Three Lalique glass panels designed for the dining car of the Côte d’Azur Pullman Express train in 1928 will be offered at auction next week. The Joint Special Managers of Thomas Cook Group are the vendors.

Extracted from Antiques Trade Gazette | Laura Chesters

The press-moulded, frosted and polished panels with mirror backing are modelled with the Merles et Raisins (blackbirds and grapes) motif – the first time René Lalique (1860-1945) used what became one of his best-known designs.

The luxury train service, which ran from December 1929-May 1939, was operated by Compagne Internationale Des Wagons-Lits and took its wealthy passengers from Paris to the Italian border town of Ventimiglia.

The panels (with no makers mark) were presented by the train operator to Sir John Cuckney, chairman of the Thomas Cook group, in July 1979 to mark the 50th anniversary of the business relationship between the two companies. The travel company went into compulsory liquidation in September 2019.

Bonhams is offering the panels with an estimate of £10,000-15,000 as an addition to its sale of a private collection of Lalique glass on February 19.