From 1920 Statuette to Car Mascot
René LALIQUE modelled mermaids many times in his bowls and vases, always beautiful and stunning and often ethereal.
This particular model, the siren or sirene, had two separate tails and, in Greek mythology, is a creature half bird and half woman who lured sailors to destruction by the sweetness of her song. According to Homer, there were two Sirens on an island in the western sea between Aeaea and the rocks of Scylla.
Lalique never officially listed the Sirene as a mascot but Breves London, recognising that the base size would suit their mount and that the image suited the use, did market it as such. Lalique would have been quite happy that a statuette created in 1920 had a new lease of life.
It was offered in clear (white) and coloured (opalescent) glass as seen here (and as used in the Breves catalogue under the title ’Weeping Siren’) and was priced in 1932 at 250FF (clear) and 275FF (opalescent).
Both the Sirene and Naiade statuettes and the vase stopper from Meplat Sirenes avec bouchon figurine were also available with the bakelite lighting base from the Lalique Veilleuse Hirondelles lamp. These models leant themselves to a marriage with little or no modification and a very attractive decorative piece. They are very rare to see today but we do have one of each example for sale along with individual 1920 Sirene and 1920 Naiade mascots.