Baccarat

Charming pair of Baccarat vases France Circa 1880 Crystal, Enamel, Gilded and patinated bronze Height : 35.5 cm 35,5 cm ; Base : 13 x 13 cm Elegant pair of vases with square section, in enamelled crystal with polychrome decoration of birds of paradise, resting on an openwork base in patinated and gilded bronze with Japanese motifs. Between 1764 and 1860, with rare exceptions, the Cristallerie de BACCARAT did not sign its works. The first paper labels appear in 1860 and represent inside a circle, a carafe surrounded by a stemmed glass and a goblet above which is marked BACCARAT. From 1875, the mark "BACCARAT" in letters stick and in relief is present on certain models blown and on the bronze parts of the mounts. It is from 1936 that the carafe surrounded by a stemmed glass and a goblet, with "BACCARAT" marked above, appears systematically on the whole production. Biography: The famous Baccarat crystal factory, whose origins date back to the 18th century, won its first gold medal at the 1823 Exhibition of Industrial Products, where it was hailed for "the brilliance and finesse of crystal" and became the leading crystal factory in France. Baccarat is undoubtedly the only French industry that is constantly and masterfully represented at the various exhibitions in which it participates, winning honors and prestigious awards. A key word, "the perfection of the material and of the cut", recurs in all the reports of the World Fairs between 1855 and 1867, where the Baccarat crystal factory dominates by the quality of its crystal, judged superior to those of Bohemia and England. In order to keep its wealthy customers, including of course the members of the Royal Family, loyal, Baccarat had to discover and launch new fashions, new designs and new materials, as shown by this beautiful Opal crystal, which quickly became one of Baccarat's specialties in the 1850s.