is there a Lalique glass NUDE statuette called Saisons Automne? Is
this object likely to be a fake? WHAT IS A FAIR PRICE TO BID ON AN
AUCTION FOR THIS statuette?

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Clarification of Question by eyeimp-ga on 16 May 2003 20:50 PDT

seeking information about Lalique glass statuette "Automne surtout
Quatre Saisons"  does it exist ? is it a fake? What is the value ?

Hello eyeimp

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any information online about
this statuette. The one sure way to check out if Lalique ever made a
figurine with this name is to check the reference in Marcilhac's book
which the ebay seller cites as "ref: Marcilhac page 405".
His book is the most authoritative catalog of Lalique's work:
"R.LALIQUE: Catalogue raisonne de L'ceuvre de verre by Felix
Marcilhac. Les editions de l'amateur 1994."
http://www.bjsonline.com/lalique/books/

It is incredibly expensive with one used copy offered through Amazon
for over $700 so I guess it might be worth your while to try to find a
library with a copy.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/2859170820/qid=1053166488/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-3381012-7198442?v=glance&s=books

The reason this question caught my eye is not because I know about
Lalique, but I do know about the French language and the phrase
"automne surtout quatre saisons" is rather odd, literally meaning
"autumn especially four seasons".
http://www.wordreference.com/fr/en/translation.asp?fren=surtout
While "surtout" can mean "especially" or "above all", it also means a
table centerpiece as in these examples:

Two knights centerpiece - surtout deux cavaliers
http://bjsonline.com/lalique/catalog/tables/cavaliers.shtml

A Lalique Glass "Surtout de Table" Table Centrepiece, 1930s or later]
comprising four straight and two curved containers, all with rope-
moulded undulating flange rims forming a long "O", engraved "Lalique
France", {70cm} (chip to underside of one) E600-800
http://www.thesaurus.co.uk/tennants/xq/asp/SaleID.1087775/qx/sale.htm

""Fauvettes A," a LALIQUE illuminating surtout de table, circa 1930,
in clear and frosted glass with original nickel-plated metal
illuminating base. Wheel-cut R. LALIQUE. M p. 486, no. 1171 33.6
height overall"
http://www.ragoarts.com/onlinecats/10.05.02Lal/318.jpg
http://www.ragoarts.com/onlinecats/10.05.02Lal/10.05.02Lal_16.html

Lalique, René, designer
Pannier de Fleurs, Surtout (Basket of flowers, table ornament), c.
1933
http://www.artsmia.org/modernism/sort/by_maker.cfm

Sorry we can't find a full answer for you.

There is a Lalique forum at:
http://www.bjsonline.com/forum/lalique/

And some incomplete information on Lalique signatures at:
http://www.deco1925.com/signatures.htm
http://www.deco1925.com/sigexamples.htm


Good luck!

Leli

Hello eyeimp,

These are just some comments, in no way meant to be an answer. 

Achille Antiquites in Nice, France is currently selling a matching
“summer” piece called "Ete surtout 4 saisons", signed Lalique, 19. cm.
with the same reference as given by the ebay seller to Marcilhac page
405, (N°840, bis 1950). It is pictured at
http://www.antikaparis.com/achille/achille27.htm
No price is given. 

The height mentioned in the ebay notice matches the one above. It is
reasonable to assume that there might have been four figures designed,
one representing each season. On the other hand, maybe it is just my
imagination or a trick of the camera, but when I look at both pictures
side by side, the autumn piece seems cruder in its detail than the
summer piece, for example look at the fine detail on the wheat as
compared to the amorphous mass of “grapes”.

Do you know whether the ebay piece is glass or crystal?  I found this
snippet on the Lalique company web site FAQ: “Is it possible to
replace broken Lalique items that have been purchased in the past?
Yes, as long as the item is not retired or out of stock, and it is
still in production. However, certain pieces created before 1945 were
made in glass not in crystal, therefore they cannot be replaced.”
http://www.lalique.com/about/about_faq.htm#3 
The ebay advert claims the piece is from the 1950s, in which case
presumably it should not be glass but crystal.

This website might be helpful:

http://www.lalique.com/index2.htm