Collecting Antique Lalique Pieces Can Be A Passion

Some antique collectors collect anything old and interesting. Others pattern their collections around specific time periods. Still others go for a particular type of antique: glass, toys, jewelry. And then there are those who swoon over the creations of the French Lalique factory. Offering more than enough when it comes to choice, a Lalique collection that well-rounded could fill a house or even a museum.

The Lalique sensation was born at the hands of French jewelry maker Rene Lalique. This master jeweler turned his attentions to glass at a late age and soon found himself at the helm of a sensation in the field. At the age of 50, Rene began the pursuit of glassmaking on the master level and since he was already an accomplished jeweler, his works were taken seriously, quite seriously.

It wasn't long before Lalique's glass pieces found themselves as the bottles for famous French perfume makers such as Coty and Guerlain. In fact, Lalique made more than 250 bottle types at his French factory. His passion, however, would also lead him into making inkwells, vases, clocks, tableware and more.

The love for Lalique's glass creations grew so strong, his modest factory at one point employed about 600 people. As time passed, Lalique's works in glass became considered premier art pieces. His name stood out in a field of artists that included the likes of Tiffany.

And although Lalique made everything from animals to clocks, he is best known for his vases. The Lalique vases and other works, in fact, remain major players on the collectible market today. His works can range in price from a few dollars to thousands, depending on what they are.

Collectors looking for Lalique pieces will find that those made under Rene's watchful eye were signed with a simple R.Lalique, generally on the bottom. When his granddaughter Marie-Claude took over the factory in the late 1940s, the style of glass changed, but its popularity remained. Her pieces are signed with Lalique h France.

Those who want to collect Lalique from either maker should learn the pieces and their looks. There are reproductions on the market that even bear the correct signatures, but these makers were not successful in mocking the appearance of the glass.

Lalique was and remains today a popular form of glass to collect. Those who do so appreciate the fine craftsmanship and the artistry behind the works. Just keep an eye out for those reproductions.