In 2003 Glenelly Estate in Idas Valley, Stellenbosch, was purchased by May de Lencquesaing, whose ancestors were granted the title of “royal wine broker” in Bordeaux, France in 1783.
May de Lencquesaing has had a lifelong passion for rare and contemporary glass. She started collecting precious art pieces in 1981 and established a Glass Museum at Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - housing one of the biggest private collections of hand-blown glass in France.
Glenelly estate recently re-opened their glass museum to display her unique private collection, complete with video presentations from the Corning Museum of Glass in the USA.The Glenelly glass museum is home to 480 glass pieces - antique and contemporary, dating back to the 1st century BC.
Roman Jug with Green Handle, 1st Century AD
This valuable and exquisitely beautiful collection from around the world includes: Roman pieces; XVIII th and X1X th century glasses; lovely Art Nouveau and Art Deco pieces; a Salvador Dali creation, entitled ‘Cross Leibniz’; a masterpiece by the Italian glassblower master, Lino Tagliapietra; works by contemporary South African glassblowers like David Reade, Liz Lacey and the late Shirley Cloete.
Maui by Maestro Lino Taglieapeitra, Italy Madame de Lencquesaing is a member of one of Bordeaux’s oldest wine families, the Miailhe, who owned the famous Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac, Bordeaux.
In 2007 she sold her Bordeaux estate and has since devoted her time to the development of Glenelly.
Madame de Lencquesaing’s extensive glass collection, as well as the Glenelly Glass Collection range of wines inspired by this collection, pay tribute to her lifelong passion for both beautiful glass and fine wine.
Both wine and glass are produce of the earth, simple and inexpensive in origin and produced from the poorest soils.
Both need heat to come to life and require the intervention of man to be moulded into something of value, beauty and refinement.
Glass Museum opening hours:
Wednesday to Saturday 11h00 until 18h00 · Sunday: 10h00 until 15h00Closed Mondays and TuesdaysTel: 021 809 6440 ·
Email: glassmuseum@glenelly.co.za