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.
The 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.
Monument 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.
Bates 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 Barak 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 and his R Lalique glass, jewelry and other creations, are being highlighted this year at a Rene Lalique Retrospective Exhibition in Tokyo Japan celebrating the 150 year anniversary of his birth.
We previously wrote about this great Rene Lalique Museum Exhibition back in April, before its opening in late June, and now it is in full swing. The Exhibition will be at the National Art Center in Tokyo until September 7th, and then moves to the MOA Museum of Art from September 15th to November 23rd. The Exhibition features over 400 works of the great Rene Lalique contributed to the Exhibition by museums and collectors worldwide. These works encompass the entire range of his output from cire perdue and unique objects, to jewelry, vases, car mascots, boxes, seals, perfume bottles, and more. It’s a great overall look at the designs and accomplishments of this amazing man.
Here is a video of the exhibition that is put to music. You can click the box in the lower right of the video screen below and it will put the video in full screen mode!
If you are traveling Japan in the next several months, this Exhibition is a fabulous opportunity to see so many of the great works of Rene Lalique, so much R Lalique, in once place, including many unique items that you may never have another chance to see in person.
We also have obtained a small number of Catalogues of the Exhibition. These great catalogues, titled Rene Lalique A Retrospective, are over 250 pages long and contain over 400 photos of the items in the Exhibition. You can find these for sale in the Rene Lalique Books and Library area of the website in the Rene Lalique Museum and Exhibition Books and Catalogues section.
And of course, this will take you to a detailed history and biography of the great Rene Lalique!
The short version is, they were shipped by boat:), but as usual the whole story is a bit more complicated! We’ll try and keep it brief as usual.
In 1852, Meiji the Great, destined to be the 122nd Emperor of Japan was born with the name Mutsuhito. His birth was less than a year before Admiral Perry would arrive on the scene. In 1867 at the age of 14, he became Emperor of Japan. He had no children with his wife, but had 15 kids with 5 different official consorts. Only five of his children survived childhood. The one of the five we are interested in is Princess Nobuko, the eighth daughter of the Emperor. In 1910 she married the royal Prince Yasuhiko, also an eighth child, who four years earlier had established the Imperial Family of Asaka!
In the early 1920’s, the Prince headed off to Paris for military studies. There he was seriously injured in a car accident in 1923. His wife came to Paris to help nurse him back to health, and they both were still in Paris in 1925 when the 1925 Exposition Internationale Des Arts Decoratifs took the world by storm. Apparently, it took the Asaka family by storm as well, and the new art deco style, decoratif art in everyday life, caught their fancy.
In 1929, they began work on an Art Deco residence in Tokyo that was completed in 1933. While the Ministry of Imperial Household oversaw the design and construction, the input of several of the great French decorative arts practitioners, notably Rene Lalique, and to a larger degree Henri Rapin (to whom the Prince entrusted the interior design of 7 of the rooms), made the house a model of modernist art deco restraint and style. The architectural contributions of Rene Lalique included the glass panel doors, and the chandeliers in the dining hall and grand guest room.
Fast forward through a war, the Asaka Family in 1947 lost it’s membership in the Imperial Household, the residence was taken over by the government and put to various government uses, and finally, it was turned over to the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation For History and Culture, which opened the doors of the Asaka residence as the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum in 1983. The Asaka residence had wonderful grounds surrounding it, hence the addition of the word “Teien”, meaning park or gardens, to the name of the museum.
And that is why the great doors and chandeliers of Rene Lalique still exist in their original home today, along with other decorative R Lalique objects, all preserved in the museum.
Over the years, the museum has held many exhibitions, including a great Rene Lalique exhibition in 1988 that is documented extensively in the catalogue book of the exhibition containing about 200 very high quality R Lalique photos. A copy of this rare catalogue book from the exhibition at the former Asaka residence is available in the Rene Lalique Books and Library Section.
What happened to Prince Asaka, the creator of the great art deco residence? He served in the military during World War II (not without some controversy), making the rank of General. After the war he moved to the small city of Atami south of Tokyo where he became an avid golfer. He lived to the age of 93, passing away in 1981!
