Armand-Albert Rateau - Design Evening New York Tuesday, December 12, 2017 | Phillips

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  • Provenance

    Madame Armand-Albert Rateau, 17 Quai de Conti, Paris
    Thence by descent
    Acquired from the above by the present owner

  • Literature

    Alastair Duncan, A.A. Rateau, exh. cat., DeLorenzo Gallery, New York, 1990, pp. 19, 22, 61, 68-69
    Franck Olivier-Vial and François Rateau, Armand Albert Rateau: un baroque chez les modernes, Paris, 1992, pp. 128, 180-81, 183

  • Catalogue Essay

    At the turn of the twentieth century, Armand-Albert Rateau traveled from France to the sites of eighteenth-century archaeological excavations in Pompeii, Italy. This moment, coupled with the excitement over the opening of Tutankhamen’s tomb, resulted in his ultimate taste for classical antiquity that would later make his name in the 1920s. The present ornamental ashtray is a strong illustration of Rateau’s innovative style combining classical art, embellished creatures, and a flair for precious materials. The fanciful ornamentation of butterflies and feline creatures creatively combines fantasy and classicism. His interest in classical art and Egyptian motifs is executed in bronze and brass with both sobriety and exuberance. This distinctive elegance, inspired by stylized nature reminiscent of the East and Antiquity, appealed to the contemporary fashion for exotic themes and luxurious materials.

Property of a Private European Collector

221

Ashtray, model no. 1901

circa 1930
Patinated bronze, brass.
4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm) high, 8 in. (20.3 cm) diameter
Executed by Les Ateliers de Neuilly-Levallois, France. Underside impressed A.A.RATEAU/INVR/PARIS.

Estimate
$80,000 - 120,000 

Sold for $175,000

Contact Specialist
Cordelia Lembo
Specialist, Head of Sale
+1 212 940 1265

Design Evening

New York Auction 12 December 2017