1. MS Rau

    1. MS Rau

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    New Orleans, LA

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    MS Rau

    4.7 (52 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndJewelry, Antiques, Art Galleries
    Open 9:00 am - 5:15 pm

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    Carved guillotine toy, complete with beheading
    Meredith B.

    To anyone who hesitates to set foot here because they can't afford it, I invite you to view the gallery as a museum to be admired. Please go inside, it is absolutely worth it, and the staff will be unfailingly polite and helpful regardless of whether you have any intention of buying things. The gallery is a three-floor collection of high-end jewelry, decorative arts, paintings, statuary, and impressive furniture. Whether you would like to look at glittering gems, a desk full of secret cubbies, colorful glass, or the room full of walking canes, there is something there to delight almost anyone. Even better, they have a small gallery on a separate section of the second floor with rotating exhibits, currently occupied with a truly impressive number of pieces by Erte. The cool rooms are a quiet oasis in the midst of the bustle that is royal street, and you feel rather as though you have stepped into a different world while you wander through the displays. As it is in fact a place one can purchase these beautiful artifacts, there are prices, but they are a subtle addition to the cards accompanying each piece. It is easy to admire terracotta camels, silver repousse, and Picassos without feeling any sort of weight or pressure of expectation. So go, gawk at aquamarines the size of quail eggs, gleaming skeleton clocks, and wall-sized paintings of dancing princesses (One of my favorite fairy tales as a child) and carry home memories of the beautiful things human hands can make. And if you can afford something? Know it is something precious.

    Like an art museum, but the art is for sale
    Helene S.

    These are a few of my favorite things... Have you ever walked into a museum and thought, how much does that painting cost? At MS Rau, the art, the jewelry and the antiques are all actually for sale with price tags and an explanation listed on the wall next to the piece. Even though MS Rau looks like a world class art museum, it is actually a gallery where you can freely explore three floors of exquisite treasures and if you are lucky, and have the means, can take one or more home to enjoy. So interesting to hear how MS Rau was founded over a hundred years ago as an antique shop in the French Quarter. Max Rau opened the first shop in 1912 with an investment of $250. His store specialized in Victorian furniture, cut glass and decorative ironwork. Over the years, the business has faced challenges such as Hurricane Katrina, World Wars and a global pandemic. Interesting to hear how his son, Elias, worked at the Higgins Shipyard helping to build the boats that would storm the beaches at Normandy during WWII. After Katrina, MS Rau had a temporary showroom in NYC as the business and employees rebuilt after the devastating storm. They added masterpieces by Vincent can Gogh, Claude Monet and Edgar Degas to their offerings as MS Rau became a recognized art dealer. Loved exploring the three floors and enjoying the art, antiques and beautiful jewelry. Favorites included "Danseuse au double profil vert" by Marc Chagall which was recently sold almost $4 million dollars. The oil and tempura on canvas was so vibrant and iconic of Chagall's dreamlike images. Want to own an original Picasso drawing or painting, portrait by Renoir, or the Last Supper by Warhol, they are all available. I did not know that singer Frank Sinatra also painted, but there are several of his works in the collection as well. The special Patrick Hughes exhibit was so interesting. The composition of his three-dimensional sculpted planes create an optical illusion that the painting is moving as you walk past the pieces. Love how he incorporates other artist's works, like Robert Indiana's LOVE, Magritte's surrealism, or a Moulin Rouge poster by Henri-Toulouse Lautrec, into his artwork. So whimsical. From jewelry laden with rubies, emeralds and diamonds to complete sets of Tiffany flatware, antique orchestra organs to Napoleon's footbath, and an exquisite Battle of Issus Chess set created with 14 K gold, enamel and semiprecious stones (with an almost 2-million-dollar price tag), MS Rau is a very unique gallery full of history. Definitely worth a stop along Royal Street in the French Quarter. Note: even if you aren't buying anything, they were still so kind and willing to share their knowledge.

    Picasso ($7.95M+!) Rockwell Matisee ($885K) Renoir
    Mia K.

    Exterior looks unassuming BUT take a look at works by Renoir, Rockwell, Winston Churchill, Tiffany etc. Really! Feels like you are at a mini art museum but with price tags! Art, antiques & jewelry suddenly got a lot more interesting! They have a 125% guarantee of their fine antiques! MS Rau has been in business since 1912, over 100 years, and run by 3rd generation owner William Rau, an expert in 18th & 19th European fine art and a member of the American Society of Appraisers. Located -on the east side of Royal St between Toulouse St & Peter St -1 block NW of the NW corner of Jackson Sq

    Zachery P.

    This is one of the most incredible galleries I've ever been too. There are things here that you truly can't find anywhere else. From mesmerizing self playing violins, to gorgeous priceless art, this place has it all.

    Batmobile analog clock
    Rose S.