And why are we telling you all this now? Well, it’s great R Lalique history, and more importantly, we stumbled across a great video of the museum, which takes you thru a personal video tour, including looks at some of the works of Rene Lalique which are installed and housed at the former Asaka residence. An in situ look at period works of the great Rene Lalique at the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum.
Rene 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 Citroen, with a price including the 22% buyer’s premium of $33,550. This was one of the first of the Rene Lalique Mascots. It was commissioned by Andre Citroen, the famous French car manufacturer, especially for the Citroen 5CV model which in a strange and amazing coincidence had 5 “Chevaux 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!
Next 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.
Strong 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.
Lalique trophy is presented to the “Best In Show” at the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach!
For at least 10 years, the Best in Show award at the amazing Concours d’Elegance has been a Lalique Trophy, presented by the Elegant Set, a quiet Carmel, California store associated with noted Lalique personality Nicholas Dawes. The actual trophy is a Lalique Crystal “Trophee” figure mounted on a custom base. Crystal Lalique Paperweights Chrysis and Tete De Aigle are also presented as class prizes. Of course, with the Rene Lalique Hood Ornaments gracing the front ends of so many of the finest motor cars of yesteryear in attendance, it’s only fitting that Lalique is in the forefront when awards are presented.
The Elegant Set has perhaps the largest inventory of Rene Lalique items in stock and on display of any gallery in the United States. It has been established for 25 years, and is a center of R Lalique activity during the Concours. A quick review of their current inventory reveals 24 different R Lalique Car Mascot models including for example a rare R Lalique Pintade Hood Ornament, and a host of other items ranging in price from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands.
The day before the Concours, on Saturday the 15th, the Elegant Set hosts an R Lalique event, the most important feature of which is champagne and hors d’oeuvres from noon on! But it’s also a chance to see a good amount of R Lalique items in one place, and to meet and talk to Nick Dawes, who fields questions from all comers about R Lalique for most of the day Saturday, in between sips of champagne of course!
The Elegant Set is a private enterprise, but their involvement with the Concours and the exposure they provide for the works of the great Rene Lalique during this important motoring event spreads benefits far beyond Carmel that touch many R Lalique collectors worldwide. And The Elegant Set is so discreet they don’t even have a real address! Heck, they’re so discreet we don’t even have photos to go along with this post! So if this is the first you’ve heard of them, now you know why! But if you want to stop by, they are located at the corner of 7th and San Carlos in Carmel. And you can reach the Elegant Set’s Ken Derrick, also known in certain circles as “The Lalique Trophy Presenter”, at 800 497 4994 for further information.
If you call, the big question you might ask Ken our behalf is this: Why are they waiting until noon to start the champagne flowing?
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!
A 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!
Of 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
Speaking of Rene Lalique Car Mascots: The Lalique Hood Ornament Vitesse, again in opalescent glass, along with a small group of Lalique Mascots is coming up for sale on August 14th, at the annual Bonhams Sale of “Exceptional Motorcars and Automobilia” at the Quail Lodge Resort in Carmel, California. The sale is scheduled to coincide with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance being held on August 16th after several days of pre-show activities.
It may appear from events this week, that the Rene Lalique Hood Ornament Vitesse in opalescent glass appears at auction all the time, but nothing could be further from reality. A Lalique mascot collector could go years without having a chance to purchase a great looking Opalescent Vitesse, so this week is a bit of an exception in that regard!
In addition to the Vitesse, Bonhams has assembled a small group of mascots, several of which are hard to find. Notable among these is the Cinq Cheveaux with amethyst tint, which has graced the RLalique.com home page for a couple of weeks, and which sports a pre-sale estimate of $15,000 to $17,000. Also included is the ram’s head mascot Tete de Belier, with an estimate of $6000 to $7000, as well as a small handful of other Rene Lalique Mascots.
Details and contact information regarding the sale, can be found in our Lalique Auctions Worldwide Section here at RLalique.com, and at the Bonhams website.
Rene Lalique Hood Ornament Vitesse, in opalescent glass sells for $29,000!
