A lavish celebration of the jewellery and glassware of one of the greatest names of twentieth century design, by TV personality and Lalique expert Eric Knowles

Rene Lalique was one of the giants of twentieth century decorative arts and a master of the Art Deco idiom. Born in 1860, early artistic talent led to an apprenticeship with Paris goldsmith Louis Aucoc. By 1885 Rene had established his own workshop, and for the next twenty years he designed and made jewellery of great originality and beauty. Though this became famous worldwide, before the turn of the century he began experimenting with glass, and it is for this that Lalique is today most famous: for the fine art perfume bottles he produced for Francois Coty and for a vast repertoire besides, including vases, lighting, clocks, car mascots and architectural commissions. This lavishly illustrated history celebrates the extraordinary jewellery and glass of Rene Lalique, and the glass of the Lalique company up to the present day.