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TWO IMPORTANT WORKS BY ARMAND ALBERT RATEAU, EXECUTED BY VALSUANI, 1934-1937
PROPERTY OF A LADY
"As proprietor, 1974-1980, of the C. Valsuani foundry, 74 Rue de Plantes, Paris 14ième, I was recently able to examine the company archives, comprising of various folios relating to orders and invoices. These cover the period 1924-1979, and are categorized into periods representing the following periods: 1924-1945, 1930-1958, 1958-1974, and 1974-1979. Examination of these archives allows the long-standing question of a collaboration between Armand Albert Rateau and Valsuani to be finally resolved, as now confirmed by the company's order books. These documents precisely identify a period of collaboration towards the end of the decorator's career, between 1934-1937, and are recorded in the folios covering the period 1930-1958. These are identified as being four dates for works commissioned between 1934-1937, documented on pages 92, 104, 119 and 120 of the records. The existence of the stamps of the Valsuani foundry, alongside those of Rateau, on certain works of this later period are therefore logical.
I am delighted that my research is able to contribute to a greater understanding of the works of this artist."
Anne Demeurisse
Expert CNES
ARMAND ALBERT RATEAU (1882-1938)
A PAIR OF 'PALMES' TORCHÈRES, CIRCA 1934-1937
Details
ARMAND ALBERT RATEAU (1882-1938)
A PAIR OF 'PALMES' TORCHÈRES, CIRCA 1934-1937
lost wax cast by Valsuani, green-patinated bronze
each 63 in. (160 cm.) high
the base of each torchère stamped A.A. Rateau modèle Déposé Paris and cire C. Valsuani Perdue Bronze (2)
A PAIR OF 'PALMES' TORCHÈRES, CIRCA 1934-1937
lost wax cast by Valsuani, green-patinated bronze
each 63 in. (160 cm.) high
the base of each torchère stamped A.A. Rateau modèle Déposé Paris and cire C. Valsuani Perdue Bronze (2)
Literature
F. Olivier-Vial, F. Rateau, Armand Albert Rateau, Paris, 1992, pp. 198-199 (model created for the designer's own use, 1931, illustrated)
Further details
Rateau originally created this design for his townhouse, acquired in 1930, and renovated over a two-year period, on Quai de Conti, Paris, VI ième. Rateau's own version, fitted with a spherical metal shade, is probably a unique example, and is to be offered for sale Arts Décoratifs du XX Siècle et Design, Christie's Paris, 31 May 2012, alongside other works from the Rateau estate.
The present and following lots correspond with Rateau's own example, with the exception of the spherical metal shade. These examples are further distinguished by the presence of stamps indicating that the casts were produced by the Valsuani foundry. This is supported by the additional marks, 'Modèle Déposé, confirming Rateau's patent on this design. Subsequent to recent examination of the Valsuani archives, an active collaboration between Rateau and Valsuani is recorded between 1934-1937, with documentation noting an order, 1936, for seven casts of a lamp that can be reasonably assumed to be a variant of Rateau's own of 1931. It is known that Rateau's accounts suffered as a result of the global economic crisis of the early 1930s, which, together with the expenses involved in the renovation of his apartment, resulted in the reduction of the number of artisans employed in his workshops at Levallois-Perret. During his most prolific period of activity, 1927-1929, Rateau employed more than two hundred workers, which had dropped to only twenty-six by 1933. It therefore appears logical to conclude that from 1933 onwards, Rateau was obliged to sub-contract a proportion of his production to an external foundry.
Christie's would like to thank Anne Demeurisse for her assistance in the cataloguing of this and the following lot.
The present and following lots correspond with Rateau's own example, with the exception of the spherical metal shade. These examples are further distinguished by the presence of stamps indicating that the casts were produced by the Valsuani foundry. This is supported by the additional marks, 'Modèle Déposé, confirming Rateau's patent on this design. Subsequent to recent examination of the Valsuani archives, an active collaboration between Rateau and Valsuani is recorded between 1934-1937, with documentation noting an order, 1936, for seven casts of a lamp that can be reasonably assumed to be a variant of Rateau's own of 1931. It is known that Rateau's accounts suffered as a result of the global economic crisis of the early 1930s, which, together with the expenses involved in the renovation of his apartment, resulted in the reduction of the number of artisans employed in his workshops at Levallois-Perret. During his most prolific period of activity, 1927-1929, Rateau employed more than two hundred workers, which had dropped to only twenty-six by 1933. It therefore appears logical to conclude that from 1933 onwards, Rateau was obliged to sub-contract a proportion of his production to an external foundry.
Christie's would like to thank Anne Demeurisse for her assistance in the cataloguing of this and the following lot.
Brought to you by
Brent Lewis
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