BRONZE WORKS BY VALSUANI. Claude Valsuani Foundry.

Cire perdue, C. Valsuani

The VALSUANI Dynasty. BRONZE WORKS BY VALSUANI. Claude Valsuani Foundry.

First: VALSUANI Marcello

I – 1) VALSUANI Claude – Son of Marcello

I – 2) VALSUANI Marcel – Son of Claude

II – AFTER VALSUANI

II – 1) Demeurisse-Sokolowski

II – 2) Taube-Lebel Foundry

II – 3) Taube Foundry

II – 4) Simple Foundry

II – 5) Airaindor

II – 6) Art Brass

II – 7) Airaindor-Valsuani Art Workshop

II – 8) PARISIAN BRONZE AND SCULPTURE COMPANY – PAINTINGS (BPBS)

Most recently, a company called “CEPIMEX” has appeared, engaged in import and export.

III – 1) VALSUANI Attilio – Son of Marcello

III – 2) VALSUANI Lucien – Son of Attilio

III – 3) VALSUANI Claude – Son of Lucien

III – 4) VALSUANI Thierry – Son of Claude

IV – AFTER VALSUANI: DELVAL

– – –

I – 1) VALSUANI Claude – Died 9 September 1923 – Son of Marcello

Company operating period: 1908-1981

Nationality: French

Address: 74 Rue des Plantes, Paris XIV (Plaisance district)

Stamp: CIRE / C. VALSUANI / LOST

(The stamp has belonged to Airaindor-Atelier des arts since 1981)

On casts made by Leonardo Benatov after 1981, the stamps are either identical to the old ones or slightly enlarged at the customer's request.

Marcello Valsuani emigrated from Italy, likely as a specialist in lost-wax casting and blowtorch patination, at the request of Hébrard when opening his foundry in 1902. Marcello Valsuani probably preceded, then sometimes replaced or assisted Albino Palazzolo as technical director or workshop manager, whom Hébrard only hired in 1903 and who returned to Italy during World War I.

The collection includes a bronze sculpture by Rembrandt Bugatti (d. 1916), all of whose works were cast by Hébrard under an exclusive contract and dedicated "To my friend Valsuani." Feeling constrained by his contract with Hébrard, Bugatti supposedly considered nullifying it so that Marcello Valsuani could cast his works, which prompted the latter to start his own business. It may have been due to Bugatti's and other artists' persistence—eager to benefit from the family's expertise outside Hébrard's contract—that Claude, Marcello's son, opened his foundry at 74 Rue des Plantes, Paris, in 1908.

It's said Claude Valsuani presented his lost-wax casting method for making engine parts to the Bugatti (the sculptor's brother's car company) and Renault automotive firms.

Valsuani occupied a workshop previously held by Pierre Bingen, a well-known lost-wax caster, but instead of taking Bingen's place, he settled in a new building: a small house for living and a 400 m² adjacent workshop.

Claude Valsuani practiced hot patination with a blowtorch—a technique that became widely used with the advent of soot-free gas torches—first mastered by Italians in the early 20th century, yielding works of great beauty. The Valsuani Foundry was also renowned for its "Italian-style" cores and "cow dung" patina (see LEBON, p. 256, lower col. 2, and p. 261, note 7)—a slow but economical process yielding high quality. Around 1910, he had 4–5 employees.

Like Hébrard, Valsuani adopted the practice of numbering bronzes, though not at first systematically. He indicated on his casts each piece's number relative to the total planned, unlike Hébrard or Rudier at the time, thus pioneering this now-standard system—likely encouraged by artists who, having learned from Hébrard, sought unambiguous numbering.

Editions produced at Valsuani's foundry often number 10 or fewer, a standard (not mandatory) seemingly chosen by sculptors to limit production, continuing until the regulations of 1968.

At the start of his career, Claude did not always mark his works with his stamp.

He quickly built a reputation as an excellent foundryman, attracting quality-minded artists. Never acting as a dealer, he freely provided assistance. After the end of hostilities in April 1918, he remained alone at the foundry.

In 1919 he was involved in the Rodin forgery case against Montagutelli; his good faith was recognized and he was not prosecuted.

Sculptor Pierre Bouret worked at the foundry as a retoucher until the mid-1930s. Turridu Clementi, a young orphan and son of founder Tullio Clementi, learned part of his trade under Claude Valsuani (1927-1932).

Attilio (died around 1960), Claude's younger brother, likely worked with him. Upon Claude's sudden death, he notified clients but did not take over the business, founding his own lost-wax foundry by 1926.

