule Knife rests, one of Lalique’s most creative tableware designs, and nearly impossible to find in good condition (check these and anything else out for yourself of course :).

Rene Lalique Jewelry Set with Necklace, Brooch, and BraceletAnd a few decorative arts auctions with good numbers of Rene Lalique auction items and several outstanding pieces: In Germany at Quittenbaum on the 19th of this month there are 30 scattered lots, many appearing to be of good quality, such as the Coral Rouge Perfume Bottle (with original box) for Forvil. In Bordeaux France on the 15th, a great selection of rare perfume bottles, and at Woolley and Wallis in the UK on the 14th, the vases Pensees with black enamel, and Papillons amongst others.

And to think we have not even reached the major December decorative arts sales. As of this writing, we have 56 auctions containing hundreds of R Lalique items from all over the globe listed in the Rene Lalique Auctions Section. Yes both literally and figuratively our cup doth runneth over!**

Rene Lalique Catalogue of 1991 Louvre ExhibitionA short note that the Rene Lalique Catalogue Books for both exhibitions mentioned above can be found in the R Lalique Books and Library Section here at RLalique.com. The Utt’s book Rene Lalique Perfume Bottles is also available in the Library. All three books are quite extensive and contain both scholarly analysis and historical information, along with tons of photos of wonderful Rene Lalique items.

* Talkies are movies with synchronized sound. The first feature length movie that was a true talkie was a classic: The Jazz Singer in 1927!

** “…… my cup runneth over” is from Psalms 23:5, The King James Version of the Bible.

Rene Lalique Cire Perdue Glass Vase: An R Lalique Opportunity Knocks?

September 27th, 2009

Lalique Vase Coq Et Plumes - Not Cire PerdueQuick! Your chance to grab a cheap piece of R Lalique Cire Perdue Glass is evaporating with each passing second. Just as the lost wax melts away, so your opportunity is draining away as well. Run, don’t walk to your computer (oh, you already are on your computer, hmmmmmmm) and bid early and often on the Rene Lalique Cire Perdue Vase that has appeared on Ebay. Here’s the title of the ad:

Art Deco R Lalique Cire Perdue Vase COQ Crystal Signed!

And here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 400075284244 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.
Get your bid in before some smart buyer gets the seller to sell it cheap off-line and stop the sale.

This is the best line from the description: “Up for consideration from the estate is an Art Deco R Lalique Cire Perdue Vase that was located in a locked curio cabinet in the family room.” Glad to know it was in a locked cabinet. That’s a mark of authenticity if ever there was one, and something all potential buyers really need to know if they have any doubts about the claims of the seller. Yes, it was locked up totally, which means it’s definitely Cire Perdue. 🙂

If you are tempted to jump right in with that big bid, you might want to consider The Rene Lalique Consulting Services we offer before throwing your money away :).

And of course, you can see some examples of real R Lalique Cire Perdue by checking out the blog posts here at RLalique.com that discuss Cire Perdue. And we also we have a few R Lalique Cire Perdue Vases partially pictured on the Rene Lalique Bio page as well.

Be careful out there. And oh, doesn’t this Cire Perdue Glass vase look strangely similar to the R.Lalique production vase Coq Et Plumes? Probably just the lighting in the photo.

Rene Lalique Ashtray-Cendrier Moineau in Lalique’s Classic Yellow Amber Glass: R Lalique At Auction

September 27th, 2009

Lalique Ashtray Moineau in Yellow GlassRene Lalique’s great ashtray – cendrier designs are dissed a lot these days. Ring dish is the latest modern preferred phrase when referring to one, but there are others. Today’s entry is a Rene Lalique “Ring Holder”! Close enough.

$9.99 to start and a no reserve auction on a yellow amber R Lalique Ring Holder Moineau, or whatever nom de plume or misnomer it’s given. It’s still an R Lalique Ashtray of course no matter what you call it. This whole PC naming thing is for the birds of course.

Online ending Oct 2nd, from a highly rated seller: 6500 feedbacks at 99.9%. Not bad. The southern California seller states:

“Super item in excellent condition, I find no chips cracks scratches or repair”.

Lalique Ashtray Moineau in Yellow GlassHere is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 350257386001 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. All you “Ring Holder” collectors might want to check it out. The auction ends October 2nd.

