An Important Private Collection of Art Deco Masterpieces will include works by the artists universally acknowledged as the great tastemakers of their day, led by Jean Dunand, Eugène Printz, Albert-Armand Rateau, Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Katsu Hamanaka and Diego Giacometti. Comprised of 44 lots, the full formal repertoire of Art Deco is represented, from the highly stylized figural, animal and plant motifs of Rateau to the geometric modernism of Dunand or the clean-lined silhouettes of Printz. Included in this exquisite tribute to French creativity in the inter-war years are examples of the fine craftsmanship associated with this high point of the applied arts, notably fine lacquer work, dinanderie, cabinet-making, and bronze casting. Each work in this focused collection has been selected with great rigor as regards the quality, condition and provenance of each work. Featuring museum quality objects that are fresh to the market, the sale is expected to appeal to collectors of rare masterworks.
Leading the collection is a pair of `Col de Cygne’ sconces by Armand-Albert Rateau that are an exceptionally rare and fine example of the artist’s craftsmanship and the model has never before been seen on the auction market. The poetic use of the swan motif and the highly sophisticated execution epitomize the creativity and splendor of Rateau’s work in the Art Deco period.
