God's in his heaven - all's right with the world

Well it is spring in France and I'm sure there are, "...lark's on the wing" and "...snail's on the thorn' all over the place.
The smile on the face is because all things French are starting to come together.
I have just heard from the Cite that all is well for us to arrive on May 1 although they had originally said they were not expecting us until May 4. No one had told me when I was awarded the studio that I would not be able to move in on the first of the month (or on Saturday or Sunday) and I had booked flights months ago. Anyway a phone call yesterday appears to have sorted that out and I am extremely grateful to the staff at the Cite for being flexible. (here's a link to the Cite's English version and you can search for it on the Google map below http://pagesperso-orange.fr/citedesarts/cite-internationale-des-arts-english-presentation.html )
Also heard back yesterday from the Musee des Arts Decoratif in Paris with information and a contact there, and from the curator of the Musée de L'Impression sur Etoffes in Mulhouse (lots of references in Stafford Cliff's 'French Style and Decoration') . Still nothing from the Musee de l'ecole de Nancy but I'm sure it can't be far away and I'm hoping they will have contacts for me at Daum, Lalique and Baccarat as I've not been successful contacting them using the internet. I already have an appointment for May 4 with the librarian at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris (who has in fact invited us around for dinner on the weekend we arrive) so will be able to determine plantings of Australian flora there at the time I'm targetting (1895-1925). With this I can start to construct a plan of attack for my other research which will include time in Alsace Lorraine where I also hope to visit Zuber Cie who still print wallpaper using 300 year old engraved woodblocks (now that's amazing).
Thought I'd better include some images of the type of work I will be looking for in France.

Lalique perfume bottle (Power House Museum, Sydney)
Stopper is in the form of drooping eucalyptus leaves surmounted by a group of seed pods









Baccart crystal tumbler (Power House Museum, Sydney)
Acid etched on very fine crystal.








I'll try to include more images as I go along

Only one flight change by Swissair so far but we really expect more over the next couple of months as the airlines try to deal with the implications of the economic downturn - but then that's just adds flavour to the adventure.