I – 2) VALSUANI Marcel – 1924–1974

In 1923, Claude's widow managed the company. In 1924, their son Marcel (named after his grandfather) interrupted his medical studies to succeed his father. He retained the "Claude Valsuani" stamp and upheld the foundry's excellent reputation.

Under both Claude and Marcel, the foundry attracted the most prestigious and demanding sculptors. The name "Claude Valsuani" became synonymous with high quality and beautiful patinas. The "Valsuani black patina" is among the firm's most famous patinas.

Valsuani is sometimes cited as a publisher in the interwar years, for example with Pompon. However, unlike Susse or Barbedienne, he cannot be considered a publisher proper: no contracts were made, artists retained rights and control. Valsuani was simply their founder.

Like most of his colleagues, Marcel Valsuani witnessed a decline in business in the 1930s, was mobilized for the entire war, and the foundry only resumed operation in 1947.

In December 1950, he acquired the land and buildings at 74 Rue des Plantes. In 1952 the firm had 6 employees, rising to about 20 by the 1970s.

Valsuani sometimes subcontracted sand casting to Susse or Georges Rudier. Casts were delivered unfinished to Valsuani, who handled final finishing (they bore the "C. Valsuani" stamp).

In 1973 Marcel retired to Nice, leaving the company to technical director Antoine Tamburro.

Claude Valsuani authored "Modern Processes for Lost-Wax Casting,” reproduced in Devaux, p. 301.

II – AFTER VALSUANI

II – 1) Demeurisse-Sokolowski – 1974-1977

By 1974, the business was sold to Anne Demeurisse, daughter of sculptor Pompon’s sole heir, who appointed her husband Jacques Sokolowski, an insurance broker, as manager. Unfortunately, his ambitions came during a recession, the firm suffered heavy losses, and certain practices aroused professional hostility; the company was declared bankrupt in 1977.

In 1977, sculptor Olivier Brice (famed for Bokassa's throne) took over as manager until 1980. Part of the staff left to set up a new foundry:

II – 2) Taube-Lebel Foundry – 1977–around 1981

Lost wax

In 1977, Jean Lebel, a former project leader at the Claude Valsuani foundry, teamed up with Taube to create the "Taube-Lebel Foundry" in La Plaine-Saint-Denis. The technical team, led by D. Jolivot and J. Rosini, consisted of former Valsuani foundry workers since 1974.

II – 3) Taube Foundry – Around 1981–24 March 1984

Lost wax

Jean Lebel left the business around 1981.
Stamp: . WAX . / TAUBE / (tree in the center) / PARIS / LOST
Only Lebel's name was removed from the stamp.
The Taube foundry ceased activity on 24 March 1984.

II – 4) SIMPLE FOUNDRY – 1984–1985

Lost wax

Address: 6 rue Proudhon, 93210, La Plaine-Saint-Denis.
Stamp (hexagonal): FOUNDRY / OF / SIMPLICITY / (sun in center) / PRINTING LOST WAX

The assets were immediately taken over by D. Jolivot and J. Rosini, who formed SARL "Fonderie de La Plaine." Sometimes molding was outsourced; wax models, casting, chasing, and patination were done in-house.

II – 5) AIRAINDOR – 1985–1992

Stamp: WAX / AIRAINDOR / LOST

Airaindor Foundry opened in Chevreuse in 1985. As early as 1981, its founder, sculptor Leonardo Bounatian-Benatov (1942–), son of Russian-Armenian artist Leonardo Bounatian-Benatov (1899–1972), relocated the foundry, founding Airaindor Valsuani in Chevreuse. He had acquired the "CIRE/C.VALSUANI/PERDUE" stamp at auction, using it unchanged or in a slightly larger, more squared form at customers' request or to distinguish from the famed Rue des Plantes foundry. In 1989 Benatov was legally recognized as trademark owner against Michel Toselli, but lost in 1997 to Thierry Valsuani (a great-grandson of Attilio Valsuani and himself a founder), who then became owner of the "Attilio Valsuani" stamp.

The foundry specialized in vacuum casting of monumental pieces. In June 1992 Airaindor was placed in court-supervised administration.

Mr. Benatov then created a new company:

II – 6) ART BRASS – 1993

The foundry later changed names several times, with uncertain dates…

II – 7) AIRAINDOR-VALSUANI ART WORKSHOP – from after 1993, active

Address:
– 72 bis, rue de la Porte de Paris, 78460, Chevreuse
– La Croix Saint-Lubin, rue Fabre d'Églantine, 78460, Chevreuse

II – 8) PARISIAN BRONZE AND SCULPTURE COMPANY – PAINTINGS (BPBS)

Most recently: "CEPIMEX," an import-export firm.