This great little ashtray is also listed in the Rene Lalique Auctions Section here at RLalique.com.

December 3rd, 2009 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version

Rene Lalique Christ Statue: R Lalique Religious Plaque – A Rene Lalique Crucifix At Auction

September 21st, 2009

Rene Lalique Statue Christ on CrossA Rene Lalique Christ Statue in the form of a Lalique crucifix plaque in wooden base has appeared at auction with a $9.99 starting price and no reserve.

This R Lalique Statue of Christ, in the form of a crucifix, is catalogue raisonne number #1212 in the wooden base version. It’s a good-size statue, measuring about 10 inches in height overall including base. The seller, with 100% feedback, provides free shipping in the U.S., and represents the condition as follows:

Rene Lalique Plaque of Christ on CrossThis is In very nice shape no scratches the wood base has minor paint loss due to age, and there is one minor flea bite on the bottom probably due to being pulled from the wood base.

The seller has also included extensive photos so you can judge for yourself the condition details of both the statue and the base. The wood base is likely not the preferred display method for may owners due to the tendency of wood bases to show wear and tear over the years. However there is a certain period and historical charm to have an original well-worn base sporting a statue in near perfect (according to the seller of course:) condition.

Rene Lalique Statue of Christ on the CrossA nice R Lalique glass item to purchase and donate to a local church for their own use or as a raffle item, or as an amazing gift to the right person, or of course to add to your collection of the works of the great Lalique. There are sufficient numbers of religious objects designed by Rene Lalique, especially representations of Christ, that they comprise a collecting field in their own right. They are also of interest to collectors of religious artwork and glass decorative objects that collect a variety of makers in addition to the works of Lalique.

Rene Lalique Statue of Christ on the CrossHere is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 120471841877 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 can also see this great Rene Lalique Statue listed in the Rene Lalique Auctions Worldwide Section, where you will also find additional works of Rene Lalique at Auction all across the globe.

December 3rd, 2009 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version

Rene Lalique Ashtrays and the R Lalique Theory of Buses

September 19th, 2009

One of the nice guys (you might ask if there are any other kind) in R Lalique collecting has what we call The R Lalique Theory of Buses. He says, with the frustration of a collector that can’t find what he’s looking for: “R Lalique pieces are like buses. You can never find one when you are looking for one, but when you aren’t looking, they just keep coming down the road.”

Rene Lalique Ashtray PelicanWell, his theory was proved right once again last night with the appearance on Ebay of another rare Rene Lalique Ashtray Pelican in Opalescent Glass. This would be the second one in less than two months! We wrote at the end of July about the appearance of one of these rare Rene Lalique Ashtrays that came up for auction with a very low starting price and no reserve. It made $1343, a price we considered extremely reasonable at the time.

The latest entry in the pelican contest appeared with a low reserve of $200 that has already been met. The seller has a clean rating and states:

Condition is excellent with no chips, cracks, or restoration.

Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 110436377977 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.

Rene Lalique Pelican AshtrayAnd for those of you on the edge of your seats who are wondering about the history of all this: The first known public bus was introduced by none other than Blaise Pascal, the great French mathematician and philosopher in Paris in 1662. It consisted of a multi-seat carriage. And unknown (until now) to our frustrated collector friend who put together the whole R Lalique Theory of Buses, that is the historical tie that connects the works of another great Frenchman (the one we are most interested in), that came along centuries later, to the whole worldwide bus continuum*! Who could have guessed?

And who is the philosophizing collector, the Pascal wannabe that came up with all this bus stuff? Well, we won’t throw him under the bus** by revealing his identity. Sorry, we couldn’t resist that one.

You can also find this item listed in our Rene Lalique Auctions section here at RLalique.com.

*Until the movie Back to the Future came out, most people had never heard the word “continuum“. It was used in the movie in the phrase “The Space-Time Continuum“. Continuum refers to a coherent whole that can be characterized as a progression or sequence. And no, we are not going to discuss the flux capacitor. That is beyond the scope of this article.

** Throw Under The Bus is a recent American phrase, coming into use in the last 20 or 30 years. No one knows (well, no one that we know knows) the exact origin, but generally it’s used to indicate betrayal, or sacrificing someone else, such a friend or colleague.

