Baccarat, « Harcourt Empire » Glass Set, France Circa 1970

Elegant set of clear cut crystal glassware from Baccarat’s Harcourt collection, in its sumptuous fine-gold-plated version called Harcourt Empire, consisting of :

– 18 champagne flutes
– 16 water glasses
– 20 red wine glasses
– 24 white wine glasses
– 10 liqueur glasses
– 2 decanters with stoppers
– 2 pitchers

Characteristic of this model, the bowl, adorned with gold trim along the rim, is cut with broad, flat ribs featuring delicate symmetrical arabesque motifs, palmettes, and interlacing patterns applied with great precision, creating a flared and powerful silhouette that beautifully captures the light. The stem, short and sturdy on the wine and water glasses, more slender on the flutes, is faceted and features a very pronounced triple central knob. Each piece rests on the iconic hexagonal base, the model’s true geometric signature. The base of this hexagon is highlighted by a gold band.

The Harcourt model was created in 1841 to fulfill a commission for King Louis-Philippe. It is the oldest Baccarat model still in production. The gold “Empire” decoration was introduced later, in 1925. Baccarat began systematically applying this acid-etched stamp to its entire production starting in 1936. Prior to that date, pieces generally bore a paper label that would wash off.

Biography :
The famous Baccarat crystal glassworks, whose origins date back to the 18th century, won its first gold medal at the 1823 Industrial Products Exhibition, where it was praised for “the brilliance and finesse of its crystal” and became France’s leading crystal glassworks. Baccarat was undoubtedly the only French manufacturer at the time to be consistently and masterfully represented at the various exhibitions in which it participated, thereby earning honors and prestigious awards. A key phrase, “the perfection of the material and the cut,” recurs in all reports from the World’s Fairs between 1855 and 1867, where Baccarat crystal dominated due to the quality of its crystal, deemed superior to that of Bohemia and England.