The sale today of several Rene Lalique glass items at Arthur Johnson and Sons in Nottingham (in the Hood, for those readers of our pre-auction report on this Lalique Mascot Sale) was quite successful. This sale information arrived on short notice just a couple of days before the sale, but there was worldwide bidding activity, and great R Lalique sales results.
Leading the way was the nice looking Lalique Mascot Vitesse. The auction house put out a condition report saying “There appears to be a chip to the big toe on the left foot (extended leg) and a crack (we thought it might have been a moulding fault initially) …”. This report did not discourage all bidders as opinions differed on the mysterious line! Both the auction house and our man on the ground in Nottingham reported half a dozen phone lines in play, at least 2 bidders in the room, and left bids. Here is one account from the saleroom:
“The next Lot 631 was the ‘Vitesse’ car mascot. It did have……. damage near the ‘feet’. Again … a commission bid, (opening the bidding at £4,000) a strong bidder in the room contesting and a few others, plus bids from 3 telephone lines. It quickly rose in price. Bids ricocheting around the saleroom and then selling for £14,500 to a telephone bidder (spontaneous applause in the saleroom).”
Apparently everyone agreed the Vitesse was a real “cracker”, it was just a difference of inflection that encouraged or put-off particular bidders. The premium inclusive sale price of 17,400 Brit Pounds, was against a conservative pre-sale estimate of only 5000 to 8000 Pounds.
The sale featured two other Rene Lalique glass pieces; the rarely seen Montargis Vase and the always popular and large, opalescent R Lalique Calypso Coupe Plate. The Montargis sold at a premium inclusive 1880 Pounds, or around $3100, and the Calypso made an all-in 3407 Pounds, or about $5700.
The auction house also reported to us that perspective buyers were mentioning RLalique.com when inquiring, and we can only hope that the winning bidder remembered to tell them the same! This sale is a perfect example of the benefit of telling auction houses when you inquire about lots, that you saw the item on RLaique.com. The more customers tell them, the more likely they are to make sure we get their sale information. It’s a win-win-win-win for you to know about more upcoming items, for the auction house to have more bidders, for the consignor to realize more proceeds, and for the entire R Lalique community, to have more successful sale results.
Rene Lalique Hood Ornament Vitesse in Opalescent Glass Appears in Nottingham England!
The 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.
A 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?
And 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 it’s 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 Ashtray Pelican in Opalescent Glass: A Great Lalique Auction Item!
The illusive RLalique Pelican Ashtray in opalescent glass has appeared at auction on Ebay. With a starting price of $65 and no reserve, it seems like a great opportunity to acquire one of the unique Rene Lalique Glass designs which is rarely seen at auction, and even more rarely comes out in opalescent Lalique glass.
The seller of this apparently great piece (remember the continuing caution to check it out for yourself) states: Some wear from use on the bottom. No chips or cracks. The seller has over 1000 feedbacks with 100% positive. Shipping is only $7.20 in the U.S.
Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 390075810498 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.
If you buy this rare R Lalique ashtray, a summer trip to Nashville for a personal pick-up, and a few great stops like the Grand Old Opry, the Jack Daniels Distillery, or a great ride down the Cumberland River on the General Jackson Showboat, a 300 foot Paddlewheel Riverboat, would make the buying and the traveling well worth the purchase! Nashville is a cultural wonderland and one of the South’s amazing attractions. And who knows what other great R Lalique glass lurks in the shops along the waterfront!
You can also find this pelican, along with R Lalique Auction items from around the globe, in our Rene Lalique Auctions Sales Worldwide Section.
October 7th, 2009 Update: Switched Item Link To Cached Image Version
Lalique North America announced the opening this Fall of a joint Lalique – Haviland Store in New York, which will replace the previously closed Lalique Boutique in the big city.
This announcement, follows through with the previously released strategy to join Lalique and Haviland operations in North America, and mirrors the Lalique – Havilland London flagship store opening earlier this year.
