Baccarat "clair De Lune" Clear Crystal Basket Vase With Gold-toned Japanese-style Decor: "the Crystal Staircase"

An antique "moonlight" smoked crystal basket vase from the Baccarat crystal factory, crafted in the style of pieces marketed by the Parisian firm L'Escalier de Cristal around 1870.

Ring-shaped, this vase features a circular body hollowed out at its center, resting on a clear crystal pedestal. Its unique silhouette allows flowers to be arranged along its inner curve.

The smoky gray crystal is adorned with a gilded Japanese-style design depicting a crane in a watery landscape, accompanied by flowering branches, foliage, and Far Eastern-inspired plant motifs.

The gilded decoration, rendered with relief effects, stands out against the slightly smoky transparency of the crystal.

This composition reflects the influence of Japonism on French decorative arts in the second half of the 19th century, particularly following Japan’s opening to trade with the West and its participation in the 1867 Paris World’s Fair.

Height: 22 cm.

In very good condition.

This vase is part of the luxury production of the Napoleon III era, combining the technical innovations of French crystal manufacturers with the Japonist aesthetic then in vogue.

Founded in 1808, the Paris-based firm L’Escalier de Cristal specialized in the sale of luxury goods, crystal, porcelain, and furniture. It collaborated with several French manufacturers, including Baccarat, to offer products that combined high-quality craftsmanship with designs inspired by the arts of the Far East.