December 3rd, 2009 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version

Rene Lalique Photographs: A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

September 11th, 2009

R Lalique Photos: A picture is worth 1000 words. Also in this case, 400-500 Canadian dollars!

Carol Marino Lalique PhotoOn September 12th, at Levis Auction House in Calgary, Canada, in an auction of prints and art books, is a black and white photograph by Carol Marino, showing the R Lalique Vases Saint Francois and Ceylon.

The 1983 photo is 14.5 x 11.25 inches, and is further described as follows: signed and numbered along bottom; bears title and date on label attached verso; framed; archival mat Provenance: Jane Corkin, Toronto, label verso; from the estate of Dr. and Mrs. Horn Estimated Price: CAD400 – CAD500

The auction house contact info is: 1-403-541-9099 or mail@levisauctions.com

The phrase “A Picture is Worth 1000 Words” has its modern origins credited to an advertising manager from the 1920’s named Fred Barnard. Barnard used a couple of very similar phrases (One Look is Worth A Thousand Words, and One Picture is Worth Ten Thousand Words) to promote the sale of ads on the sides of streetcars.

By the way, Napoleon turned the famous phrase with a slightly less exacting rendition of the later 20th century implementation:

“Un bon croquis vaut mieux qu’un long discours!” In English it’s: “A good sketch is better than a long speech!”

This R Lalique photograph is also listed in our Rene Lalique Auctions Section.

Rene Lalique Bowls: Tournon R Lalique Bowl Coupe At Auction

August 30th, 2009

Rene Lalique Bowl Tournon circa 1928 has appeared online at auction in apparent great condition with a low starting price of $99 with no reserve.

Rene Lalique Bowl TournonThe tournon bowl coupe is a reasonably rare and large R Lalique bowl model. The Monument Colorado seller states:

“It is in GREAT condition with NO: chips, fleabites or damage. The interior shows a couple of light scratches. This piece has the rare raised (not etched) “R. LALIQUE FRANCE” hallmark circa 1928.”

This great R Lalique bowl coupe, if you get it, is definitely on the “pick it up in person” list. Here’s why.

Pikes Peak Photo by David ShankboneMonument Colorado is a small town just north of the U.S. Air Force Academy, a place, including the Chapel in the photo below, not unfamiliar to this writer. It’s between Colorado Springs (also NORAD, Cheyenne Mountain, Pikes Peak) and Denver. History and scenery are all over this great area in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. For example, in 1893, the 33 year old college professor Katherine Lee Bates headed to Colorado Springs to teach a summer course at Colorado College. While there, she went to the top of Pikes Peak; no easy feat traveling most of the way up the mountain in a horse drawn wagon and then riding a mule and walking to get to the top. She was so inspired when she reached the summit (over 14,000 feet above sea level), she wrote a poem upon returning to her hotel, entitled America.

Air Force Academy ChapelBates would later recount, “….. I felt great joy. All the wonder of America seemed displayed there, with the sea-like expanse.” Her poem America was first published on July 4th 1895 in a church publication called The Congregationalist. By 1910, the words of the poem were combined with a tune written by a church organist and choir director, Samuel A. Ward. The combination quickly caught on with the public and the song is as popular today in the United States as it ever has been.

And if this history of the area isn’t enough to entice you, it is also rumored that this Tournon Bowl Coupe is the very bowl coupe that then candidate Barack Obama was talking about when he made his infamous remarks about his embarrassment of fellow Americans and their language skills!

This bowl coupe has it all! And by the way, if you go to the top of Pikes Peak, you’ll know why Ms. Bates was so inspired. The name we know for the poem turned song, written by the impressionable traveling college professor over 100 years ago? America The Beautiful! And here is the man, the late great Ray Charles bringing home America The Beautiful as only he could.

A big bowl with a great Rene Lalique design at a great starting price. Check the bowl coupe out thoroughly as usual But if you get it, maybe plan a few days to go get it!

Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 200372693037 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.

And you’ll also find it listed in our Rene Lalique Auctions Section here at RLalique.com.

