R Lalique Cire Perdue Wasp Vase by Rene Lalique

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Posts Tagged ‘R Lalique Vases and Rene Lalique Vases’

Lalique Bacchantes Vase: Post-War Opalescent Cristal Lalique Bacchantes Vase At Roadshow

May 2nd, 2010

Bacchantes Opalescent Lalique Cristal VaseThe 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.

Bacchantes Opalescent Lalique Crystal Vase Signature

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.

Bacchantes Opalescent Lalique Cristal Vase Signature

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.

Bacchantes Opalescent Rene Lalique Authentic Glass Vase Concave Underside and SignatureOnce 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

Rene Lalique Auctions: R Lalique Results of Note From Recent Auctions Show Solid Prices for Quality Items

April 29th, 2010

Rene Lalique Auction Results have continued to show strength across the board in recent weeks, and we thought we’d point out several of the notable Lalique sales both online and at auction houses.

Lalique Perfume Bottle Bouchon Fleurs De PommierFirst, there have been a raft* of quality offerings on Ebay as of late, with good examples of both rare and more common Lalique glass pieces selling quite well.

A Connecticut seller had a small trove of fresh to the market pieces rumored to be the property of a rather famous New York socialite. Two notable examples of the results were:

Item No. 330424969295, the rare Lalique Perfume Bottle Bouchon Fleurs De Pommier. The winning bidder for this bottle on April 22nd was an overseas dealer at a final price of $8000!

Lalique Vase BouchardonAlso of note, the opalescent Lalique Vase Bouchardon in apparently excellent condition. It sold on April 24th for a strong $7601, also selling to a dealer. There were six different bidders above $4300 on this good-looking vase. Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 330425577983 Bouchardon listing online. See cache instructions below. If the cache copy does not open fully, usually you just have to click on the small copy in your browser window and it will expand.

It’s good to see dealers jumping into the auction fray at these levels, as they presumably are buying to re-sell at a profit, which further confirms the strong prices made by these great R Lalique items.

On April 14th, a clear Tete De Paon Peacock Head Lalique Car Mascot sold for $5988 after spirited bidding. Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 400114083624 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..

Lalique Tete De Paon Car MascotOn April 27th, a very solid looking Rene Lalique Ceylon Vase in opalescent glass and selling as Item No. 360255568526, it went for a solid $6300, having been pushed the last $2200 of the way by two apparently eager suitors.

Finally for Ebay, two different Lalique Paquerettes Perfume Bottles appeared in April, both from the UK. The first one, Item No. 270565826158 linked just above, was sold on April 26th for £1550, and the second, Item No. 150436432905 sold for £2561.11 on April 29th, the day this article was published!

April 9th in Paris at Coutau-Begarie saw the rare appearance of an original Rene Lalique handbag / purse as Lot 111. This great Lalique Purse featured an incorporated hunting scene and black leather. It sold for €42,000!

On April 29th, Woolley & Wallis got £47,800 all-in for a nice looking piece of Lalique Jewelry, the central element to a Lalique Dog Collar! This continues a string of great results for Lalique jewelry items at the Salisbury England auction house.

Rene Lalique PurseFirm results were the rule of day throughout the month, with the £2300 (not including premium) paid for a Rene Lalique Beliers Opalescent Vase at TW Gaze on April 23rd in Norfolk U.K. being a good example of the solid pricing prevalent throughout all the various collecting categories of RLalique.

You can research past sales of RLalique in the new Rene Lalique Auctions Past section of RLalique.com. And you can navigate to all the auction resources at RLalique.com from the Lalique Auctions section of the website’s Rene Lalique Biography.

* raft – according to Webster a “raft” is a large collection or number

Updated: June 26, 2010 to change Ebay link to cached copy

Rene Lalique Vases: R Lalique Auctions – Online Opportunities

January 18th, 2010

Lalique Auction Vase DomremyRene Lalique Vases have been listed at auctions online that appear to be good opportunities for R Lalique collectors. We thought we’d steer you to a few of the most prominent of these good looking Lalique auction offerings, which of course you should fully investigate on your own. In that regard, you may want to review the Rene Lalique Buying Guide online at RLalique.com. And as always, you can see all of these vases in the Lalique Auctions section of the website.

One seller has put up a few nice looking Lalique vases: A Grenade vase in Amber Glass, a Domremy Vase in Green Glass, and a Rampillon Vase in Opalescent. All three started out a few days ago at $0.99 no reserve, and have a couple of days to go, expiring on January 20th. The Des Moines Iowa seller has good photos showing the vases in detail, along with whatever wear and tear has occurred over time.

