Marie-Cécile Cisamolo about her favorites of Sotheby’s Lalique auction

An important private lifetime collection of Rene Lalique’s pieces and designs will be presented at Sotheby’s auction tomorrow in Paris. SURREAL GENERATION asked Marie-Cécile Cisamolo, Jewelry Specialist and Director of Sotheby’s, to tell us about her favorite lots of the sale.

“It is very difficult to decide which jewels to select because I love them all so much. It is so rare to see a collection like this with so many jewels by Lalique but not only jewels also designs. It is the collection of one man, Monsieur Claude Henri Sorbac, a collector and true connoisseur, he was very passionate about Lalique. He managed to put together items that express the full scope of Lalique’s genius.

Here are some of my favourites and why:

Enamel and gold pendant necklace “Face of Woman and Wisteria”. The front and the reverse. René Lalique. Lot 1.

This is typical Lalique. He was inspired by women and nature, especially at the beginning of his career. He created different examples of these pendants, around the 4 seasons. This one is the portrait of a woman with wisteria is very romantic. Funnily enough, what I especially appreciate is the reverse of this pendant. Lalique felt that the reverse of a jewel should always be as beautiful as the front, as it was the part of the jewel that touched the woman’s skin.

The ‘Dragonflies and Ferns’ necklace is one of my favourite ones as well. This piece was created later as it reflects Lalique’s passion for what will become his essential medium: glass. What is extraordinary is that there is also the drawing of this necklace is presented at the auction. It is super important because Lalique’s first love was drawing, he was a jewellery draughtsman, selling his designs to other brands before he started his own.

Steel, aluminium and half-pearl brooch. René Lalique.
Lot 15.

This brooch is probably my favourite lot (though I could say that about nearly any jewel in this collection). It is so avant-garde! This piece was created in 1915, at a time where Art Deco was still in its infancy. It is also very interesting to note the influence of the UK Arts & Crafts movement. Important to note that it is made of aluminum, again I repeat: in 1915! It is such very light, and super sexy for a brooch if you ask me.”