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Lot Essay
L. Alavoine & Co. (Lucien Alavoine and Company) was one of Paris’s leading luxury interior decoration firms from the late nineteenth century until the 1960s. Renowned for their refined taste and international reach, Alavoine maintained an influential presence in both Paris and New York. The New York showroom, established in 1893, operated in close dialogue with the celebrated Parisian decorators Jules Allard et Fils, known for prestigious commissions including Newport mansions, The Plaza Hotel, and the Vanderbilt House. In the early 20th century, the artistic direction of Alavoine was shaped by the eminent designer Armand Albert Rateau, whose discerning oversight elevated the firm’s reputation for exceptional craftsmanship and sophisticated interiors.
The present fragment comes from a larger ensemble of furnishing materials preserved in Alavoine’s New York showroom, which included an extensive array of high-end weavings from Lyon by firms such as Tassinari & Chatel, Rodier, and Cornille Frères. Around 1965, the remnants of this showroom collection were acquired by Dalva Brothers, Inc., specialists in French eighteenth-century furniture, ensuring the survival of these rare examples of early 20th century decorative textiles.
The present fragment comes from a larger ensemble of furnishing materials preserved in Alavoine’s New York showroom, which included an extensive array of high-end weavings from Lyon by firms such as Tassinari & Chatel, Rodier, and Cornille Frères. Around 1965, the remnants of this showroom collection were acquired by Dalva Brothers, Inc., specialists in French eighteenth-century furniture, ensuring the survival of these rare examples of early 20th century decorative textiles.