Currently Featured & For Sale
Wallpapers from the Archive
Gobelin Decoration
During the Golden Age of woodblock printed wallpaper, the flower painter to Louis XVI Joseph-Laurent Malaine, created this stunning masterpiece of exquisite color and detail to bring the style and design of the Gobelin tapestries to wallpaper. Noted for the superior technical skill of master wood carvers and master woodblock printers, this set was printed in 1904 for the Centennial celebration of the Louisiana Purchase at the St. Louis exhibition, and is in near mint condition.
The panel is made up of five strips with the trompe l’oiel border printed on each strip. The overall height of the panel is approximately 8 ft. 4 in, and the panel covers approximately 12 ft. 6 5/8 in of wall. Additional strips available.
Price: $15,000.00.
Panorama Japonais
The 1920s provided an explosion of interest in scenic wallpapers, particularly in America, and post war peace fueled availability and a variety of themes, with a trend toward the exotic. Exquisitely dressed figures stroll against a low Japanese landscape, printed on a spectacular orange shaded sunset sky. The complete set of 10 strips is in mint condition, rare and out of print. Jean Zuber’s chop is printed on each strip, numbered both in arabic and Japanese.
The scene is made up of 10 strips, the first joins with the last allowing placement of design, each strip is 18 inches wide, with the highest part of the design 4 feet 8 inches, and a set covers approximately 15 feet of wall. Additional strips available.
Price: $10,000.00.
Classic Landscape
In the early 19th century, Jean Zuber designed this classic, formal garden landscape. This handsome antique set is in rich coffee and sepia colors on a sepia background. The set is fragile and distressed, with some tears and creases, most of which can be restored and hung successfully. It is of mixed runs of an excellent match.
The scene is made up of six strips each 21 inches wide, with the highest part of the design 4 feet 5 inches, and a set covers approximately 10 feet 6 inches of wall. Additional strips available.
Price: $2,400.00.
Panier Fleurie
This charming multicolor tree of life features an abundance of flowers, birds, butterflies and basket of flowers, printed on a crisp white background. It is a 1930 edition, in mint condition, rare and out of print. The set is made up of five strips each 18 ½ inches wide, with the highest part of the design 7 feet, and the set overs approximately 7 feet 8 inches of wall.
Price: $4,000.00.
Boucher Tapestry
During the mid to late 18th century, it was fashionable to decorate smaller, second homes outside of the city, with wallpapers evoking the forest and open countryside. Francois Boucher noted for his pastoral paintings, was director of the Gobelin tapestry factory and principal designer for Reveillon. The complete set of his tapestry inspired wallpaper has been long gone. These remaining four strips are extension strips, masterfully designed so that two strips may be joined on either side of each other to extend the coverage of the wallpaper. Shown, are the two strips repeating to create this four strip panel. The design is printed on textured paper further enhancing the feeling of tapestry, and the close, woodland scene is ideal as a four panel screen or with additional strips to extend coverage as a background wallpaper behind furniture.
The panel is in excellent condition with light distress and few imperfections.
Each strip is 19 in. wide, 10 ft. long with the highest part of the design 71 in., and the panel covers approximately 6 ft. 4 in. of wall. Additional strips available.
Price: $2,000.00.
Belle Vista
A delightful mid-20th century interpretation of earlier woodblock printed wallpapers. Grey on grey with multi-colored figures, hand screen printed by A. L. Diament & Co.
Four strips each 28 in. wide, 10 ft. long, highest part of design 3 ft. Mint condition.
Price: $1,600.00.
Classic Landscape
A rare Zuber early 20th-century coloring for this classic formal garden landscape, in sepia on a shaded blue sky. Five strips #4, #5, #6, #1, #2 (first strip joins with the last) each 18 in. wide, 12 ft. long, highest part of design 4 ft. 5 in., mint condition..
Price: $2,000.00.
Miramar
An old world harbor scene, early 20th century hand screen printed in France for A. L. Diament & Co.
Adapted from a 19th-century woodblock printed scenic wallpaper in rich chocolate browns on a grey-green background. The paper is somewhat fragile but in very good condition. Four strips, each 28 in. wide, 10 ft. long, and highest part of the design 6 ½ ft.
