LALIQUE Smiling Angel Signed Blown Crystal Champagne Stem Flute Reims Cathedral

LALIQUE ~ THE SMILING ANGEL ~ 1985 Listing is for 1 / 8 oz Stemmed Crystal Champagne Flute 8.5" tall / 3" mouth The Smiling Angel champagne flute was Marc Lalique's tribute to his father, and the region where René Lalique was born. Three years after taking over the company, following his father's 1945 death, Marc Lalique created the Angel glass, featuring the face of the Smiling Angel, a stone sculpture on the west façade of Reims Cathedral. The Louvre museum's moulding workshop had produced an exact replica, which is what Marc Lalique used to ensure the Angel glass was perfectly faithful to the original angel. Made in three parts, after mould blowing the bowl, crystal was injected into the mould to form the stem. The foot could then be produced by hand. The three parts were now one, and the glass placed in the annealing kiln, where the temperature was gradually reduced. Once the glass had cooled down, the bowl was cut to the correct height and the rim fired to give it a rounded edge. A template was used to ensure the precision of the angel's wings. Parts of the glass were polished, so as to enhance the transparency and radiance of the crystal. After strict quality control, the Angel glass was signed.