Perfume bottles shine at David Rago’s annual jewelry auction Dec. 8
Nov. 27, 2007
LAMBERTVILLE, N.J.—On Saturday, Dec. 8, David Rago Arts and Auction Center will host its 7th annual Jewelry Auction, as part of a three-day Great Estates Weekend in Lambertville, N.J. Gleaming among the jewels will be a splendid presentation of perfume bottle gems. Those unable to attend can participate in the sale online at www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
In light of refined bidder tastes and increased interest in extremely rare perfume bottles, the auction house has limited the consignments to 35 lots emphasizing seldom seen or previously unknown items.
For the first time, with its conforming stopper, the magnificent 1924 "Sirene" by Rene Lalique will be available to bidders. It is one of three designs previously known to us only in drawings, for over fifty years. Also offered for the first time in complete original state is the 1945 post-war "Sans Soucis" (Without Worries) for Schiaparelli, with a windmill blown inside the bottle and lace trimmed cap over the stopper. Potsdam is home to the famed San Soucis windmill, and was the site of the peace talks that ended World War II. This was Schiaparelli's comeback to her 1934 perfume "Soucis" (Worries).
French designer Paul Poiret has been celebrated this year in exhibition and literature. For the first time, David Rago will offer the 1922 Asian-inspired Rosine bottle, "Maharadjah" as designed by Poiret, with its rarely seen green glass stand. Two elegant black Czechoslovakian bottles, will also be available, each made remarkable by their stunning Austrian metalwork depicting jeweled spiders on webs.
Bottles will begin at lot #1209 with the Corday "Hallo! Coco!" parrot bottle in its wire cage stand and original box, followed by a selection of luxury perfumers' bottles and Czech crystal, including designs by Rene Lalique, Julian Viard, and Heinrich Hoffman. Bottles with packaging include Elizabeth Arden's "On Dit" in a rare presentation by Rene Bouche, a Delettrez "XII" in pink Baccarat crystal with hand painted box, two geometric Lucien Lelong bottles in dramatic art deco style, and a figural French atomizer bottle formed as a butterfly on a rose with vintage bulb and fitted box.
All lots can be viewed in advance at www.LiveAuctioneers.com, where absentee bids will also be accepted.
