Posted 11 years ago
MacArt
(94 items)
Marcel Franck was founded in 1882 by Léopold Franck who believed in the future of the perfume vaporizer (atomizer) and gambled on a business that would mass produce these devices.
Franck's original clients were hairdressers and beauty product vendors located near his Paris workshop. As the business prospered, his clients came to include all the major Parisian department stores including Le Bon marché, Le Printemps, and Le Galeries Lafayette.
When Léopold Franck died in 1907, the business was transfered to the capable hands of his son, Marcel — hence "Marcel Franck". Under Marcel's direction, business relations were established with leading glass bottle makers throughout Europe, in particular in Italy, Germany, Austria and Bohemia in addition to France. Fraanck also drew upon the talents of unknown French artisans, some of whom became well nown as a result of this contact: Gabriel Argy-Rousseau, for example.
While Marcel Franck did some work for leading perfume houses such as Guerlain, Molinard, and d'Orsay, and furnished some mounts to Baccarat, Saint-Louis, Gallé and Lalique — the thrust of the business was always to develop products that would promote the "Marcel Franck" name rather than allow the company to become just another anonymous subcontractor to the famous.
Technical development helped keep Marcel Franck competitive. Quality and durability of Marcel Franck atomizers were major considerations. From the mid-1920's, brass was used exclusively, with chrome or gold plating over it.
Marcel Franck atomizers were developed liquids of varying viscosity: brillantine, perfume and toilet water — each of which had a different "thickness".
Marcel Franck marketing matched atomizers to particular needs, applications and fashion trends. Guaranteed not to leak, the L'Escale could be packed in a steamer trunk. Other models were designed for a ladies handbag and boudoir.
Popular and memorable models included the Fizz, Super-Fizz, Le Parisian, Le Provençeal, L'Escale, Le Week-End, and L'Apotheose.
I have a shorter version of this in a more turquoise colour and I think it was identified by Alfredo for me, as having been made by Kralik.
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Hi Flyingfree!
well You can do a little research on Marcel Franck and decide for Yourself.
article says:"Under Marcel's direction, business relations were established with leading glass bottle makers throughout Europe, in particular in Italy, Germany, Austria and Bohemia in addition to France."
that would support possibility of Kralik, that said I very doubt it. Did Alfredo see it in person or did You send him pics? The problem for me is that it is not blown piece, it concertedly is nice and has some work done on grinding stone, but it is pressed piece and I don't think Kralik would do that. I of course talk about mine piece, maybe Yours is Kraliks and only looks like this.
It's not pressed; you cannot press anything that is narrower at the top because you cannot get the plunger out. It is possible to hand work pressed items to narrow the top a bit but that has not happened here. It is mould blown though, as was a lot of Kralik stuff.
I personally am on board with the marcel franck attributions. this stuff does not look that old. 60's 70's I'd buy. earlier than that.. not so much.
it's true to shapes which are pressed in two part molds, if there are more parts, it's possible, like in bottles. If it was mold blown there would not be seams, on this item there they are.
Mould blown items can and do have seams. Any sort of mould has to open to extract the item unless it is a very simple flattish item like a plate or a shallow bowl. Seam marks are removed either by rotating the item in the mould or by finishing the item outside the mould to remove evidence of seams. You cannot rotate a square item in a mould and end up with a square and you cannot remove a plunger or a glass item through a hole narrower than its width. That's basic geometry. I have no opinion on when this was made, just how.
what about horizontal seams? look at the knob, the top part of it has some traces of horizontal seams left. I don't know exactly how it was made, as I said I think it's mold pressed (btw the bottom part of item obviously has no pontil mark but it's rim is not ground either, it resembles more actual jar rim), but after it was pressed it had some post processing done, like crackle effect and satin finish.
It's still blown, even the lid. And yes it has had some post blowing finishing. The rim on the bottom part will probably have been fire polished. It's a hand produced factory item. Blowing and pressing require different skills and equipment unlikely to be found in the same department even if in the same factory. Crackling will have been done in the hot department.
The satination is a cold process (either acid etching or sand blasting) and will have been in another department,
I had some time on my hands so I took a pic to show what I meant by looks like a jar rim.
OK, not fire polished but blow moulded
I really enjoyed the description on this entry! : )
Hi,
This post has helped me with my Boxed 7 piece unused set of Green Crackle Perfume set.
How to load a photo, sorry can't, will start my own thread with your information borrowed please?