South Street Seaport Museum - DECODENCE

René Jules Lalique is recognized as one of France’s foremost Art Nouveau jewelry designers; creating innovative pieces for Samuel Bing’s legendary Paris shop, Maison de l’Art Nouveau. In the 1920’s and 30’s, he went on to become the most famous in his field. His firm – LALIQUE – is a name synonymous with creativity, beauty and artistic perfection in the Art Deco style. Lalique’s creations are displayed in more than 40 Museums worldwide including le Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Lalique museum in Hakone, Japan.

Lalique created the famed walls of eglomisé glass and elegant glass columns which filled the dining room and Grand Salon, as well as the magnificent dining room service wear of the S.S. Normandie, much of which is now part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His brilliant eye and skilled hand were also responsible for some of the smallest appointments aboard the ship. Lalique crafted the small crystal bottles that housed the Jean Patou fragrance created specifically for Normandie’s passengers. His eponymous firm still thrives today with an international clientele as distinguished as that of the Normandie. With a project so close to its heritage and heart, Lalique is proud to be our partner in the DECODENCE exhibit.

CABOCHON RING
In 1931, Rene Lalique revolutionized cocktail jewelry with the creation of the Cabochon glass ring. An immediate success, the firm continued to manufacture this classic style that is just as stylish today as it was almost eighty years ago. As part of its celebration of Normandie, Lalique has created a limited edition Cabochon ring in three colors (Cap Ferrat, Sapphire, Rouge a l'or) with a special commemorative engraving. A selection of these rings will be made available exclusively through the museum store.