D'Avesn Art Deco Vase With Lions And Lioness Rare Opaque Glass

A rare piece by Pierre D’Avesn in white opaline French milk glass. The design is a highly desirable relief impression of a pride of eight male and female lions encircling the body of the vase. In Art Deco sculptures and ceramics, animal imagery is emblematic  and a favorite of collectors. A fluted and stepped design trims the top .

In our retail store, we were constantly asked if we had “any Lalique”. It seems that is the one name so often sought by novices and sophisticated collectors alike. So it is interesting to note that Pierre D’Avesn  (born Pierre Gire) went to work for Rene Lalique as an apprentice at the age of 14 and stayed with him for eleven years until just after the Paris Exposition of 1925. So it is highly likely that many pieces we see today attributed to Lalique may have been made by a young D’Avesn who not only learned amazing molded glass techniques but also the importance of having an ability to sign a piece with one’s own name!  Lalique required all employees to only sign the name “Lalique ” so it may have been a great opportunity for D’Avesn to join the Daum company after 1925 to run the “Verrier d’Art Lorrain” division in which he had an agreement to sign his own work!

In 1937 he worked for Verlys, and later for Sevres where he continued to design pieces until he died in 1984. During his long career, he did work for several companies producing large quantities of glass pieces for light fixtures and tableware but those artistic creations that bear his name are rare, exquisite and worth adding to any collection of glass pieces and art deco objet d’art.