Here are links to a saved/cached image version of the original listings 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.

Lalique Auction Vase DomremyThe Green Domremy Vase is Ebay Item No. 180457081735

The Amber Grenade Vase is Ebay Item No. 180457079508

The Opalescent Rampillon Vase is Ebay Item No. 180457074457

Another nice looking opportunity is the Rene Lalique Vase Nefliers which appeared online, with a $24.88 starting price and no reserve. This circa 1923 vase is in San Francisco and the auction for it ends on January 26th. Again, several photos showing all the details and good description.

The Nefliers is Ebay Item No. 170433356813

UPDATED April 5, 2010 to change item links to cached versions.

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.

Bridge

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!

Fake Rene Lalique Cire Perdue Vase SignatureSo 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.

Fake Rene Lalique Cire Perdue Vase BottomSo 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.

Fake Rene Lalique Cire Perdue Vase in ProfileThe 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.

Rene Lalique Quatre Feuilles De Rhubarbe Cire Perdue Vase 1913 in the Musee des arts decoratifs in ParisNow, 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.

Rene Lalique Exhibition Catalogue Book from the Musee des arts decoratifs in Paris 1991 ExhibitionNote 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

Rene Lalique Auction Results for R Lalique Glass at Heritage Auction In New York Are Strong

December 11th, 2009

Rene Lalique Vase Serpent in Amber Glass

Rene Lalique Auction results were strong once again, this time at Heritage Auctions In New York City on November 10th.

Rene Lalique Vase Palestre in Frosted Glass with Gray PatinaThe Rene Lalique lots in the Heritage Sale (which also included some modern Lalique Crystal pieces) totaled 108 items, of which 90 sold, for a take-up rate of 83%. Total sales for R Lalique including the 19.5% buyer’s premium were $487,410, making the average sold lot price $5,416. This total includes two lots of R Lalique and related books and other publications, which bring the average down slightly.

As is typical, the great Rene Lalique Vases led the way both for high prices and for total dollar sales. High seller by nearly a 50% margin over the 2nd place lot(s), was the stunning Rene Lalique Deco Vase Serpent in Amber Glass, which brought a premium inclusive price of $47,800.

Rene Lalique Vase Aigrettes in Olive Green GlassFour other vases tied for 2nd place at $31,070 all-in: Borromee in Blue Glass, the large Palestre Vase in clear and frosted glass covered with gray patina, and the deco black enameled vases Tourbillons and Oranges, both in clear and frosted glass. 6th place in the money department went to the Rene Lalique Car Mascot Victoire that made $26,290 including the premium.

Things dropped off a bit after that, with the next 5 high sellers making between $13,000 and $15,000 all-in. This group was a mixed bunch consisting of the vases Milan in Green Glass and Aigrettes in Olive Green Glass, the car mascot Longchamps A, the luminaire Tulipes (a lighted plaque on a metal stand), and the statue Grand Nue Longue Cheveux Socle Lierre (Grand Nue).

Rene Lalique Grand Nue StatueAll told and all-in there were 12 lots above $10,000 accounting for $278,435 or about 56 percent of the total dollars for the 92 sold lots, with the 12th high seller being Lot No. 1, the rare Lezards Perfume bottle, which made $11,950.

The sale total for Rene Lalique at this Heritage Sale would place this auction third in the year 2009 for total R Lalique sales at a single auction. First place goes to the Lalique Jewelry (and Lalique Chalice) sold at Christies New York on October 21st where just six lots made about $1,778,000. Second place would be the November 11th Lalique Auction at Christies South Kensington in London where 120 lots (of which 11 did not sell) made a sale total for R Lalique of about $750,000.

Rene Lalique Car Mascot Victoire

All-in-all a great result and another in a long string of strong Rene Lalique Auction results showing the depth of popularity for the works of Rene Lalique as they continue to perform well worldwide at auction.

Rene Lalique Auctions: 100 Rene Lalique Lots At Heritage Auction Sale on December 10th In New York City

November 25th, 2009

Rene Lalique Vase Perruches in Red Glass

Lalique Auctions are finishing the year on a strong note with a string of great Rene Lalique auctions results leading into the holiday period as we close out 2009.

As of this writing 82 different auction sales around the world featuring the work of Rene Lalique are listed in the Rene Lalique Auctions Worldwide Section of the site to occur between now and year-end. The largest of these upcoming sales is by far the sale of Rene Lalique glass and other objects put together by Lalique Expert Nicholas Dawes in his new role as a consignment director for Heritage Auctions of Dallas, which is now the third largest auction house in the world (measured by sales volume).

