Auction Review: Marie-Claude Lalique’s Crystal Collection at Lion and Unicorn

Lion and Unicorn recently hosted a live auction of Lalique crystal on October 8, 2023. It was a continuation of Marie-Claude Lalique’s personal collection, which featured over 300 Lalique items of jewelry, vases, bowls, perfume bottles, plaques, figurines, drinkware, and more. Marie-Claude Lalique was the granddaughter of renowned glass artist René Jules Lalique. This exceptional assembly paid homage to Lalique’s legacy. Here are a few highlights from this sale.

The top lot of the recent Marie-Claude Lalique sale was The Abduction by René Jules Lalique (French, 1860 – 1945). It was lot #90, sold for USD 8,750, and was a beautiful cast metal relief sculpture with a brown patina. It was designed around 1900. This large high-relief tondo cast shows area lines of Lalique’s casting method. The relief sculpture depicts two male nudes set among lush foliage. The main figure protrudes from the surface like Auguste Rodin’s end-of-century sculptures. This outstanding piece, acquired directly from the private collection of the descendants of René Lalique, had never been offered publicly before.

A crystal plaque titled Masque De Femme was lot #92 and sold for $4,000. René Lalique handcrafted it, although the year is unclear. Lalique was a renowned French glass and jewelry artist and designer who attained the highest levels of quality and desirability in both mediums. Lalique used the latest innovative glass manufacturing techniques to create pressed glass objects. Masque De Femme is a raised, frosted design of a female face decorated on the circumference by Chinese dolphins, set in a silver-toned frame. It also hails from the private collection of Marie-Claude Lalique. This crystal plaque is a fine example of the height of Lalique’s creativity in the Art Deco era of the 1920s.

Lot #101, a Lalique crystal Bacchantes vase, sold for $2,200. These Lalique crystal vases have an exquisite satin finish and depict nude figural dancers. It bears a Lalique France backstamp and stands 9.5 inches high and eight inches wide. With his boundless imagination and creative genius, René Lalique handcrafted this Bacchantes vase in 1927. The iconic design features the young priestesses of Bacchus with their voluptuous curves and beauty. It is a work of unparalleled beauty, splendor, and sensuality. Since its original release, the Bacchantes vase has become a lasting symbol of Lalique’s celebrated style. Limited-edition copies of the original are still handcrafted and created in the furnaces of France. 

These items from the Marie-Claude Lalique Collection showcased the seamless fusion of artistry and functionality that characterizes Lalique’s style. The recent auction not only offered a chance to own a piece of Lalique’s history but also embodied the dedication of Marie-Claude Lalique in preserving her family’s artistic heritage.

For more information on Lion and Unicorn’s Collection of Marie-Claude Lalique sale, visit Lion and Unicorn.