René Lalique saw his reputation cemented at the 1900 Paris Exposition, with the presentation of around a hundred pieces of jewellery and objets d’art. Among these works were objects of cast silver and opalescent blown glass, such as this magnificent vase acquired by the Collector around 1898–1900. The technique used for this purpose would prove a decisive step for the artist towards diversifying the use of glass adapted to jewellery, which would lead him, two decades later, to devote himself to creating industrial glass objects.

Lalique, whose first experiments with glass date back to the 1890s, was mainly inspired by nature to create works of this type, such as small goblets and vases, which he decorated with motifs such as swans, beetles, pine cones and thistles. The thistle flower is a frequent theme in the work of the master, who also used it to make jewellery and glass objects moulded with lost wax casting.