Rene Lalique Clock InseperablesHeritage and Mr. Dawes have put together a wide-ranging selection of Rene Lalique pieces represented by 100 RLalique lots to be auctioned in a New York City sale on December 10th.

Notable among the offerings are the famous Rene Lalique Vases that make up nearly half the lots. The Heritage sampling includes 3 colored Perruches Vases (the great looking red one is pictured here in case you missed it :), a Borromee Vase in the highly desirable “Borromee Blue” color, two colored Archers Vases, the stunning Amber Serpent Vase, and matched pair of the rare 1911 designed vase Frise Aigles. There is also a great selection of smaller colored vases including a teal Gui, a deep green Courlis, and two different colored Moissac vases.

Rene Lalique Perfume Bottle LezardsRene Lalique Statues is another strong section of the sale, featuring both yellow and opalescent Suzannes, an Opalescent Thais, an opalescent Moyenne Voilee, a Grand Nue Lierre and others.

Rene Lalique Perfume Bottles include a rare Lezards bottle, and Lalique’s Car Mascots include a good-looking pair of Longchamps (one of each version) and a Vitesse.

Rene Lalique Clocks are represented by the clock Inseparables, and there are also drawings, jewelry, tableware, boxes, seals, ashtrays, and an inkwell. There is something for just about every different collecting area of the works of the great Rene Lalique.

One notable tableware item is the rare Coupe Sirenes. This is great design that most collectors will not see in their lifetime. As always though, carefully check out the condition of any item, including this one, before bidding.

Rene Lalique Bowl Coupe SirenesAll told, a near tour de force of the commercial production works of Rene Lalique with a high percentage of rare colored pieces, highly desirable collector lots, some hard to find items, and a few unique drawings and a great mirror in the mix to complete a well rounded and high quality sale.

Contact information for the sale and a link to the Heritage website can be found in our Rene Lalique Auctions Section.

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 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.

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 Car Mascot Vitesse Appears In The Ancestral Home of Robin Hood!

August 6th, 2009

Rene Lalique Hood Ornament Vitesse in Opalescent Glass Appears in Nottingham England!

Lalique Car Mascot VitesseThe Arthur Johnson and Sons Auction House in Nottingham are offering a few nice looking Rene Lalique Glass items at their sale on August 8th. An opalescent R Lalique Car Mascot Vitesse is the Lalique headliner, but two other R Lalique designed lots are also in the sale; the reasonably rare Rene Lalique Vase Montargis, and the attractive and sizable R Lalique Coupe Plate Calypso in opalescent glass. The 8 inch Montargis sports an estimate of 700 to 1050 British Pounds, and the 38 cm Calypso 900 to 1350 pounds. The Vitesse is estimated at 5000 to 8000 pounds, which seems pretty reasonable barring any “issues” of note.

We’ve listed this auction in our Rene Lalique Auctions Worldwide section, and we also have added photos of the Vitesse and Calypso posted in our Rene Lalique Auctions Highlight Page.

Robin Hood Statue In NottinghamA couple hours north of London in the heart of the East Midlands, and pretty close to the center of all of England, Nottingham is rich in history. And yes, they still elect a Sheriff there. His title, if you can believe it, is Sheriff of Nottingham! Coincidentally this is the same title as the historical bad guy and adversary of Robin Hood, whose folklore fame has continued to grow since medieval times. Mr. Hood, is shown here in the hood (both literally and figuratively) in a memorial statue in Nottingham. The only thing we don’t know about all the hood stuff, is if his arrow is pointing toward the location of the hood ornament. 🙂 A bit rough, but it all ties together pretty well. And of course, there is the totally unsubstantiated rumor, which we just started, that Rene Lalique used Robin Hood as the sentimental model for the Lalique Car Mascot Archers! Seriously, notice the resemblance?

Wollaton HallAnd if you are going to make the trip to try and snag the Vitesse, take some time to stop by the circa 1550’s Wollaton Hall and it’s famous deer park (probably no deer hunting there by commoners; where is Robin when you need him?). The Hall, shown in the photo here, is the site of numerous events each year, and has a rich history all its own which is a bit long for this post. But you can find more info at the Wollaston Hall Website or in the Wollaton Hall Wikipedia article.

Finally, our usual caution: Check these great looking R Lalique items out if you are interested. The pictures might look nice, but as always, the devil is in the details! So investigate the items and be a smart R Lalique Buyer. Some guidance in that respect can be found in our Rene Lalique Buyers Guide!