Price: $1,200.00.
Panier Fleuri
A whimsical combination of animals, birds and butterflies among a colorful tree of life on a rare, yellow parchment background. Printed by Zuber, a 1913 edition complete set of five strips, each 18 ½ in. wide, 12 ft. long, highest part of design 7 ft.
Additional strips available. Mint Condition.
Price: $4,000.00.
Woodblock printed wallpaper samples
Studio Finds
As a manufacturer and importer of wallcoverings, textiles and fine furnishings, A. L. Diament & Co. has been a constant source for collectors, interior designers and fine retail establishments. Craftsmen, artists and interior decorators collaborated inside the studio to guide clients and customers. Artists’ renderings created room settings to help clients envision possibilities, scenic and repeat wallpapers were broken down and backed with muslin or canvas to create sample strips for showrooms and clients, yards of fabrics were cut and stitched into samples.
We are offering for sale, a wonderful collection of a variety of woodblock printed wallpapers from an earlier time. Some pieces are distressed having passed through many hands, tears and creases or light spots of mildew. Some wallpapers are rare, one of a kind, and many are in mint condition, all suitable for hanging, to be framed, installed inside the backs of cupboards or, as accent pieces.
Coast of Villefranche
Graceful summer scenes are in taupe and grey with multi-colored figures on a beige background. Zuber 20th century, strips #6, #7, #8 each 18 in. wide, 10 ft. long in near mint condition. Additional strips available.
Price: $1,200.00
Sicilia
Handsome scenes of Sicily in tones of sepia with a burgundy overprint on a sepia background. Zuber 1930 edition, strips #14 – #19 each 18 in. wide, 12 ft. long with occasional mildew in sky area throughout. Excellent condition, additional strips available.
Price: $2,000.00
Old Country
Charming rural images, beautifully drawn in greys and ivory on an unusual light plum background. Mid 20th-century hand screen printed by A. L. Diament & Co., four strips #2, #3, #4, #5 each 28 in. wide 10 ft. long, light creasing and cracking in design area will hang out on installation, very good condition.
Price: $1,200.00
Classic Landscape
Soft shades of turquoise on an ivory background, Zuber 20th century, strips #3 & #4 each 18” wide, 12 ft. long, good condition with tears and distress on bottom of each strip.
Price: $600.00
Pillement
Single decorative panel hand screen printed mid-20th century by A. L. Diament & Co., multi-color on an ivory background, 35 ½ in. high, 2’ 2” long, backed with muslin in mint condition.
Price: $400.00
Morning Glory Ceiling Decoration
Handsome multi-colored ceiling decoration on grey background, Zuber early 20th century, 30 in. diameter, mint condition.
Price: $400.00
Bresil Sample Strip
Bresil Sample Strip, Zuber 1910, 2 pieces each 18” wide 29” long, canvas backed, distressed.
Price: $500.00
Chateau Country Sample Strip
Chateau Country sample strip, Zuber 1910, 2 pieces each 18 “wide 29” long, canvas backed, distressed.
Price: $600.00
Decor Chinois Sample Strip
Decor Chinois Sample Strip, Zuber 1910, 2 pieces each 18” wide 29 ½ “ long, canvas backed, distressed.
Price: $500.00
Eldorado Sample Strip
Eldorado Sample Strip, Zuber 1910, 2 pieces each 18” wide 29 “ long, canvas backed, distressed.
Price: $500.00
La Guerre d’Independence Sample Strip
Zuber 1910, 2 pieces each 18” wide 29” long, canvas backed, distressed.
Price: $700.00
Jardin Chinois Sample Strip
Jardin Chinois Sample Strip, Zuber 1910, 2 pieces each 18” wide 29 ½ “ long, canvas backed distressed.
Price: $600.00
Tapestry Sample Strip
Tapestry sample strip, unknown, 1910, 2 pieces 18” wide 29” long & 18” wide 21” long, canvas backed, very distressed.
