Reine Marguerite carafe

Glass by René Lalique. The jeweller René Lalique, famous for the originality of his creations, turned his talents to glass at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1908 he rented a factory at Combs-la-Ville, in the Paris suburbs, moving to Wingen-sur-Moder in Alsace in 1921. His first bottles were created for François Coty, who had revolutionised perfumery by combining natural essences and synthetic scents produced by advances in chemistry, and by paying great attention to their bottles and presentation. But Lalique did much more than create forms and decorations. From 1909 he registered several patents for improved moulding techniques and used the press moulding process. He also developed cold patinas, which are more economical than enamel and enhance relief. These remarkable pieces belong to a group of twenty-eight works donated to the Conservatoire in 1944 by his son, Marc Lalique.