20th century collectible bottles and perfumes
On the occasion of our sale of 20th-century collectible bottles and perfumes, to be held on 1 st December, we invite you to discover the work of artist René Lalique, several of whose bottles we are presenting.
A REVOLUTION IN THE WORLD OF PERFUMERY
In 1907, perfumer François Coty met René Lalique. Impressed by both his avant-garde jewelry and his early glass objects, he asked him to put his talent to work in the world of perfumery.
Until then, packaging as we know it today did not exist. Essences were usually sold separately... You had to transfer them yourself into a container of your choice...
But together, René Lalique and François Coty revolutionized the world of perfumery.
The bottle became the showcase for the perfume... A precious bottle containing a precious perfume... The days of traditional, cylindrical bottles were over...
Better still, the container now has a symbolic link with the contents...and is still in tune with the times...Ambre Antique, one of Lalique's first creations for Coty, is a fine example of this, with its bas-relief depicting an ancient woman and its sepia patina, reminiscent of the amber colour of the liquid it contains...
Furthermore, mass production at the Lalique factory in Wingen-sur-Moder, Alsace, keeps production costs down, making it possible to offer affordable prices...Luxury becomes accessible to the masses...
His formidable technical mastery established Lalique's reputation, so much so that many perfumers placed orders with him: Molinard, d'Orsay, Worth, Roger & Gallet...for whom he designed, among other things, the sublime Le Jade bottle in the shape of a Chinese opium snuff box, made of opaque glass imitating jade...This brought an end to his collaboration with Coty, as Lalique refused to grant him exclusivity......
At the same time, he produced decorative bottles and matching powder compacts for his own account, which were sold empty...
PERFUMERY AT THE DECORATIVE ARTS EXHIBITION, 1925
The 1925 Exhibition in Paris, whose centenary we are celebrating this year, was a unique opportunity for French manufacturers to showcase their expertise in both perfume production and bottle design.
The “Perfumes” section of the exhibition was filled with R. Lalique bottles...
The appeal of perfume extended to all social classes... Bottles and their decorative boxes were no longer the exclusive preserve of luxury stores. They can now be found on the shelves of more popular boutiques, both in Paris and in the provinces... These works by French designers are gaining popularity abroad, helping to promote French taste.
Perfumery is becoming an admirable and respectable branch of the decorative arts.
Throughout his career, René Lalique created more than 300 perfume bottles, often with matching boxes...
* To mark the centenary of the 1925 International Exhibition of Decorative Arts, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris is hosting the exhibition 1925-2025 – Cent ans d'Art Déco (1925-2025 – A Hundred Years of Art Deco) from October 22, 2025, to April 26, 2026...