In the early 1990s the foundry was closely connected with the ART et ART gallery, 204 boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris.
On January 6, 2012, Benatov received the “Living Heritage Company” designation from officials Frédéric Lefebvre and Valérie Pécresse.

III – 1) VALSUANI Attilio – Died around 1960 – Son of Marcello

Company operation: until 1927 (1926?) – 1981.

Nationality: ?

Address: 1 Rue Gustave Tricard (= 108 avenue Aristide Bruant = 108 route d'Orléans = 1 Rue Bertie-Albrecht), Bagneux (Hauts-de-Seine)

Stamps:
– WAX / A.VALSUANI / LOST
– Worn wax / A. Valsuani / Paris (unique example)

Marcello Valsuani arrived in France in the early 20th century, apparently on Hébrard's invitation, becoming workshop manager from 1902. Attilio's two sons, Claude (opened foundry Rue des Plantes 1908) and Attilio (in Paris by 1910), also came with him or shortly after.
Attilio may have initially assisted his brother. Despite a few stamps, nothing confirms Attilio's own foundry operating in Paris; perhaps he used "Paris" misleadingly before settling in Bagneux. Sculptor Gualterio Busato reports his father Mario worked as wax retoucher for Attilio Valsuani (1923–1931) before opening his own foundry in 1932. Busato, familiar with the precarious workshop, confirms its poor conditions up to the closure.

In Bagneux, Attilio Valsuani is listed as owner of a workshop at 1 Rue Gustave Tricard from 1929, a house on Rue Limours, and a small house at 44 Route d'Orléans from 1934.
He is listed as founder in Bagneux in 1926, 1929, or 1931 at the latest, beginning precariously around 1926 or earlier, possibly coinciding with Claude's death in 1923.
The Attilio foundry appears in trade directories only in 1933 as the “New artistic lost-wax foundry,” then from 1936 as "Valsuani, lost-wax casting."
Between 1950 and 1956, ownership passes to Mrs. Valsuani, née Alice Siran. Attilio died around 1960.
Attilio's clientele consisted of demanding sculptors. He used cow dung for mold-making (see LEBON p. 256, lower col. 2, p. 261, note 7), always employing a low-copper, very yellow alloy and meticulous hot patinas after chasing.

III – 2) VALSUANI Lucien

The foundry was inherited by Attilio’s son Lucien, listed as owner in 1972; address: 2 Avenue de Touraine, Sceaux.

III – 3) VALSUANI Claude – Son of Lucien

Claude succeeded Lucien at an unknown date (not to be confused with his great-uncle). Talented with patinas, he was less successful at company management, and his passion for luxury led to ruin.
In 1977, tax was collected by "Établissements Valsuani et fils SARL,” described oddly as a custom lead foundry.
Afflicted by an incurable illness and facing critical finances, his foundry was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin in September 1981, along with archives and molds. Claude closed the company and in December 1981 sold the "Attilio Valsuani" stamp to Michel Toselli. (See legal dispute 1989–1997 between Toselli and Benatov over the stamps.)
Claude later invested in creation of a new foundry led by his former workshop manager Gérard Delmas (see Section IV). Claude died in October 1985.

III – 4) VALSUANI Thierry – Son of Claude

After a long stay abroad, joined the Delval company in 1983. In 1986 split with Gérard Delmas and opened his own foundry in Paunat, Dordogne, working as “T. Valsuani.” Gérard Delmas became sole owner of Delval, see Section IV.

IV – AFTER VALSUANI: DELVAL

This foundry, named “Delval” after Delmas–Valsuani, was set up in Antony, Rue des Rabats. Gérard Delmas reused equipment salvaged from the fire and relied on former Bagneux foundry customers. He was also supported by artists formerly with A. Valsuani. In 1986, joined by sons Olivier and Arnaud, he set up in Antony with his own stamp. A “Delval” stamp was immediately made and used (except for work done for Michel Toselli, then owner of the "A. Valsuani" stamp, mainly for Camille Claudel pieces).
Operating since: 1982, actively.
Address: Rue des Rabats, Antony.
The foundry does not record cast works or numbering; responsibility for numbering, dating, and signature is passed to the customer to avoid liability. The foundry handles casting, chasing, and patinas; no in-house molding workshop.

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