A large and imposing French crystal glass Scent Bottle used for display purposes at Fortnum and Masons in the 1960's. The large stopper designed as two intertwining doves in frosted glass and filled with original scent, signed Lalique France around the rim of the base.
L'Air du Temps is a triumph of bottle art and symbolism: The intertwining doves affectionately termed ‘Les Colombes’, a romantic theme by Marc Lalique, originates from 1951 and came to denote the virginal quality of the visual aspects of its representation, perpetuated in its advertising ever since. Originally the 1948 design envisioned by Jean Rebull and materialized by crystallier Marc Lalique involved a rising sun surmounted by a single dove. The interwining doves however marked the "kiss and make up" peace mood after WWII.
The "colombes" kissing motif also reflected the ever feminine, always understated and ethereallly romantic Nina Ricci - "The most romantic gift of fragrance a man can give a woman". In 1999 the L'Air du Temps flacon was named "perfume bottle of the century".
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Height: 31 cm
Condition: Excellent Condition
Circa: 1960
Materials: Clear and Frosted Glass
SKU: 6126
ABOUT
Marc Lalique, French 1900 ~ 1977
Marc Lalique was born in 1900 in Paris, the son of René Lalique and Alice Ledru and brother of Suzanne Lalique-Haviland. He was responsible for the move from glass to crystal in the early 1950s.
A skilled technician
After studying at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs de Paris, Marc Lalique joined his father in the family business in 1922. He was a highly skilled technician, and made frequent visits to the Wingen-sur-Moder factory to oversee new production techniques.
Crystal, hallmark of excellence
On the death of his father in 1945, Marc took the helm. His technical bent and know-how led him to renovate and modernise the Wingen-sur-Moder factory, and Lalique rapidly became one of the finest crystal manufacturers not only in France but worldwide. The contrast between sheer transparency and satin sheen became Lalique’s hallmark, at home and abroad.
Marc Lalique’s most famous pieces include the Angel glass, inspired by the Smiling Angel in Reims Cathedral, a reference to the Lalique family’s origins in the Champagne region, and the famous L’Air du Temps Nina Ricci perfume bottle.
He died in 1977, leaving his daughter Marie-Claude in charge of the Cristallerie Lalique.
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