laliquemascots.co.uk

The bottom left hand photo (facing you) is by kind
courtesy of the Le Mans Circuit Racing Car Museum, France (Musee d'Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans)

Lalique mascots brought to you by the company of C.A.R.S. ( Classic Automobilia & Regalia Specialists )


Summer 2009

We bring to you the wonderfull artwork of Lalique. A name synonimous throughout the art world with exsquisite moulded and hand finished chrystal glass.
A unique opportunity to form a lifelong art collection and true investment for you and your family to own and enjoy! We can freely give advise for those collector's who wish to form an investment portfolio for themselvs or their family.

Background history:-

In 1925 Rene Jules Lalique created his first car hood/bonnet mascot as a direct commission from Andre Citroen. This mascot was produced for the Citroen Cinq
Chevaux (five horse power), the mascot was of five prancing horses in a line, one in front of the other (see photo above). From then on he continued to produce superb and sometimes styalised animal and bird representations in crystal glass.

Altogether there were officialy twenty seven different types, but well over thirty if you include Sirene and Naiade (the small and large mermaids, first produced in 1920 as 'ornaments' or paperweights, then adapted as car mascots in 1925). A special commission of a running greyhound from H.R.H. Prince George of England, later to become King George V1 of Great Britain (in 1931, the official Lalique guide book by Felix Marcihac states the introduction of this piece as being on 1st July 1929). Plus recent Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstacy (in 1994) along with the re-introductions by (Son) Marc Lalique and (Grandaughter ) Marie-Claude Lalique in 1949. Types which have now been re-introduced include the Peacocks head (in 2006) and the large version of the dragonfly (in 2009).
These exquisite sculptures inspired by naturallism, which are highly sought-after today by the most dedicated collectors. Lalique drew much inspiration from the popular Japanese art and far eastern-styles, together with the Art Deco influences of that period.

C'est en 1925 Rene Jules Lalique realisa ses bouchons de radiateur Cinq Chevaux pour Andre Citroen, pour omer les calandres des prestigieux vehicules l'epoche. Ainsi naquirent les'27 celbres mascottes d'inpiration naturaliste, veristables sculptures en verre qui font aujourd'hui object de convoitise des plus grands collecttionneure d'art., et Art Deco. S'inspirant de Japonisme, et son style extreame-oriental.

Advertisement taken from The Autocar magazine of May 1929-
To give you some idea of the promotion of these mascots at the time, we quote from an advertisement placed by Breves' Lalique Galleries being the sole U.K. agents and based in the up-market area of Sloane Street, London.

Quote:-

"Mascots by Rene Lalique., Yes the greatest living artist in glass designed a series for the motorists of Paris-and it was the judgment of Paris that nothing so original had ever adorned a motorcar.
Beautiful by day, they are altogether captivating at night, when illuminated with concealed lights in rich and glowing colours. The models range from a team of charging horses to a dragon fly poised for flight, and there are appropriate designs for every type of car.
Exquisite works of art these, and practical too, for the glass is untarnishable and almost unbreakable. The authentic Lalique Mascots, signed by the artist, are obtainable only from Breves Galleries, where many other lovely forms of glass are on view-all by the same master hand".

Breves also used a letter from a very satisfied customer to promote the strenth of the glass used in the mascots quote:-

"I bought from you last Spring one of your Falcon mascots for cars. It has toured over 10,000 miles in Central Europe over the worst roads imaginable and it is in as good condition as it was when it was new. This I think is pretty good, as the vibration must have been terrible".

So., as you can see from the above, these were not only very exclusive but very expensive ornaments even at that time, which graced sutch marques as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, Lagonda, Napier, Railton, Mercedes, Hispano-Suiza, Isotta Fraschini, Voison, Delahaye, Delage, Dusenberg & Cord etc.............in fact the world's most prestiges automobiles of the era!



LALIQUE CAR MASCOTS/HOOD ORNAMENTS COLLECTION using Lalique's own catalogue numbers in order of date of introduction of the item. Also remarks regards realistic availability and rareity. All were produced during the inter-war period up untill 1945 (one or two to 1948), unless stated otherwise along with the year of discontinuation. See below for star grading:-

**Sirene/Small Mermaid 831 introduced in 1920 as a statue desk ornament and then adapted as a car mascot in 1925 with no exact date of introduction and unlisted by the factory. Quite scarce, one in stock and one grey tinted version available.