Price: $400.00
Teniers Tapestry Sample Strip
Teniers Tapestry single strip not backed, Defosse c 1910, 18 1/2” wide 8 ft. long, highest part of design 6’, excellent condition.
Price: $500.00
Scenic America Sample Strip “Promenade”
Zuber 1910, 1 piece 17 ½” wide 29” long, canvas backed, good condition with distress.
Price: $400.00
Forest of Ardennes Sample Strip
Zuber 1910, 2 pieces 1- 17 ¾” wide 41 ¾” long, 2- 17 ¾” wide 29 ½” long, not backed, excellent condition.
Price: $400.00
Untitled Landscape Sample Strip
Zuber 1910, 2 pieces 1 – 17 ¾” wide 29 ½” long, 2 – 17 ¾” wide 20” long, canvas backed, excellent condition some distress.
Price: $400.00
Other Birds
Other Birds, Zuber 1910, 17” wide 29” long, canvas backed, excellent condition.
Price: $500.00
Parrot
Parrot, Zuber 1910, 24” wide 29” high, canvas backed, distressed.
Price: $400.00
Peacock
Peacock, Zuber 1910, 17” wide 29” long, canvas backed, excellent condition.
Price: $400.00
Pheasant & Wisteria
Pheasant & Wisteria, Zuber 1910, 17” wide 27” long, canvas backed, excellent condition.
Price: $400.00
A.L. Diament & Co.
About Us
A. L. Diament & Co. was established by Albert L. Diament in Philadelphia in 1885, and is the oldest continuing wallpaper company in America. The company quickly became the area’s premier decorating firm and the country’s leading manufacturer and importer of wallpaper and fine furnishings, providing America’s most prestigious decorators with the finest Europe and America had to offer.
Diament developed personal relationships as the sole exclusive agent for the great manufacturers in France, compiling an archive of extraordinary examples of textiles and wallpapers spanning four generations and documenting nearly two centuries of decorative art.
Included in the archive is a collection of antique, French, woodblock printed scenic wallpapers, as they were received from the manufacturer, many in mint condition, others in varying condition having suffered the indignities of tears, creases and mildew from being safely hidden away during the wars in Europe. Some of these papers are the last and only examples of their kind remaining in the world today. All the papers offered from the archive have never been hung and are suitable for hanging, even those in the most fragile condition. Professional restoration and installation is recommended.
The Process Of
Woodblock Printing
In France as early as the 16th century, Henri IV supported the fashion of using wallpaper to replace tapestries and other wall hangings. Woodblock printing replaced stencil patterns in the mid 18th century, and with the invention to manufacture continuous rolls of paper, factories were able to employ the finest artists and master carvers to produce a vast array of stunning scenic wallpapers.
The Woodblock
The Woodblock
The woodblock is made up of several thicknesses of wood, the top layer on which the design is carved is made of pearwood for its tight grain, making it hard and stable.
The Color Tub
The Color Tub
The tub is about 30 in. by 36 in. to accommodate a large woodblock and covered with a felt color pad.
Registering The Block
Registering The Block
Picots are brass pins attached to the edges of the woodblock to ensure exact registration during printing. As many as 1500 woodblocks might be required to print a large scenic, each strip requiring its own series of blocks.
Printing
Printing
The woodblock is lowered by hand, often with the aid of a pulley, onto the felt color pad, then onto the strip of paper where it is pressed to make the color spread out evenly. Some papers take as many as two years to complete.
Color Sequence
Color Sequence
The first colors to be printed are those covering the largest areas, printing from dark to light, then finally detail, resulting in many layers of color.
Shaded Background
Shaded Background
A hallmark of many papers is the shaded blue sky background. Color is brushed on by hand before any scene is printed.
A.L. Diament & Co. was established in 1885 by Albert L. Diament in Philadelphia. The company quickly became the area’s premier decorating firm and the country’s leading importer of fine furnishings.
Contact
aldiamentco@gmail.com
P. O. Box 965
Arvada, CO 80001
Terms
Proforma US Dollars
Visa, Mastercard, Discover & American Express are accepted forms of payment
All sales final
Shipping and Handling additional