Busacca Gallery

This beautifully handcrafted Lalique French Crystal Puffer Fish—known in French as Cache Poisson or Poisson-Ballon—is a charming example of the legendary craftsmanship of René Lalique (1860–1945). Hand-signed and carefully cast in clear and frosted French crystal, this exquisite sculpture comes with its original box, making it a complete collector’s piece. The fish’s tail curves gracefully to one side, and the base is etched “Lalique France,” a mark of the timeless artistry for which Lalique is world-renowned. Comparable pieces typically retail for around $350 at Lalique galleries, making this an excellent opportunity to acquire a true miniature masterpiece for $175. The story of the Lalique Puffer Fish begins with René Lalique’s lifelong fascination with nature, particularly the delicate beauty of marine life. He was captivated by the way light danced through water and the shimmer of underwater creatures, and he translated this inspiration into crystal. Unlike Lalique’s earlier small fish designs from 1912, the Puffer Fish was sculpted with fuller volume and lifelike realism, capturing the gentle humor and curious personality of this “inflatable” ocean creature. Its rounded body and delicate fins allowed Lalique to explore the interplay of frosted and clear crystal surfaces, giving the sculpture a sense of motion, as if it were floating mid-water. Each Puffer Fish is individually cast at Lalique’s historic glassworks in Wingen-sur-Moder, Alsace, where artisans meticulously polish and frost sections to achieve the signature contrast that defines Lalique crystal. Beyond its technical brilliance, the Puffer Fish carries symbolism—representing protection, adaptability, and quiet strength. In nature, the fish inflates to defend itself; in crystal, it embodies resilience and the enduring beauty of simple, organic forms made eternal in glass. Today, the Lalique Crystal Puffer Fish remains a collectible that blends playfulness, elegance, and masterful craftsmanship. It is more than a decorative object; it is a small, luminous testament to Lalique’s genius, capturing the spirit of the sea and the timeless allure of crystal artistry.

The fish motif in Lalique’s work captures both the beauty of nature—a fish swimming—and the visual possibilities of glass, from movement and transparency to the interplay of frosted and clear surfaces. This motif exemplifies Lalique’s innovations in glass artistry, making these figurines highly collectible. Pieces with strong provenance, especially those with original boxes, hold significant value, and the direct connection to René Lalique adds art-historical cachet. Lalique’s fascination with aquatic life was never incidental. Fish, sea creatures, algae, and droplets of water appear repeatedly in his Art Nouveau and Art Deco oeuvre, reflecting his enduring admiration for the natural world. The “Fish” figurine was one of the first items produced at scale by Lalique’s glass factory following his transition from jewelry to glasswork. The Poisson seal (cachet)—a fish-shaped wax seal created in 1912—was among the first pieces produced in large series, marking a pivotal moment in Lalique’s career. Designed by René Lalique (1860–1945) around 1912–13, the fish-motif crystal figurine is typically cast in clear or colored crystal, sometimes frosted, and often signed “Lalique France” on the base. This model quickly became a staple of Lalique’s animal and figurine line and has been produced continuously—or nearly continuously—since its creation. According to the Musée Lalique, the 1912 design “has practically never been out of production since its creation.” Today, the fish figurine remains part of a long-running, iconic series of Lalique glass sculptures. Rooted in nature-inspired motifs, it continues to be appreciated by collectors for its artistry, historical significance, and timeless elegance. Please contact us with any questions or inquiries. Explore our fine selection of quality collectibles and artworks at Busacca Gallery.