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L for Lalique
Lalique As a child Rene Claude Lalique (born in 1860) showed an interest in all aspects of art and sculpture. In 1876 he began an apprenticeship with the famous jeweller Louis Aucoc in Paris. He attended the College of Decorative Arts at the same time and won an award for drawing. In 1880 he was employed as an illustrator of jewellery, creating designs for some of the foremost perfume houses in Paris. Four years later Lalique’s drawings were accepted for display at the National Exhibition of Industrial Arts at The Louvre. When he was 25 he set up his first workshop in the Place Gallion in Paris, later adding on another workshop where he designed jewellery using semi precious stones with ivory and later crystal glass along with coloured enamels. In 1889 at a display at The Paris Universal Exhibition the jewellery firms of Boucheron, Cartier and Vever, among others, included collaborative works by him in their displays. Lalique opened his first retail shop in 1905 and in 1907 Vincenzo Florio commissioned him to design the award trophies for the famous Targa Florio endurance races. During the beginning of the First World War Lalique closed his factory, but post-war he built a new factory in the Alsace region and was producing crystal glass from 1921. It continues there today. Lalique is still known for producing an extensive range of jewellery, watches, cut glass and moulded crystal for famous department stores around the world, as well as ocean liners including the incredible Art Deco interior of the SS Normandie. Car Mascots/Hood Ornaments Car mascots were of great demand by the rich and famous of the inter war era. These adorned the hoods and radiator caps of the most prestigious marques from all over the
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newsletter 103 A5 :newsletter
25/3/09
09:26
Page 13
world at that time. An original edition of 27 different mascots were produced, which included stylised animals, birds and other creatures, some adapted from the paperweight production of ornaments already being produced at the Lalique factory, then re-introduced by adding a groove around the base to take the metal mounting base to enable it to be displayed mounted on the cars’ radiator caps. A British company was licensed to produce and market chrome plated brass radiator cap bases for Lalique, the Breves Gallery of London also sold the mascots and were the only UK company to represent the French concern here. The first mascots were for no specific make of vehicle; however in 1925 Rene was approached by Andre Citroen to produce a suitable car mascot to adorn their new 5CV. What Rene came up with was the classic 5 prancing horses that was very appropriate for the car of the same name! Soon the rich and famous were seeking out Lalique’s mascots to adorn their radiator caps on such exotic cars as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, Lagonda, Napier, Railton, Invicta, Mercedes, to name but a few. The few car mascot designs of today are now marketed again as paperweights/presse papier decorative ornaments. Rene died in 1945 at the age of 85 and his son, Marc, took over until his death in 1977, and eventually his daughter, Marie-Claude Lalique Dedouvre assumed control until she eventually sold her interest in the company and retired to the USA. She died in 2003. The company continues as a family run business to this day.
The author of this article specialises in classic car badges and motoring mascots and has a keen interest in the work of the Lalique family of master craftsmen, who still produce a range of mascots in crystal glass to this day. The Tete d’Paon (or peacocks’ head), for example, has been reintroduced, not only in clear glass but also in several coloured versions!
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