***Naiade/Large Mermaid 832 ditto as above comments apply to this piece as well (very rare, one in stock)

***Cinq Chevaux/ Five Horses 1122 introduced on 26th August 1925 (quite scarce, one in stock with period metal display base)

******Comete Etoile Filante/Comet Shooting Star 1123 24th August 1925 (extreemly rare and desirable)

**Faucon/Falcon 1124 5th August 1925 (getting harder to find with an un-damaged vunarable beak, one in stock with light amethyst tint, another in plain clear chrystal available)

**Tireur d'arc/Archer 1126 3rd August 1926 (getting harder to find good examples, one in stock mounted on Breves Gallery lighting base, another in stock with damaged base)

*Coq Nain/Cockeral 1135 10th Febuary 1928 (fairly plentifull, one in stock, another 1960's version available with 'Lalique Cristal' original gold label. One extreemly desirable example in deep green tinted colour by R.Lalique available)

***Tete de Belier/Rams Head 1136 3rd Febuary 1928 (quite scare, one available dark grey tinted)

*Tete de Coq/Cocks Head 1137 3rd Febuary 1928 (fairly plentifull, one post-war and one modern version in stock, discontinued in 2007)

*Tete d'Aigle/Eagles Head 1138 14th March 1928 (getting scarce, one period piece, one post-war and another modern boxed version in stock)

****Tete d'Epervier/Hawks Head 1139 21st January 1928 (quite rare)

***Tete de Peon/Peacocks Head 1140 3rd Febuary 1928 (period examples are quite rare, one period example and several *modern boxed examples which was re-introduced in 2006, in stock)

***Levrier/Greyhound 1141 14th March 1928 (quite scarce, one available with slight bruise to edge on its Breves Gallery lighting base)

*Saint-Christophe/St.Christopher 1142 1st Mach 1928 (discontinued 1948). Not difficult to locate at this time one available from stock.

***Hirondelle/Swallow 1143 10th Febuary 1928 (quite scarce, one period piece on Breves Gallery base mount for mounting on the radiator cap, available and one modern boxed version in stock, discontinued in 2008)

***Petite Libellule/Small Dragonfly 1144 12th April 1928 (quite scarce, one period example in stock)

***Grand Libellule/Large Dragonfly 1145 23rd May 1928 (quite scarce, especialy if un-damaged. One period example in stock mounted onto a fine Italian marble base) Note: *This was reintroduced onto the market in 2009 in clear & frosted and light Ocean Blue colour, one of each type boxed in stock.

*****Grenouille/Frog 1146 3rd May 1928 (very rare, one on offer to us in pale amethist tint)

****Victoire/Victory Spirit of the Wind 1147 18th April 1928 (quite scarce if un-damaged with full lenth of hair intact, one period example in stock)

*****Longchamp/Horse (head) 'A' 1152A 12th June 1929 (this the first version with a double mane and is very scarce)

***Longchamp/Horse (head) 'B' 1152B 10th September 1929 (this is the second version with a single mane and is quite scarce, one example available)

*****Epsom/Horse (head) 1153 5th June 1929 (very rare)

**Sanglier/Wild Boer 1157 3rd October 1929 good availability, one period example in grey tint in stock and two post-war examples, plus one boxed (discontinued in 2006)

*Perche Poisson/Perch Fish 1158 20th April 1929 (good availability, four in stock, ***one very rare opalescent butterscotch yelllow tinted period example, another rare blue tinted version available and **one post-war and *one modern example, discontinued in 2004)

***Vitesse/Goddess of Speed 1160 17th September 1929 (very rare with one example available)

***Coq Houdan/Proud Cock (Art Deco Cockeral) 1161 30th April 1929 (quite scarce with one example available)

***Pintade/Guinea Fowl 1164 28th September 1929 (quite scarce with one example available)

*****Hibou/Owl 1181 27th January 1931 (very rare)

******Renard/Fox 1182 9th December 1930 (extreemly rare and desirable)

**Chrysis/Nude Female 1183 21st March 1931 good availability, two period examples, one car **mascot and one a ***paperweight version (without the groove fitting of the above)

****Spirit d'Ecstacy/Spirit of Ecstacy, known throughout the world as The Flying Lady, created by the renowned Edwardian artist Charles Sykes for Rolls-Royce motors in 1911. This was produced in order to commemorate the 90th anniversary of this most prestigious marque. Moulded frosted crystal glass by the Lalique factory artists in a limited edition of two hundred pieces only for exclusive dealership distribution, under licence from Rolls-Royce Ltd. in 1994.
This is marked with the RR logo and RR021 on the base of the piece with engraved signiature 'Lalique France' together with the factory logo sticker (all seen through the open base). Complete on its English silver hallmarked base/stand, engraved 'Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited-094' together with 'Copywrite Rapiditas Editions Limited'.

Another in stock as above (standard Rapiditas isssue without the special silver hall marked base stand, so not for dealership issue but for selected V.I.P's. A case in point is that these were never intended for sale on the open market, that is why RR never again commissioned Lalique to produce another run for the 100th Anniversary as some were indeed sold as prooved here!). Low issue No. RR009. SOLD Note: That RR009, the first one ever produced in the production run is know to us and maybe for sale...

