Since 1882, Vessière Cristaux has offered a scintillating and creative universe through an Art collection from the largest crystal factories in the region: Baccarat, Lalique, Daum and Saint-Louis. Discover their favorite products.
Crystal bladderit is first of all the story of a genius artist, Justin Vessierewho with his son obtained high rewards for their crystal engraving work.
In 1882, Justin Vessière decided to offer a showcase to the productions of a Lorraine crystal factory by establishing his first showroom26 rue des Ponts, in the heart of Baccarat. It was then the first and only custodian of the Baccarat crystal works.
In 1901, Justin Vessière, accompanied by his brother Charles, opened their creative workshop in Nancy where unique pieces influenced by the movement came to life. Art Nouveau. The creations of the Vessière brothers are distinguished by their acid engraving, enamelling, gilding as well as their fauna and flora motifs.
Today, five generations later, the Vessière house, rooted in Baccarat, continues to perpetuate the family tradition and offer the best of crystal.
1) The Harcourt 1841 Baccarat glass
The Harcourt glasscreated in 1841 under the name “triple button gondola shape”, is one of Baccarat’s most beautiful masterpieces.
The service is exceptional both for its iconic silhouette resting on a hexagonal base, its “flat-ribbed” size and its 6 facets capturing the radiance of the light.
It comes in a multitude of colors (pink, blue, emerald, moss, orange or amethyst).
The Harcourt strongly contributed to the reputation of the Baccarat crystal factory following an order from King Louis-Philippe. Since then, the Harcourt service has been adopted by the greatest royal families in the world. Hence his nickname “the service of kings”.
Originally, the Harcourt collection was made up of numerous pieces, including glasses, carafes, bowls, bowls and compote bowls.
At the beginning of the 20th century, other pieces were added to the range: champagne glasses, tankards, goblets, wine glasses and salad bowls.
Over the years, the Harcourt has become a symbol of the excellence of crystal and French know-how. Today, it remains one of the best-sellers at Baccarat crystal sales.
Light and timeless, this crystal glass has continued to magnify the greatest tables in the world, from the royal courts to those of the Brazilian and Lebanese Presidencies, including the embassies of France, the United States and the United Kingdom. But it also sparkles in the salons of Versailles and in those of the Vatican and of Emperor Napoleon III.
Over the years, his design has inspired many contemporary designers such as Philippe Starck.
© Vessière Cristaux
2) The mascot Victoire Lalique
Initially simple accessories to adorn the grilles and hoods of automobiles, mascots have today become real collectibles.
These small sculptures were a source of inspiration for many artists at the beginning of the 20th century. One of the great masters of automobile mascots is undoubtedly Rene Lalique.
This trained jeweler put his talent at the service of the automobile in 1906 by creating the trophy intended for participants of the Targa Vincenzo Florio.
The golden age of automobile mascots dates back to the 1920s and 1930s, a period during which René Lalique designed no less than 30 models of these ornaments, today among the rarest and most sought after by collectors.
The most famous Lalique mascot is the Victoireor the Spirit of the Windcreated in 1928. An allegory of peace, it was designed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Armistice of November 11, 1918.
Emblem of the period Art DecoVictory represents the face of a woman in movement, extended by wings, coming to life in the heart of a satin and shiny glass.
This Lalique mascot is considered a true sculpture of light, reflecting the artistic talent of its creator.
© Vessière Cristaux
3) The sculptures of Jean-Philippe Richard Daum
Jean-Philippe Richard is a genius of contemporary French sculpture, renowned for his sculptures in crystal paste, in collaboration with the crystal maker Daum.
It was in 1998 that the sculptor began creating models for the Nancy crystal factory. His favorite subject: women.
The artist offers a unique vision of the practice of modeling, with the desire to explore the mysteries of femininity and to give the female figure an aspect of ancient statuary.
Like the slender silhouette of a woman, Jean-Philippe Richard’s creations are synonymous with delicacy, grace and harmony.
The sculptor’s greatest asset is that he sculpts without no modeleverything is imaginary. He thus avoids being interested in the sculptures of other artists for fear of being influenced.
