A low table by Rateau went unsold by Camard at Drouot on March 31, 2010. It is now estimated $ 1.5M for sale by Christie's in New York on December 17, lot 105. The text below is extended from my previous discussion.
The early 1920s was the period of highest creativity for Armand Albert Rateau, inspired altogether by his appreciation of Pompeii and by his unprecedented vision on the use of birds in furniture.
Slightly different variants of his bronze tables with birds are existing, some of them only made in a single cast copy. These low tables are designed to be used as coffee tables.
The table aux oiseaux for sale, 34 cm high in dark green patinated bronze, is dated circa 1920-1922 by Camard and 1924 by Christie's.
The black marble of its top is adorned with a rim in white marble. It rests on four identical caryatid birds facing one another in pairs. The legs of each bird are placed on a sphere while the tail following the body bends to reach the ground. The overall size, overflowing from the perimeter of the marble, is 102 x 50 cm.
A very similar table, also dated 1924, was sold for € 1.66M by Christie's on 23 May, 2013.
These tables are also close and contemporary with the slightly smaller pheasant model from the Dray collection, sold for € 2M including premium at Christie's on June 8, 2006. The shape of the birds was different, with heads bent down.
SOLD for $ 1.2M including premium
The early 1920s was the period of highest creativity for Armand Albert Rateau, inspired altogether by his appreciation of Pompeii and by his unprecedented vision on the use of birds in furniture.
Slightly different variants of his bronze tables with birds are existing, some of them only made in a single cast copy. These low tables are designed to be used as coffee tables.
The table aux oiseaux for sale, 34 cm high in dark green patinated bronze, is dated circa 1920-1922 by Camard and 1924 by Christie's.
The black marble of its top is adorned with a rim in white marble. It rests on four identical caryatid birds facing one another in pairs. The legs of each bird are placed on a sphere while the tail following the body bends to reach the ground. The overall size, overflowing from the perimeter of the marble, is 102 x 50 cm.
A very similar table, also dated 1924, was sold for € 1.66M by Christie's on 23 May, 2013.
These tables are also close and contemporary with the slightly smaller pheasant model from the Dray collection, sold for € 2M including premium at Christie's on June 8, 2006. The shape of the birds was different, with heads bent down.
SOLD for $ 1.2M including premium
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