Gui Vase – Lalique
A Gui was historically a bowl used in China for offerings of grain for ancestral tombs. The shape changed overtime, but was typically comprised of a circular form for the opening or shape from the side, on top of a rim or feet. The Gui-style Vase was made of frosted glass.
René Lalique was born in the countryside of Ay, France, although most of his youth was spent in Paris, where he moved when he was two. He won his first award, in drawing, at age 12 at his school, Lycee Turgot. One of his first mentors was Justin-Marie Lequien (winner of the Prix de Rome in 1819) who taught for 50 years and was a mentor to Impressionist painter Georges Seurat.
When he was 16 he was apprenticed to art nouveau jewelry maker and goldsmith Louis Aucoc, whose family made jewelry for French royalty and other wealthy customers. By 18, he went to Sydenham, outside of London, to study at the Crystal Palace which encompassed many pieces of historical significance. Lalique was named Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, in 1897.
In 1907, he was commissioned by François Coty, who made perfume, to design the labels for his bottles. Within two years he went from making paper and metal labels to glass labels to an entire line of perfume bottles for Coty. By 1918 he had a larger factory and had now expanded to vases, lamps, desk accessories, tableware, windows and panes for door inserts.