Among the iconic Daum sculptures created by Jean-Philippe, we will cite:
- Amélie : it is the crystal sculpture of a standing woman who listens and whose pelvis is slightly hollowed out
- Adele : a female sculpture which takes a softer pose, arms behind the head, evoking lasciviousness and seduction
- Louise : this work is recognizable by its slender silhouette, one of its arms behind its head and dressed in a pretty drape.
Each Daum crystal sculpture by Jean-Philippe Richard reflects his perfect mastery of materials and techniques learned during his career.
© Vessière Cristaux
4) The Endiablés of Saint-Louis
The colorful series of Endiablés is the result of the collaboration between José Lévy, an unclassifiable creator, and the Saint-Louis crystal factory, one of the most illustrious French manufacturers.
Launched in 2011, the collection includes contemporary objects (glasses, candlesticks, decorative objects, etc.), highlighting the Saint-Louis crystal maker’s own techniques: color-lined and hand-cut crystal.
As sublime inside out as it is right side up, each object is a combination of the parisons of the essential glasses of Saint-Louis creating an astonishing mixture of sizes and colors.
José Lévy aims to make people forget conventions and play with the shapes and chromatic palette of Saint-Louis.
The multifunctional objects in the range The Endiablés illuminate every room in your home while adapting to your needs. They can serve as a vase, tealight holder, glass or storage compartment.
The crystal route, discover the terrestrial stars
If the world of crystal fascinates you, discover 3 exceptional glass sites in the heart of the Vosges regional natural park, which form the constellation of “Terrestrial Stars”.
These sites – Meisenthal, Saint-Louis and Lalique – have the common objective of promoting local know-how and retracing the industrial and artistic epic of crystal and glass.
The origin of the Terrestrial Stars dates back to the 16th century with the arrival of glassworks in the lands of the Vosges who found there the natural resources essential to glasswork (such as wood, silica sand and ferns). This marks the beginning of a wonderful industrial and artistic adventure which still thrives today.
The 3 glass sites grouped within this network are:
Founded in 1704 in the heart of the country of Bitche, the glassware Meisenthal is an authentic Lorraine industrial site specializing in the manufacture of glass objects, including the legendary Christmas baubles.
It is considered the cradle of Art Nouveau glass, notably thanks to its collaborations with Emile Gallé from 1867 to 1894.
But in 1969, the glassworks ceased its activity after more than 260 years of operation. It was in 1992 that the International Center for Glass Art (CIAV) re-ignites the first melting furnace in an old building on the wasteland and thus revives traditional glass production.
Since then, the Meisenthal glass site has been divided into 3 divisions: the Glass Museum, the center of glass art where the glassblowers describe their work gesture and the Halle Verrière of 3200m2 dedicated to concerts and shows.
- The Saint-Louis factory
Inaugurated in 1586 in the Vosges du Nord regional park, St. Louis is the oldest crystal factory in France, still renowned today for its hand-cut colored crystal.
It was formerly called “Royal Glassworks” in 1767 then “royal crystalworks of Saint-Louis” from 1829.
Every day, the factory gives life to crystal pieces – vases, chandeliers, services and candelabra – true works of art created by master glassmakers, cutters, engravers and gilders.
All are holders of centuries-old know-how and incomparable technique, passed down from generation to generation. Some artisans are even among the Best Workers in France.
At the very heart of the crystal factory, the Saint-Louis Museum on the Grande Place presents you with no less than 2000 creations which retrace the history of crystal making while paying tribute to the prestigious and meticulous work of glassmakers.
Laliqueit is a name that evokes French refinement through its exceptional creations, ranging from vases and sculptures to jewelry, perfumes and glass services.
René Lalique, the founder of the Lalique house, established his unique factory in Wingen-sur-Moder in Alsace.
In the same village is the Lalique Museumopened in 2011, part of the Terrestrial Stars network. More than 600 works signed Lalique are exhibited there, these are creations produced by glass artisans perpetuating the cult of excellence.