As discussed previously on these pages, Lalique and Haviland have joined operations in the US for the purpose of gaining operational efficiencies and cost savings, as new Lalique Cristal owners Art & Fragrance, and FSG implement their strategic plan to strengthen the brands of both subsidiary companies, which will remain separate entities notwithstanding the operational joining.
Maz Zouhairi, CEO of Lalique – North America and now CEO of Haviland’s North American operations was quoted as follows: “The initiatives surrounding this partnership solidify a stronger presence for both Lalique and Haviland as we position both brands for future growth.”
It’s obvious that Art & Fragrance and FSG are working hard in an innovative fashion during these difficult times, to solidify and enhance their joint operations. We wish them well.
Rene Lalique Seal Moineau, a nice looking colored Lalique Cachet has appeared for sale online at auction with a low starting price and no reserve!
A great R Lalique seal, the Moineau Cache is a classic Rene Lalique design. This same Lalique seal was also affixed to a dish and sold as an ashtray, or as it’s called in Lalique’s mother country, a Rene Lalique Cendrier.
The U.S. seller of this great little item (a Michigander no less – see the recent Rene Lalique Car Mascots Post for a Michigander explanation) is a high feedback, 99.5% rated powerseller. He states “THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PIECE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. NO CHIPS, CRACKS OR SCRATCHES.” He also provides a good number of photos so you can see for yourself. The starting price is $50 and no reserve, which makes this Lalique auction especially attractive for the apparently fresh to market Rene Lalique cachet.
Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 360171442480 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 of course, in our Rene Lalique For Sale section here at RLalique.com, you can usually find a great selection of Rene Lalique Cachets-Seals For Sale.
And our usual caution applies: If you are considering bidding on this or any Rene Lalique antique item, check it out thoroughly! Look at everything from the condition to the signature, to the terms and the shipping costs, and the reputation and return policy of the seller. Everything! A little bit of diligence goes a long way toward avoiding regrets.
Lalique Hood Ornaments -Lalique Car Mascots in Hickory Corners: How did that happen?
In July 1966, the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners Michigan opened to the public. It was the love affair of Michiganders (that’s right, they’re called Michiganders*) Don Gilmore and his wife Genevieve. Where is Hickory Corners you might ask? Well, it’s kind of midway between the Michigan Cities of Battle Creek (think cereal – cold breakfast cereal was invented here by Dr. John Harvey Kellog and it is still the headquarters of the company founded by his brother that bears his name, and Post Cereals is headquartered there as well), Lansing (Michigan State University and the childhood and football home of President Gerald Ford, who played on two Michigan State National Championship Football teams, before the big war of course), Grand Rapids (Autos and Furniture: Austin Automobile Company started there in 1901 and lasted near 20 years), and Kalamazoo (Gibson Guitars was founded here, as was the pharmaceutical giant Upjohn, and it’s still home to Checker Motors Company, who used to make the Checker Cab!).
Basically the former heartland of the industrial Midwest during the salad days of U.S. manufacturing! A lot of money was made here and stayed here in the form of public projects by wealthy people and companies. The Gilmores established a foundation that owns the museum and carries on, despite the passing of both Gilmores several decades ago.
So, what does the Gilmore Car Museum have? Where to begin, hmmm. Let’s start with the Blue Moon Diner, a real 1941 diner, picked up in toto from Meridian Connecticut, and moved here to the Michigan countryside! And yes, they serve pecan pie and frozen custard. Over 200 autos, from a 1948 “Waltz Blue” Tucker (number 47 out of a total production of only 51), to a Dusenberg! There’s a re-created 1930’s Shell gas station (including memorabilia from a Shell station just 3 miles from the Gilmore that closed during WWII), a small town train station, nine antique Michigan barns, and three miles of paved roads, as well as a huge collection of vintage pedal cars and miniatures. You may see their authentic London Double Decker bus tooling around the property when you visit, and it’s rumored (though not advertised) that a ride in a cool old vehicle might be had from time to time!
