Lalique Glass

An icon of French glassmaking, René Lalique's early 20th-century designs established a new standard for art glass. Now universally recognized as one of the most pivotal producers of the day, Lalique is a name inextricably linked to the Art Nouveau era.

A native of Ay, a small town nestled in the heart of France's Champagne region, Lalique developed a fascination with three-dimensional design and décor in his early years of artistic training. His earliest foray was in the field of jewelry design, yet by the end of the 1880s, he shifted his focus toward art glass. So successful were these initial pieces that Lalique expanded his production in the early years of the 20th century both in scale and in scope, providing new designs for glass objects ranging from bookends to perfume bottles.

While many of Lalique's glass pieces are considered Art Nouveau, some of his designs from the late '20s and '30s incorporated elements of Art Deco as well. In these pieces, Art Deco's stylized, geometric elements merged within the organic sensibilities of the Art Nouveau aesthetic. This seamless blend is a testament to Lalique's artistic skill. It also explains why so many antique glass collectors clamor for Lalique's pieces.

Quick Facts

• Lalique's glass pieces are featured in museums around the world from the Princeton University museum collection to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London
• A unique aspect of Lalique's production was a limited line of car hood ornaments created between 1925 and 1930. They ranged from female figurines to streamlined animal forms. The rarest of these, such as the fox and the owl, now sell at auction for up to several hundred thousand dollars
• You'll know the authenticity of your piece if it bears an R. Lalique signature on the underside, as the signature is only on pieces that predate 1945, the year he died. His signature was omitted from subsequent pieces when the company entered the hands of Lalique's son, Marc