RARE LALIQUE 'SERPENT' VASE SELLS FOR RECORD $56,673

WITH MORE THAN 415 BIDDERS, BOTH ONLINE AND IN-PERSON, COMPETING FOR THE JUST MORE THAN 400 STUNNING LOTS IN HERITAGE AUCTIONS' 4.DECEMBER AUCTION, HERITAGE CONSIGNMENT DIRECTOR AND AUCTIONEER NICK DAWES HAD A FEELING IT WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY. WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE, AFTER TWO SESSIONS OF SPIRITED BIDDING FROM THE PHONES, INTERNET AND A PACKED ROOM, INCLUDING OSCAR-WINNING ACTRESS AND TALK SHOW HOST WHOPPI GOLDBERG, WHO REGULARLY CRACKED JOKES WHEN SHE WAS OUTBID THROUGHOUT THE AUCTION, THOUGH SHE DID TAKE HOME A FEW ART GLASS TREASURES OF HER OWN, THE AUCTION TOTAL HAD FAR EXCEEDED HERITAGE'S PREDICTIONS FOR THE EVENT TO FINISH THE DAY AT $1.28 MILLION. THE EVENING SESSION, WHICH WAS ENTIRELY DEVOTED TO TEH WORKS OF RENE LALIQUE, PROVIDED THE AUCTION'S PRINCIPAL HIGHLIGHT IN THE FORM OF A 'SERPENT' VASE IN DEEP AMBER GLASS, CIRCA 1924, WITH A MOLDED SIGNATURE, THAT SET A WORLD RECORD PRICE FOR LALIQUE WHEN IT REALIZED $56,673. 'THE LALIQUE 'SERPENT' VASE WAS THE BEST ONE I'VE EVER SEEN', SAID DAWES, 'AND I'VE SEEN A LOT OF THEM IN MY 30 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS. THIS PIECE IS WELL WORTHY OF THAT RECORD PRICE.' THE OPENING LOT OF THE AUCTION, AN EARLY GALLE PERFUME BOTTLE WITH SILVER MOUNT AND COVER, CIRCA 1895, IN PRISTINE CONDITION, PROVED VERY POPULAR WITH BIDDERS AND SET THE STAGE FOR THE REST OF THE EVENT WHEN IT REALIZED $7,170 AMIDST SEVERAL ROUNDS OF INTENSE BIDDING. THE BIGGEST FIREWORKS OF THE NIGHT, AFTER THE LALIQUE 'SERPENT' VASE CAME IN THE FORM OF ONE OF THE RAREST LALIQUE PERFUME BOTTLES, A 'RAQUEL MELLER' FRAGRANCE BY RODITI & SONS ENAMELED ON EACH FACE IN ORANGE AND BLACK, WHICH WAS RECENTLY FUND IN A NEW JERSEY ESTATE, WHEN IT BROUGHT $20,315 AGAINST A PRE-AUCTION ESTIMATE OF $6,000. COLLECTORS WERE EQUALLY IMPRESSED WITH A GROUPING OF 20 LALIQUE HOOD ORNAMENTS, WHICH BROUGHT CONSISTENTLY HIGH PRICES, LED BY THE CLASSIC VICTOIRE HOOD ORNAMENT AT $19,718. 'THE KEY TO MAKING THIS AUCTION SO SUCCESSFUL WAS OUR DETERMINATION TO ESTIMATE PROPERTY REASONABLY, AND OFFER IT WITH OUT RESERVE', SAID DAWES. 'THAT MADE THIS AN AUTHENTIC, OLD FASHIONED AUCTION, WHICH IS BECOMING RARER AND RARER IN NEW YORK THESE DAYS.'