The museum is important in many other respects. For example, The Pierce-Arrow Society (the Roadshow video linked below features a Pierce-Arrow with the Rene Lalique Car Mascot Archers) established its museum at The Gilmore. As a result there are a wide array of Pierce-Arrows on display, one of the coolest of which is a 1912 motorcycle. Note that the entire museum grew out of a gift from Mrs. to Mr. Gilmore of a Pierce-Arrow project car needing renovation. Also, the Tucker Historical Collection and Library, a project of the Tucker Automobile Club of America (the “Car of the Future”) is at the Gilmore. Heck, they even have a Chrysler Turbine Car!
Why do we R.Lalique types care about all this? Well, because they also have one of the largest hood ornament/car mascot/auto badge collections in the United States. It contains over 1600 items, some of which are Rene Lalique Car Mascots!
And why are we writing about this now? Well, because in August 2008, the U.S. Antiques Roadshow was in Grand Rapids and made a little trip down memory lane to Hickory Corners for a short Video Special at the Gilmore. In the video, Eric Silver (formerly of the auction house Doyle New York, and now with Lillian Nassau LLC) and Antiques Roadshow Host Mark Walberg spent a few minutes talking car mascots, including a little Rene Lalique Car Mascot talk, with some good video to go along with the chitchat.
So check out the Museum Website, where you’ll find a ton of great info and cool photos in addition to the ones here. And if you’re ever in Kalamazoo, take a pleasant half-day, put the top down and head over to Hickory Corners, where you’ll cruise into American Automobile and Rene Lalique History!
* The demonym (that’s a word used to describe local people which uses some local stuff in the word) Michigander is credited to Abraham Lincoln! Yes, The Abraham Lincoln! On July 27, 1848, Lincoln was making a speech in the U.S. Congress as a member of the Whig Party and a representative from Illinois, when he made of fun of Lewis Cass, the Governor of the Michigan Territory, by calling him “The Great Michigander!” If Lincoln only knew how well it would stick! What the heck, he carried Michigan in both his Presidential elections.
Lalique Perfume Bottle Cotes Bouchon Papillons, with a great R Lalique signature, has appeared online at auction in apparently good condition, with a starting price of 99 cents and no reserve!
This good looking circa 1911 Lalique Perfume Bottle, can be found on Page 325 of the R.Lalique Catalogue Raisonne as item number 477. The ribbed bottle topped with the butterfly stopper is an early and classic Rene Lalique antique art nouveau design. Because this model is not a typical stand up bottle that can fall over and break a fragile stopper, when it does appear for sale, it is often in good condition.
Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original R Lalique Perfume Bottle Cotes Bouchon Papillons 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 Lalique Perfume Bottle in our Rene Lalique Auctions Worldwide Section, or if you bid high enough, you can see it in person when they deliver it to you! 🙂
Rene 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!
I 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.
The tournon bowl coupe is a reasonably rare and large R Lalique bowl model. The Monument Colorado seller states:
Monument 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.
Bates 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.
We previously wrote about this great 
In the early 1920’s, the Prince headed off to Paris for military studies. There he was seriously injured in a car accident in 1923. His wife came to Paris to help nurse him back to health, and they both were still in Paris in 1925 when the 1925 Exposition Internationale Des Arts Decoratifs took the world by storm. Apparently, it took the Asaka family by storm as well, and the new art deco style, decoratif art in everyday life, caught their fancy.
In 1929, they began work on an Art Deco residence in Tokyo that was completed in 1933. While the Ministry of Imperial Household oversaw the design and construction, the input of several of the great French decorative arts practitioners, notably Rene Lalique, and to a larger degree Henri Rapin (to whom the Prince entrusted the interior design of 7 of the rooms), made the house a model of modernist art deco restraint and style. The architectural contributions of Rene Lalique included the glass panel doors, and the chandeliers in the dining hall and grand guest room.
Rene 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 
Next 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 
Strong 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.
A 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:
Of 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.
