Bowl 102_20

COUPE OF THREE ONDINES by Pierre D’Avesn 1930s 

Art Deco bowl of pressed green glass is signed “MADE IN FRANCE” and attributed to Pierre D’Avesn creation for VERLYS. 

Ondines are imaginary beings associated with water. They also can be called water nymphs in its own right. Ondines are almost invariably depicted as being female, and are usually found in forest pools and waterfalls. Although resembling humans in form, they lack a human soul, so to achieve mortality they must acquire one by marrying a human. Such a union is not without risk for the man, because if he is unfaithful, then he is fated to die.

Most often associated with the Verlys glass name are class bowls with a three part design (three muses, the fishes, three birds). The word Verlys comes from the French region Andelys on the shores of river Seine, where the glasswork was located, combined with “Verre”, the French word for glass.

 The same designers used to work for several different glass manufactures. Pierre d’Avesn designed most highly priced and extremely collectable pieces of “Lalique”. Besides opening his own production line in France, he also created many of Verlys’s most famous works. So in many ways, the biggest difference between those pieces of Verlys and Lalique is the name on the bottom. This wonderful glass bowl demonstrates the above to unconditional perfection!

 There are some tiny scratches in the central part (see pictures). The general condition is excellent.

 Coupe Ondines is also available in molded smoked glass, which is attributed to be earlier produced for Lalique (see Bowl 107_19).