Meet the Firm That the Mellons Trust With Their Rare Wallpaper

"Zuber manufactured until 1939, when the Nazis occupied Alsace, home to the company's factory. It's believed that German soldiers burned the woodblocks for firewood. As a result, few complete sets remain. For Zuber, the last firm still making scenic, rare wallpaper by hand from 19th-century woodblocks, the loss was acute. According to Christie's, where a similar set was auctioned in 2003, Les Zones Terrestres was "by far the most detailed and elaborate scenic wallpaper ever designed and printed by the firm.""

"Back in New York, Brittany Burggraff, a restoration artist and member of the Scenic Wallpaper team, did the slow work of stabilizing the paper with muslin and liner, correcting the staining, matching the colors, and in-painting details. The team mounted each panel—measuring approximately 21 inches wide and about 84 inches high—onto archival boards and trimmed the edges with blue ribbon sourced in Japan."

Zuber produced scenic wallpapers until 1939, when Nazi occupation of Alsace led to the presumed burning of the firm's 19th-century woodblocks and the loss of most complete sets. Les Zones Terrestres remains one of the firm's most elaborate productions. A fragile Mellons' set showed tears, losses, and water staining. Restorers studied an early-20th-century example at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs to guide authentic treatment. Restoration work stabilized panels with muslin and liners, corrected staining, matched colors, and in-painted details. Each panel was mounted on archival boards and edged with blue ribbon from Japan. The restoration is nearly complete and awaits placement decisions.

Read at Architectural Digest