Speaking of Rene Lalique Car Mascots: The Lalique Hood Ornament Vitesse, again in opalescent glass, along with a small group of Lalique Mascots is coming up for sale on August 14th, at the annual Bonhams Sale of “Exceptional Motorcars and Automobilia” at the Quail Lodge Resort in Carmel, California. The sale is scheduled to coincide with the 
In addition to the Vitesse, Bonhams has assembled a small group of mascots, several of which are hard to find. Notable among these is the Cinq Cheveaux with amethyst tint, which has graced the 
The sale today of several Rene Lalique glass items at Arthur Johnson and Sons in Nottingham (in the Hood, for those readers of our pre-auction report on this 
Apparently everyone agreed the Vitesse was a real “cracker”, it was just a difference of inflection that encouraged or put-off particular bidders. The premium inclusive sale price of 17,400 Brit Pounds, was against a conservative pre-sale estimate of only 5000 to 8000 Pounds.
The auction house also reported to us that perspective buyers were mentioning RLalique.com when inquiring, and we can only hope that the winning bidder remembered to tell them the same! This sale is a perfect example of the benefit of telling auction houses when you inquire about lots, that you saw the item on RLaique.com. The more customers tell them, the more likely they are to make sure we get their sale information. It’s a win-win-win-win for you to know about more upcoming items, for the auction house to have more bidders, for the consignor to realize more proceeds, and for the entire R Lalique community, to have more successful sale results.
The 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.
A 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?
And 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 it’s own which is a bit long for this post. But you can find more info at the 
The illusive RLalique Pelican Ashtray in opalescent glass has appeared at auction on Ebay. With a starting price of $65 and no reserve, it seems like a great opportunity to acquire one of the unique Rene Lalique Glass designs which is rarely seen at auction, and even more rarely comes out in opalescent Lalique glass.
This announcement, follows through with the previously released strategy to join 
Maz Zouhairi, CEO of Lalique – North America and now CEO of Haviland’s North American operations was quoted as follows: “The initiatives surrounding this partnership solidify a stronger presence for both Lalique and Haviland as we position both brands for future growth.”
A great R Lalique seal, the Moineau Cache is a classic Rene Lalique design. This same Lalique seal was also affixed to a dish and sold as an ashtray, or as it’s called in Lalique’s mother country, a Rene Lalique Cendrier.
Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 
In July 1966, the 
Basically the former heartland of the industrial Midwest during the salad days of U.S. manufacturing! A lot of money was made here and stayed here in the form of public projects by wealthy people and companies. The Gilmores established a foundation that owns the museum and carries on, despite the passing of both Gilmores several decades ago.
So, what does the Gilmore Car Museum have? Where to begin, hmmm. Let’s start with the Blue Moon Diner, a real 1941 diner, picked up in toto from Meridian Connecticut, and moved here to the Michigan countryside! And yes, they serve pecan pie and frozen custard. Over 200 autos, from a 1948 “Waltz Blue” Tucker (number 47 out of a total production of only 51), to a Dusenberg! There’s a re-created 1930’s Shell gas station (including memorabilia from a Shell station just 3 miles from the Gilmore that closed during WWII), a small town train station, nine antique Michigan barns, and three miles of paved roads, as well as a huge collection of vintage pedal cars and miniatures. You may see their authentic London Double Decker bus tooling around the property when you visit, and it’s rumored (though not advertised) that a ride in a cool old vehicle might be had from time to time!
The museum is important in many other respects. For example, The Pierce-Arrow Society (the Roadshow video linked below features a Pierce-Arrow with the Rene Lalique Car Mascot Archers) established its museum at The Gilmore. As a result there are a wide array of Pierce-Arrows on display, one of the coolest of which is a 1912 motorcycle. Note that the entire museum grew out of a gift from Mrs. to Mr. Gilmore of a Pierce-Arrow project car needing renovation. Also, the Tucker Historical Collection and Library, a project of the Tucker Automobile Club of America (the “Car of the Future”) is at the Gilmore. Heck, they even have a Chrysler Turbine Car!
Lalique Perfume Bottle Cotes Bouchon Papillons, with a great R Lalique signature, has appeared online at auction in apparently good condition, with a starting price of 99 cents and no reserve!
Here is a link to a saved/cached image version of the original 
Rene Lalique Vase Antilopes Appears At Auction: Well, part of an R Lalique Vase Antilopes has appeared! 
I 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.