If you contact the auction house, please remember to tell them where you saw these great looking R Lalique pieces. The saleroom manager is Lorna Wrigley. The contact details are: +44 (0) 115 986 9128 and collectables@arthurjohnson.co.uk. And here is link to Arthur Johnson and Sons website. Good luck and good hunting!

Rene Lalique Vase Antilopes: A Rene Lalique Tailor Shop Addition!

July 4th, 2009

Rene Lalique Vase Antilopes Missing RimRene Lalique Vase Antilopes Appears At Auction: Well, part of an R Lalique Vase Antilopes has appeared!

JUST ACQUIRED FROM A LOCAL ESTATE. 1920’S RENE LALIQUE FROSTED AND CLEAR GLASS WITH BLACK ENAMEL PAINTED ANTELOPES. SIGNED ON THE BOTTOM ” R. LALIQUE FRANCE”. MEASURES 9 1/4″ HIGH BY 9 3/4 WIDE. IN GOOD CONDITION WITH EXPECTED SURFACE SCRATCHES ON THE BOTTOM. NO CHIPS OR CRACKS.

The seller of this vase, after stating the vase was in good condition, amended the description to say they have been informed that the rim “may” have been ground down!

Rene Lalique Vase AntilopesI HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE TOP OF THIS VASE MAY HAVE BEEN GROUND DOWN. I AM NOT AN EXPERT AND HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER THIS IS THE CASE OR NOT. IF IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED IT IS A PROFESSIONAL JOB. PLEASE BID WITH THIS IN MIND.

Clever. We can imagine the email that the seller must have gotten which alerted him that it “may” have been cut down:

“Dear Seller. You know, I’m not really sure about this, but it’s possible, just maybe, it could be a long shot, but there is a chance, that the vase you are selling might be missing a tiny little part of the rim! May! Just really can’t be sure one way or the other if it has been repaired, ground down, and polished!”

Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original buzzcut Lalique Antilopes Vase 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 here is a link to the R Lalique Tailor Shop where you can see several examples of R Lalique Repairs and Polishing!

An alert R.Lalique.com reader contacted us to ask: Do you think any of the bidders on the Antilopes Vase have an extra rim lying around? 🙂

September 9th, 2009 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version

Rene Lalique Auctions: Lalique Auctions Sales Results for R Lalique

June 18th, 2009

Rene Lalique Vase SauterellesR Lalique at Auctions around the world has produced quite a few good results the last couple weeks, and with the end of the Spring auction season in sight, we thought we’d take a moment to summarize some of the more interesting Rene Lalique Vase results that were achieved by auctions listed in our Rene Lalique Worldwide Auctions Section.

At Cincinnati Art Gallery in Cincinnati Ohio (you always wonder how they come up with the names for these Auction Houses) on June 7th, a nice looking frosted R Lalique Sauterelles Vase described as being in excellent condition with “intensified” blue staining, sold for $8,750 all in, against an estimate of $5000 – $7000. A solid price for an always popular vase!

Rene Lalique Vase PenthievreAt Rago Arts and Auction Center on June 13th in New Jersey, the high seller was a good looking R Lalique Penthievre Vase in Blue Glass. It made a premium inclusive $27,600 against the wide $14,000 to $19,000 estimate. It was followed up a frosted R Lalique Serpent Vase with Sepia Patina, which made $15,600 with premium. Third high seller was the very rare Rene Lalique Perfume Bottle Oreilles Lezards. The better of two Oreilles Lezards Perfume Bottles sold in this sale, this bottle had small nicks and a stuck stopper. It made $13,200 with the premium. Fourth highest selling Rene Lalique piece was the Lalique Vase Lagamar with black enamal, which made an all-in total of $10,200.

In all Rago got off 14 Rene Lalique lots, totaling $110,160.

Rene Lalique Vase FormoseAt Bonhams New Bond Street on June 10th, the high seller was a Cased Green Opalescent R Lalique Formose Vase, making a premium inclusive £5,520 British Pounds, or approximately $9,000 U.S., followed by a nice looking R Lalique Ceylon Opalescent Vase making £3,360 all in, or about $5,500. The Bonhams sale was not helped by the London transit strike which was in full swing the day of the auction. Our man in London said the transportation situation was quite chaotic throughout the great City with many people opting not to travel that day.

Rene Lalique Vase Perruches As A LampAlso on June 10th in Canada at Waddington’s, the high seller was a nice looking Rene Lalique Electric Blue Perruches Vase that had been converted to a lamp, which made a premium inclusive $4560 Candadian Dollars, or about $4000 U.S. Obviously a fraction of the regular Blue Perruches Vase price, but a good result for the lamp version!

