Armand-Albert Rateau

Comtesse de Beaurepaire, Boulevard St. Germain des Pres, Paris
Bernard Steinitz, Paris

Alastair Duncan, AA Rateau, exh. cat., DeLorenzo Gallery, New York, 1990, p. 27 (for a related three-panel screen from the Rateau residence in Paris)
Franck Olivier-Vial and François Rateau, Armand-Albert Rateau: Un Baroque chez les Modernes, Paris, 1992, pp. 129, 141 and 147 (for related examples)
Héléne Guéné, Décoration et Haute Couture: Armand-Albert Rateau pour Jeanne Lanvin, un autre Art Déco, Paris, 2006, p. 158 (for the related  lacquer and silver Chasse au Cerf screen in the collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris)

Overall in good condition consistent with age and use. As seen in the catalogue illustration there are several areas of restoration to mask the evidence of previous fittings in each door. There are also currently holes which are approx. ½ in. in diameter for holding seven peacock-shaped door handles designed by John Landrum Bryant which are available with the purchase of this lot. One door panel not shown in the catalogue illustration has an area on the lower part of the door 22 ½ x 26 in. that has been replaced with a metal panel. This has been skillfully painted in the same design as the other panels, is hardly noticeable and blends in very well. Overall wear to the silver leaf, minor nicks and dings as would be expected due to the delicate nature of the material. One panel with an 6 x 3 ½ in. area of in-paint as well as other small areas of in-paint. All this is also visible in the catalogue illustration. On top and bottom of each door panel there are silver painted areas of restoration as seen in the catalogue illustration. The door panels are mounted on a strong stable surface and have mirrors on the other side. The hinges are well functioning and ready to be used as closet doors. Overall in good stable condition would benefit from a sensitive professional restoration. A rare surviving example of Rateau's silver-leaf work.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

These seven door panels are extremely rare examples of Armand-Albert Rateau's work and reflect his brilliance in creating exotic and luxurious environments for his wealthy clients.

 

In 1924 at the height of Rateau's career, the Comtesse de Beaurepaire commissioned him to design her townhouse on the Boulevard St. Germain des Pres.  This commission came just after Rateau had completed the interiors for Jeanne Lanvin's townhouse, today part of the permanent collection in the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris.  During the same time period, he also worked on the sublime suite of rooms for the Blumenthal's Château de Malbosc near Grasse in the south of France.  In these previous commissions Rateau had free reign to design everything from wall coverings and furniture to door handles and faucets.  For the Comtesse, however, he was obliged to incorporate his designs within a purely traditional existing décor.  This special ability to blend his distinctly neo-classical, yet modern designs, with existing antique ensembles became the signature of much of Rateau's work and a measure of his brilliance.

 

These wonderfully crafted silver-leaf door panels were used throughout the Comtesse's townhouse to create a coherent atmosphere in conjunction with her existing Louis XV and Louis XVI furniture pieces.  It is not known how many of these door panels were designed for the townhouse, but it is a miracle that any at all have survived because of the extremely delicate trompe-l'oeil workmanship and material that was involved.

 

Later in 1934 the Comtesse commissioned Rateau once again to design and furnish her townhouse this time on the Rue du Marechal Maunoury in Paris.  It is possible that these same panels were either removed and stored in a warehouse or they were simply re-installed in the new residence.

 

Although Rateau used silver lacquer panels throughout his career, it is incredibly rare to find surviving examples remaining from this time period due to their fragile nature and also because such panels, unlike furniture, were often destroyed during demolition of an interior.  Related examples have not come up at auction for many years.