Does Lalique Hold its Value?

Lalique is a luxury glassmaker, founded by René Lalique in Paris. The Frenchman began his career as a jeweller before transitioning to glassmaking in the early 20^th century, quickly garnering an impressive reputation for the elegance and detail of his work. His work, beginning with perfume bottles and vases, quickly spiralled into bigger and more ambitious works, not least the glass fountain which he designed and made in 1925, for the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs.  Lalique worked right up until his death in 1945, at which point his son, Marc, took over the business.

 ^{A Lalique Ondines opalescent glass bowl} 

^{Sold for £2,500}

With Lalique’s timeless renown comes a great number of eager collectors looking for a high-quality piece of glassmaking to add to their collection. The most common vehicle for such a purchase is an auction house, such as Dawsons, an auctioneers to which clients can come for reliable valuations, and thus reliable prices. However, the exact valuation of a Lalique piece can vary, as while some pieces hold and even increase in value over time, others depreciate. There are a few factors at play which can influence this, including, but not limited to:

Date – Pieces made between 1905 and 1945 tend to be far more valuable than pieces dating after this period, since it was at this time that René Lalique himself held the reins. Pieces from this period feature a signature ‘R’, affirming that it was Lalique’s hand which made them, a detail which was removed after his death. ‘Suzanne’, a glass figure dating to 1930, was sold by Dawsons for £3,600 in 2019.

Glass style – While Lalique primarily make transparent works, René himself produced opalescent designs during his time at the helm of the company, pieces which are injected with chemicals to produce glass which has a colourful and dreamy quality to it. Since these pieces were only produced up until 1945, they tend to be valued much more highly than transparent works.

^{A Lalique 'Serpent' large cylindrical vase}

^{Sold for £2,500}

Item – René Lalique designed, and paved the way for, a range of different forms for glassmaking, including vases, ashtrays, and perfume bottles. The detail and form of a piece can influence its asking price at auction, and more unique pieces are far more likely to hold their value. For example, Lalique’s ‘Reynard/Fox Mascot’, a car mascot which René himself produced, sold for £119,000 in 2011 at an auction in Pennsylvania. Additionally, he made a select number of cire perdue works, pieces which require the mould to be broken in the process of creation, thus producing unique works which cannot be repeated. Naturally, these pieces produce very high valuations, and tend to hold their value far more than other works which have been reproduced in large numbers.

Condition – naturally, superficial damage to glassworks, such as chips and marks, can decrease their value – a pristine piece is far more likely to hold its value for a longer period of time. Glassworks can also be damaged according to the environment in which they have been kept – a regular and temperate room keeps the glass in good condition for a longer period of time, preventing stress cracks which can result from unstable environments

The Market – aside from the actual details of the glass itself, the conditions and interests of the market can heavily influence the valuation of a Lalique work. Fortunately, after a slight drop in value towards the end of the 20^th century, interest in glasswork has been steadily advancing since then, and so pieces have not only held but even appreciated in value.

^{A Rene Lalique 'Ceylan' opalescent glass vase}

^{Sold for £2,100}

Lalique endures as a timeless picture of excellence within the glassmaking industry, and as such it regularly produces pieces of interest at auction. Since there are multiple factors which can determine whether a piece holds its value, from an earlier period and from the point of purchase, it is important to get a professional valuation. For this, there is no better place to look than Dawsons. A specialist at Dawsons will also be more than capable of determining the provenance of a work, should you have such concerns about your piece.

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How Do I know if my Lalique is Real?

A Touch of Glass

How to Sell Your Collection

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