Finally, at Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland California over the June 6/7 weekend, the high seller for Rene Lalique was a nice looking R Lalique Perruches Vase in Green Glass, but with what was described as a “very minor impact to rim”, made a premium inclusive $16,590. The “impact” on the vase may have been judged very minor, but the impact on the price of such an unfortunately placed problem was likely not so very minor.

Rene Lalique Vase Perruches In Green GlassSummer is almost upon us, with R Lalique Auction items starting to thin out around the world toward the end of June. Certainly a great Lalique Auction season is wrapping up, with strong results for top notch pieces sporting clean condition and reasonable estimates, and significant activity at all levels and in all areas of Rene Lalique collecting. Pieces with issues were problematic as buyers got increasingly particular amidst the worldwide economic slowdown. However, another strong point is that the works of Rene Lalique have avoided what has started to occur in many collecting fields; the appearance of large volumes of works being liquidated by collectors hurt by the slowdown. If anything, there has been a significant lack of good quality Lalique merchandise available compared to previous years. This of course has effected sales averages and sale totals, even when strong prices are achieved for the offerings of the day.

We judge the overall results quite solid, made even more so when considering the uncertain times. But one certainty remains. Here at RLalique.com World Headquarters, the pool will be running on overtime as the desert heats up, while R Lalique auction activity around the world cools down!

Rene Lalique Vase Auction: R Lalique Vase Malesherbes Auction Sale – $24.99 No Reserve For A Nice Looking R Lalique Vase

June 14th, 2009

Rene Lalique Vase MaleshervesRene Lalique Malesherbes Vase Auction Sale – A low starting price and no reserve! A nice looking Malesherbes R Lalique Vase has appeared at auction online, with a $24.99 starting price and no reserve! This R Lalique Seller has a feedback rating of 7185! Yes, that’s seven thousand one hundred and eighty five, and 100% positive feedback! At this level, 99% positive feedback would mean there were still 70 mad people, so 100% is really good! From the photos and a reading of the auction ad and terms, it seems unlikely the buyer of this vase will be the first negative feedback for what appears to be a great seller, and in this case, a Rene Lalique Vase seller!

The seller states “The vase has no chips, cracks, scratches or other problems.” There is also a satisfaction guarantee, and of course, payment by paypal. And the shipping is reasonable when you type in your zip code, or at least it was when we typed in ours. 🙂 A great looking vase by Rene Lalique, a great starting price, and at no reserve. Oh, and it’s signed R.Lalique France (and possibly also with the Rene Lalique model number 1014).

But the best thing? The seller is but a short hike from Rene Lalique World Headquarters! Well, a drive that’s shorter than most hikes (which might explain the really reasonable shipping for our zip code 🙂 ….. but close at hand none-the-less. Seems worth checking out.

Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 250444537208 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.

Sept 23rd, 2009 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version

Rene Lalique Vases For Sale: Lalique Glass at Great Prices on 20 Newly Listed R Lalique Sales Items

May 29th, 2009

Rene Lalique Vase Archers Signed R.LaliqueRene Lalique Vases and other great R Lalique Items have been added to the section on works of  Lalique For Sale here at RLalique.com at very attractive prices. Vases such as the Lalique Vase Archers in Gray Glass and Amber Glass priced at only $8000 each.

Or take a look at the great looking Electric Blue Rene Lalique Pendant Grenouilles shown here and priced at only $1500. These are three good examples of the kinds of pricing on the new Lalique For Sale items that have just been listed.

And don’t forget if you click on the photo of any item in the Lalique Sales Section, a much larger version of that same photo opens up for you to see. Keep an eye out for several more wonderful Lalique For Sale pieces over the next couple of weeks as we list more works of the great Rene Lalique.

Rene Lalique Pendant Grenouilles in Electric Blue GlassBut in the meantime, you’ll find at least 50 great R Lalique items posted for sale right now. There’s everything from R Lalique Vases to Lalique Cachets, Perfume Bottles, Menu Boards, Bowls, Glasses, Boxes and Decanters. And if you don’t see something you are actively searching for or looking to purchase, let us know. If we can’t find it for you, we’ll put it in our Lalique Wanted Section and get the word out to our worldwide readership to help you acquire that special Lalique item to add to your collection.

 
 

Copyright 2014 by City Concession Co. of Arizona Inc. We are not affiliated with anyone using part or all of the name Rene Lalique. We are a gathering place for R. Lalique enthusiasts.