PARIS.- The Tour d’Argent has selected
Artcurial to auction off part of its private collection. The auction will take place in Paris on Monday 9th May 2016 and will be preceded by an exhibition at the Artcurial headquarter showrooms. The restaurant is a lookout point nestled between the sky and the river Seine and sings the beauty of Paris. A meal at the Tour d’Argent restaurant is an unforgettable experience and key cultural moment in the life of a gourmet and this sale will be an exceptional occasion to acquire part of history, a true souvenir from the Tour d’Argent itself. The auction coincides with the modernisation of the restaurant logo and the updating of part of the restaurant’s dishes, furniture and wine cellar.
Over 3000 pieces of tableware including dishes, glasses, silverware (including the famous silver goblets), tablecloths, copperware and pieces such as the duck press, all from the Tour d’Argent will be sold. The catalogue will also include pieces of furniture from the restaurant or some which previously belonged to the Terrail family. Items include a screen and tapisserie by Bernard Cathelin, a large carpet which was on the ceiling of the entrance, exterior lanterns and two iconic sculptures from the restaurant including a character called ‘le Carnardier’ and another called ‘le Cuisinier Rôtisseur’ (inspired by the figures of Arcimboldo and Larmessin), objects from the Musée de la Table, a collection dedicated to the history of gastronomy gathered by the founder André Terrail which used to be on show at the restaurant. Around 100 rare spirits and liquors taken from the exceptional wine cellar of 350 000 bottles and 15 000 names, will complete the auction.
This prestigious establishment, a temple of French gastronomy, headed today by André Terrail, the grandson of the founder, is getting a fresh ‘make-over’ whilst staying finely in tune to its traditional past. This evolution on a human scale has always been the secret of success of the Terrail family who, throughout the 20th century, changed and renewed the face of the Tour d’Argent without ever touching its soul. Renovation work, a new visual identity and new recipes, contribute to writing a new page in the history of this French culinary monument.
André Terrail was keen for Artcurial, France’s foremost auction house, to manage the organisation of this event. After the success of the auctions of the furniture from the Hotel Crillon and the Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris and most recently, the Hotel de Paris in Monaco, François Tajan, Deputy Chairman and Stéphane Aubert, Associate Director will take the hammer of this exceptional sale. Artcurial is the French leader for luxury hotel auctions and over the past two years has totalled over 10,5 M€ / 11.4 M€ in this area of expertise.
AN EXCEPTIONAL WAY OF LIFE AT AUCTION
The catalogue of the Artcurial auction pays tribute to an exceptional French art de vivre or way of living and includes over 3000 pieces such as tablecloths, cutlery, plates, glasses copperware with the Tour d’Argent ‘logo.’ One duck press will be up for auction and is estimated at 4 000 – 6 000 € / 4 300 – 6 500 $.
The Tour d’Argent possesses the largest glass collection in the world. All these engraved glasses were made especially to taste the wines of the Tour d’Argent. Each glass corresponds to a specific wine and there are 30 different models : 18 different wine glasses and 4 champagne glasses, all from the renowned Austrian brands Riedel. Artcurial will offer 200 lots of 12 glasses and in the catalogue the Head Sommelier David Ridgway explains the particularities of each.
120 metal goblets with the Tour d’Argent symbol encrusted will be sold and will accompany the historical lots of silverware, just like this glass offered by Prince Norodom Sihanouk.
Other historical pieces include copperware used in the restaurant up until the 1980s when they were replaced. The entire collection is estimated at roughly 4000-5000 € / 4 300 – 5 400 $ and will be sold in several lots.
OBJECTS FROM THE TOUR D’ARGENT
Several items of furniture will be up for auction including a screen and tapisserie by Bernard Cathelin, the artist who lived at Quai de la Tournelle and created the new facade of the building. The catalogue will also include a large carpet over 7 metres long which was previously on the ceiling of the entrance downstairs; the exterior lanterns and two iconic sculptures from the restaurant including a character called ‘le Carnardier’ and another called ‘le Cuisinier Rôtisseur’ (inspired by the figures of Arcimboldo and Larmessin).
Objects from the Musée de la Table, a collection dedicated to the history of gastronomy gathered by the founder André Terrail which used to be on show at the restaurant, will also be on sale.
RARE SPIRITS FROM THE FAMOUS TOUR D’ARGENT WINE CELLAR
With over 350 000 bottles and 15 000 names, the Tour d’Argent wine cellar is reputed as being one of the best in the world and contains real treasures. A huge amount of historical bottles are still in the ‘catacombs’ of the Tour d’Argent, saved from the German Occupation by Claude Terrail who hid part of the cellar on the night of June 14th 1940. The cellar is a living museum and has been entrusted to David Ridgway the Chef Sommelier since 1981.
Around 60 bottles will be on sale with Artcurial including: Eaux de Vie, Cognac, Calvados, Porto, Madera et Armagnac. The majority of these were bottled in the cellar itself, something which was forbidden until the 20th century. The stone stairway and hook which was used to lift the barrels can still be seen and are proof of this activity.
Some old Cognacs dating back to the 19th century are estimated at 3 000 - 5 000 € / 3 300 – 5 400 $ but the oldest bottle in the selection is a Grande Fine Clos du Griffier Cognac dating back to 1788 and estimated at 20 000 - 21 000 € / 22 000 – 23 000 $. According to David Ridgway “It is surprising how young this Cognac tastes ”