***Cote d'Azure/Pulman Express Train 9th Febuary 1929 (not a car mascot, but a commissioned trophy by R.Lalique for presentation to passengers on the inaugural run of the Pullman train. Has moulded presentation (along with above date) details on the base. (Very rare. One available)

Another without the presentation details as (a proposed) adopted as a car mascot (one available, quite scarce)

Note:-
****** Extreemly rare & desirable and almost impossible to locate today
***** Very rare & desirable and priced accordingly
**** Quite rare and expensive
*** Rare but available
** Getting harder to locate
* Quite common
The grading above is our own personal opinion based on dealer's and auction records. All are clear or frosted chrystal unless tinted/coloured versions are indicated. All are of the period/date stated, unless otherwise mentioned. Signiatures vary in style but as a rule period pieces are signed with an etching tool or wheel-cut and/or intaglio stamped/stencil stamped/moulded into the glass, a few somtimes having the catalogue number engraved as well, just before leaving the factory.
'R.Lalique France'. (up untill Rene Lalique's death in 1945, however the 'R' was still sometimes used on selected pieces for a short time afterwards)
Post-war and modern pieces are signed/etched/engraved/stencil stamped/moulded 'Lalique France', sometimes with a circled 'r' in between for 'registered'. Specialised reference books need to be consulted for details of these.
'Available' means that the piece is known to us/has been offered to us and is on the market for sale. Our associates in France are in close contact with us, informing us of pieces when they become availalble.
Also note that accourding to the factory who infom us that very few period moulds still exsist and a few select pieces have been re-introduced by them where noted.
Please donot hesitate to consult us for advise and information about these wonderfully decorative investment pieces of art-glass. Our advice to you is to start collecting NOW! befor prices are out of reach. This is still 'early days' for you to build-up a good representative collection for pleasure and as an important investment portfolio. We will be happy to e-mail you the complete up-to-date price list showing the pieces that are available now on request.


NOTES:-

Photographs of the whole range can be found on the Lalique Collectors' Club website at: www.brmmbrmm.com/lbcc.bb Then click onto 'photographs'. (we can also send you more photos from our archive)

Not all the car mascots produced by the Lalique factory were originaly intended for this purpose, as some were later adapted from statuetts for hood ornament display., some were made into pairs of bookends and mounted onto black marble bases. Today the few that are still produced as intended car mascots are now marketed as 'paperweights'.
The catalogue numbers (Cat.No.) used by The Lalique Company, where registered, refer to the 'Bible' of Lalique, the reference works by Felix Marcihac entitled:- 'Rene Lalique, Maitre de Verrier, 1860-1945, Analyse de L'oeuvre et Catalogue Raisonne'. And more recently the up-dated version, 'R.Lalique Catalogue Raisonne de L'oeuvre De Verre', of which most dealers and auction houses refer to.
The design numbers (Des.No.) quoted here are Lalique's own post-war design numbers. The reference numbers (Ref.No.) quoted here are found in:- 'Motoring Mascots of the World' by William C.Williams.

For interest in post-war and modern Lalique's, also for the full background history of Lalique, warning about reproductions etc. please log-onto: www.laliquemascots.com


Art Deco period figures:-

We offer a small collection of Art Deco period 1920's to late 1930's, genuine sculptured figures mainly produced in cast spelter, gilded, some painted and with ivorine features applied. These are very reasonably priced as they are not the top quality names of the period., i.e.Preiss or Chiparus. Details and prices on application.



A free service to interested parties:-

We are able to e-mail photos to you of any of the above listed items, on request. Or if you wish we can send photo/s through the mail/post to you, on recipte of your s.a.e. (stamped self addressed envelope). We recommend that you have a look at The Lalique Mascot Collectors' Club website where the whole range are listed with photographs at: www.brmmbrmm.com/lbcc.bb

We are ALWAYS in the market to PURCHASE good quality LALIQUE MASCOTS and to this end please inform us if you have any for sale or exchanges etc. Please send photos to us in the first instance.



TERMS OF BUSINESS:-

Payment with your order please, by either personal cheque, Money Orders or Eurocheque, all of which must be made out in Pounds Sterling. We cannot accepte personal cheques made out this way from overseas clients, who may pay either by direct debit or bank transfer of funds into our account (our account details will be supplied to you with invoice to pay for your chosen goods). We accept American Express and Diners Club charge cards. All the above made out to C.A.R.S.(U.K.)

Collection or mail-order:-

You may arrange to either pick-up goods from our premises or at the shows that we attend. We are able to send to you safely, well bubble-wrapped and in a strong box, through the mail and fully insured.

Descriptions:-

ALL our pieces are guaranteed genuine period items and are sold with 'a recipte of purchase' to warranty this.
The details and descriptions of our goods are fair, accurate and honest to the best of our ability and comply with the Trade Decsciptions Act of which U.K. law applies.






















Please note that we are a mail-order company and visitors to our premises are by prior appointment only. We would be delighted to meet you at the events that we are attending and displaying at during the year, please go to www.brmmbrmm.com/lbcc.bb Then click onto 'events diary'.