2021 sees a reissue of the Guipure and Tartan vases from 1940-1950, in celebration of Saint-Louis' exceptional heritage. These prestigious pieces illustrate a fascinating juxtaposition of age-old heritage with a radically contemporary aesthetic. The two vases play with the contrast between the textile-like delicacy of their patterns and the strength of the deeply carved material.
Discover Guipure:
Discover Tartan:
Mouth-blown and hand-cut, these vases combine heritage, modernity and know-how. Guipure and Tartan are the result of extraordinary technique: a real feat of the 11 artisans needed to create them first over fire, then with intricate cuts. Each piece has specific techniques:
On the surface of Guipure - originally designed in 1946 - the olive cuts, bevels and cords intertwine creating a crystal lace. This particularly complex and all-covering type of cutting - referenced as rich cuts - is characteristic of Saint0Louis. It first appears in the second half of the 19th Century.
The olive cuts, cords, bevels and hollow ribs cut deeply into the surface of Tartan, weaving a recognisable geometric pattern. A shining testimony to the achievements of the modernist period, the Tartan vase embodies the singularity of the deep cuts of the 1950s.
Each piece is in a numbered edition limited to 88 pieces.