And if anyone in the U.S. wants to augment their single phrase foreign language skills with a second expression that might come in handy when traveling, the caption on the President Obama video “Zut Alors” is French! It roughly translates into a very mild expletive like “darn” or “what the heck!”. Hmmmmmmm.

November 5th, 2009 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version
February 23, 2012 Update: Ray Charles Video Link To Different Video. The old video was gone.

Rene Lalique Mascots: Bonhams Results For R Lalique Car Mascots Are Outstanding

August 15th, 2009

Rene Lalique Mascot HirondelleRene Lalique Car Mascots sold extremely well at the Bonhams Sale on August 14th at Quail Lodge, that was scheduled to coincide with activities surrounding the great Concours d’Elegance taking place this weekend at Pebble Beach. We previously did a detailed pre-sale report on this Rene Lalique Car Mascot Sale.

Top seller was the amethyst tinted Rene Lalique Mascot Cinq Chevaux, the great five horses mascot that Lalique designed and made for Citroën, with a price including the 22% buyer’s premium of $33,550. Introduced August 1925, this was either the first René Lalique Mascot or one of the first three. It was commissioned by André Citroën, the famous French car manufacturer, especially for the Citroën 5CV model which in a strange and amazing coincidence had 5Chevaux Vapeur”, that is to say, 5 French Horsepower (though chevaux vapeur actually translates into “steam horses”)! Interestingly, one French Horsepower (CV) is equal to more than one British Horsepower (BHP) but we will leave this fact to the respective countrymen involved to discern or not, any special meaning. Note that Bonhams also was adding 7.2% (in the catalogue they say 7.2% of the “import value”) to the final price. Assuming this would be computed on the all-in sale price, in this case there is in extra couple thousand dollars added to the buyer’s cost, edging the actual price close to $36,000!

Rene Lalique Mascot ChrysisNext high seller was the good looking Opalescent Rene Lalique Mascot Vitesse, with an all-in price of $31,720. This price, including the added 7.2% import surcharge was near five thousand dollars ahead of the price achieved last week and reported on in these pages for another Rene Lalique Mascot Vitesse in opalescent glass that appeared at auction.

The Rene Lalique Mascot Chrysis in frosted glass was the next in the price line, making $7,930 all-in, followed by the St. Christopher at $4,575 (a big price for this mascot) and the Hirondelle at $3,660.

Failing to sell were the Rene Lalique Mascots Tete de Belier, and Tete d’Aigle.

Rene Lalique Mascot St. ChristopherStrong prices for some fabulous Rene Lalique hood ornaments and yet another indication of the strength of the market for the works of the great Rene Lalique.

Rene Lalique Boxes: Saint-Nectaire Covered R Lalique Box at Auction

August 12th, 2009

The Rene Lalique Box Saint-Nectaire has appeared in apparent great condition at auction online with a starting price of $9.99 and no reserve!

Lalique Box Saint NectaireA nice looking circa 1925 Lalique Box Saint-Nectaire showed up on Ebay this morning, from a high volume seller (a consignment store) with good feedback, starting at just under $10 and no reserve! The seller states:

“This is a No Reserve Auction! Measures approx. 3″ Diameter x 2” High. Marked on the bottom “R. LALIQUE, FRANCE”. Excellent displayed condition with no chips, cracks or signs of repair.”

The shipping charges seem reasonable ($8 and change to Arizona), but the seller says they will not ship international. Of course, most anyone has a friend in the US that can take delivery and forward the box if you live in a far flung place and just have to have this box!

Lalique Box Saint NectaireOf particular note (or vague esoteric interest if you are not into the details) is that the Lalique Box Saint-Nectaire is the only production Maison Lalique box in the shape of a hexagon! That’s six sides for anyone that skipped geometry class in high school. To top it off, it appears from the photos to be a ‘regular hexagon”; six equal sides of course! Hmmmmmmm. No, we aren’t moving on to the Pythagorean theorem (Pythagoras’ theorem across the pond) … enough geometry for now.

Geometric considerations aside, it looks like a good opportunity for you Lalique box collectors that haven’t yet added this box to your collection.

The auction runs through August 18th. Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 200372693037 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 can also find this Lalique Saint-Nectaire Box, along with R Lalique Auction items from around the globe, in our R Lalique Auctions Sales Worldwide Section.

October 20th, 2009 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version

 
 

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