Number Plate News

Tony began his travels in France and soon found, besides the more usual clear Lalique 28 variations, some rare examples of the Falcon, Large Dragonfly, Falcon and Coq Nain. These were hewn from amethyst and coloured glass and were also far more pricey. With the backing of my benefactor, he set out on a mission to find not only each and every example in the normal clear and frosted varieties, but to also each of every other type of mascot in tinted, coloured and opalescent glass. "My quest took me to Switzerland where some mascots had turned up at auction. These included a rare, strongly amethyst tinted, Eagles Head. The reserve seemed rather low and I soon I realised that other, international, dealers were interested, having themselves noticed the auctioneer's error. Of course, I had to secure it for my client and the bidding reached a new world record of £26,500!

"Knowing that I had set the world record price, collectors and dealers all over France and the rest of the Continent started to offer me more examples of rare Lalique and other mascots. I had my client' full authority to build up a major Lalique portfolio.

"Five years later, I was invited to his home to see how the collection was being housed. He told me that he was keeping them in a cage! He showed me over to a large garage complex. In one corner was a large metal security walk-in safe, Inside that, stacked to the ceiling, were hundreds of boxes. I got him to start opening them up and to start displaying the contents properly."

Having taken Tony's advice, at the next visit he had at least removed the pieces from their boxes but had simply stacked the Lalique pieces in a large glass display unit in his office. This was rather daunting because as I realised that here on these three shelves were the very finest Lalique mascots in the world. He soon began to appreciate the collection far more and constructed shelves in the garage to display them. The collection was becoming world-beating and comprised nearly fourteen thousand pieces. Later he purchased some wonderfully rare Art Deco cabinets which allowed this fabulous Lalique collection to be displayed in all its glory. "It had taken fifteen years to find them all" said Tony "and, because I had bought them all personally, and examined each one intimately, I managed to gain a vast experience which set me in good stead for the next fifteen years.

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