CLEOPATRA'S BOUDOIR

Edouard Fornells (1887-1942) was a famous Andorran craftsman that specialised in molds for glass and plastic, and was an associate of the glass-sculpturor René Lalique. Forells moved to Paris in 1909.

Edouard Fornells started working with René Lalique as early as 1911. He became one of his closest partners. In 1913, he started a workshop of his own. He started producing perfume bottles and perfume presentation packaging. The company allows him to work with the greatest perfumers of his time.  

However his working relationship with Lalique continues.  He was trained in engraving, tooling, and chasing. As a mould specialist he was able to transform drawings and sketches into moulds for production of three dimensional products, using his own ideas and those of his clients. 

For Lalique he designed many glass pieces, bottles, and aluminium powder boxes. One of these powder boxes was decorated with exotic parrots for a Roget et Gallet powder. t was from this tropical design that the graphics for their Le Jade line was derived. He designed and produced beautiful bakelite boxes for Rene Lalique.

Fornells was very innovative and worked with plastic materials as if they were bronze. With this in mind, he even added colored patinas ro bring out minute details of the carvings. 

And thanks to his creations, he was able to exhibit at The Arts Decoratifs Exhibition in Paris of 1925, a master engraver still little known the time and a native of Barcelona, whose great-grandparents were from Andorra la Vella.

By 1930 , engravers and decorators were busy at work at Fornells' boutique. The company had important clients with the biggest perfume companies and made boxes and flacons for Bourjois, Worth, D'Orsay, and Roger et Gallet as well as still doing commission work for his friend Lalique.

The Bakelite perfume presentation boxes were not marked with the perfume's names.  I am positive that Fornells made the red Bakelite box for Bourjois's perfume Kobako. Another notable Bakelite presentation case was made for Carege's perfume Le Corail, with a bottle by Julien Viard in 1929. I also believe that the 1923 red and black bakelite presentation case for Myrurgia's Suspiro de Granada was made by Fornells. I have no confirmation but Molinard's bakelite containers for their concreta may have been made by Fournells too.

Edouard Fornells is famous for his bakelite powder, rougeand vanity containers. These are highly collectible today and come in many forms and decorative motifs, especially in the Art Deco vein. The boxes are generally marked "Editions E. Fornells Paris" in a circle.

For more info on Edouard Fornells, view the website herehttp://users.telenet.be/plastics_collection/FORNELLS/DOCU%20FORNELLS/Document%20Fornells.htm

A small gallery of Edouard Fornells Bakelite boxes:

Important Art Deco perfumed powder box made up of black Bakelite, in a disk shape, circa 1930. The lid is carved with a scene of a ship (a Caravelle) sailing on the ocean framed with exotic foliage and parakeets. The design is picked out in a geen patina. Signed. Diam. : 17 cm. Sold by Lombrail-Teucquam.

Rare important face powder box in red bakelite, disk shaped, with ten panels, the lid is carved with tropical leaves.  d : 10cm. Sold by Lombrail-Teucquam.

Beautiful and important ivory Bakelite powder box, carved with an exotic Orientaliste scene, with antelope and tropical plants and trees.

More Fornels boxes can be found here:http://users.telenet.be/plastics_collection/FORNELLS/PHOTO%20GALLERY%20FORNELLS.htm