Second chance to own ‘White House wallpaper’
31 rolls found in skip are back at auction house

IF – or should that be when – Barack Obama moves in to the White House in November, he will be the 10th president to enjoy the spectacular hand-printed wallpaper of the famous oval diplomatic reception room.

Said to have been chosen by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the 1960s, Les Vues de L’Amerique du Nord, produced in 32 rolls, depicts fanciful views of America and was first printed by the renowned wallpaper manufacturer Jean Zuber et Cie in 1834.

As the USA’s first black president, perhaps Obama will linger over French artists’ idealistic portrayal of black Americans in the early 19th century. More than 100 years before the American civil rights movement fought for equality, a central frame of a view of New York Bay shows a black gentleman in tailcoats and top hat bowing to three black ladies, resplendent in fine dresses and ornate hats. Meanwhile, a panel depicting West Point shows black and white ladies and gentlemen promenading together.

Now, collectors in the Cotswolds are being given the rare opportunity to buy a run of this most unusual collection of wallpaper. Thirty one rolls of Les Vues de L’Amerique du Nord will be auctioned by Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester on Friday, September 12.

Placed together, the rolls depict four famous landmarks – New York Bay, Boston Harbour, West Point Military Academy and Niagara Falls – over a continuous panoramic picture and carry an estimate of £1,000 to £1,500.

These particular rolls have an incredible story. Hand printed by craftsmen at Zuber in Rixhelm, France – the only factory in the world still making wallpaper using hand-painted wooden blocks – they were bought from one of a handful of outlets, presumably Zuber’s Pimlico Road showroom in London, before being disposed of in a skip in Lechlade some years ago.

Luckily, the rolls were recovered in good condition before reaching the tip and were sold on behalf on an anonymous vendor by Moore Allen in December 2005 for just under £4,000. Now, the auction house has been asked to sell the wallpaper again by the current owner.

Philip Allwood, auctioneer, said: “Zuber has created 20 panoramic wallpaper sets since production started in 1797. This one was designed by the artist Jean-Julien Deltil in 1834 and based on his travels and the writings and travels of his contemporary, Jacques-Gérard Milbert.

“Deltil portrayed free African Americans engaged in middle-class activities dressed in fine attire, which was unusual for early-19th-century artists. Both Milbert and Deltil saw Americans as devoid of class and racial inequality. Perhaps this is why the scenes appealed to Jackie Kennedy nearly 130 years later.

“Now we hope that this wallpaper will appeal to a new buyer, perhaps from the States, although he or she will certainly need the right room for it: to hang the panoramic view they will need over 47ft of continuous wall space and very high ceilings!”

A scene depicting New York Bay.	A scene depicting a bustling Boston Harbour.
President George W Bush attends a press call at the oval diplomatic reception room of the White House: the wallpaper can be seen in the background;