    A museum experience without the admission. Chagall, Picasso, Rockwell and other great works abound. Exquisite jewelry and former King's furniture are a delight. Watch the video of the Italian iron safe or can you figure out how to open it without. A true collector's paradise - being those tech stock gains and see what might catch your fancy

    Glydia C.

    This place is like a museum. You think this is just one of those antique stores but when you arrive, you are mistaken because the space is vast, takes up multiple floors and best of all, you can buy anything you see. There are so many unique things here, you have to stop in and allow ample time to explore, if you are into historic pieces that you could take home. There were so many paintings and sculptures by famous artists on display. Definitely stop in and check it out while you're here.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - MS Rau

    Review Highlights - MS Rau

    Rau Antiques, and I think it was pretty obvious to the sales people, however, they were so nice and helpful to us, particularly Ludovic.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Zèle NOLA - Art on Architectural Salvage by New Orleans artist, Paige DeBell

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    4.6(41 reviews)
    2.5 miGarden District
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    I really enjoy these types of spaces where they sell artwork from multiple artists. There is a lot…read moreto look at, and it's well organized. Clean and quiet. Artists have their own booth, so you can view the transition in genre as you walk from one booth to the next. When I first walked in, I noticed the paintings on the walls, but there's everything from that to jewelry and hats. The majority of the jewelry is located centrally, in front of the counter, where they are less likely to walk away without being noticed. My favorites were the mixed media scenes and whimsical cat paintings by G. Lee, whose artwork I noticed in other parts of the city. Adorable cats looking straight at you, holding a beloved item in their paws. As I was visiting, there was an artist setting up shelves to present his artwork. He had someone assisting. The artwork is also sold at affordable prices. The woman at the counter was friendly and welcoming.

    Zele is like Etsy in real life. I bring everyone who comes into town to Zele! I love that there are…read moreso many different booths because you can find gifts for others or yourself in any style! I love that they have store cats and the staff is very friendly! There are objects of pretty much any price point so you can always find something in your budget! I can't even count the number of times I have come to Zele but I plan to come many many more times!

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    Zèle NOLA - Whimsical signs hand painted on salvaged shutter slats from old New Orleans homes.

    Whimsical signs hand painted on salvaged shutter slats from old New Orleans homes.

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    Zèle NOLA - Paige DeBell art, 8x8 $45

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    Le Jardin - Le Jardin New Orleans

    Le Jardin

    4.4(23 reviews)
    0.0 miFrench Quarter
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    No photos allowed. Sadly, the proprietor of this establishment doesn't want you to take photographs…read moreof all the great local artwork that he is offering here. This being said, this is an excellent place to pick up really unique and very good local artistic creations. Whether it's in the form of paintings, drawings, jewelry, sculpture, and a little bit of everything else, if you're looking for some art and you want it to be from New Orleans, this is your place to get it. Located in the French Quarter. This place is a unique business to check out. From the moment you walk in, you are overtaken by all of the colorful beauty that lines the walls and the shelves of this business. It is really a fun place to shop. There's so much stuff! This business has both a front section and a rear section. Both of which are filled with tons of various types of art. The prices here are all very reasonable. It's not like some shops that you go into and you like a piece of art and then you check the price and you're going OMG. That's not the case here. The artwork, the jewelry, and the everything else are what I would consider very reasonable. Overall, if you want a great piece of local art, this is an ideal business to purchase it from.

    Love popping into Le Jardin whenever in New Orleans to check out the latest artists and uncover…read moreunique gifts for friends and family. First stumbled in after Swamp Dog & Friends consolidated to Le Jardin and I was searching for another print to add to our collection in our dining room and ended up discovering more local artists. Absolutely loved seeing some of the art still drying in the back area and the ability to find a gift (for family and friends or just us) so unique and special to New Orleans. Prices vary but the quality is there if you opt for a painting or other piece opposed to a print.

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    Le Jardin - B

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    Le Jardin - Le Jardin local art

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    Michalopoulos - Art! Lovely in person!

    Michalopoulos

    5.0(6 reviews)
    0.2 miFrench Quarter
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    This is a lovely 3-story gallery! James Michalopoulos is an extremely talented artist, and his…read moreworks are vibrant, engaging, and extremely tactile! We visited during his cow phase and many of his canvases were of cows. He is renowned for his paintings of regional architecture and famous musicians and for designing numerous NOLA Jazz Fest posters and artwork. Many of his architectural pieces seem to defy gravity, as he departs from traditional renderings by painting the structures in arches for example. He utilizes exaggerated viewpoints and skewed perspectives so beautifully! His approach is whimsical, fun, and very engaging! For his paintings, he uses palette knives primarily, and this method results in such a dense, tactile quality to the paint, it is almost as if the paint is ice cream-like, and the viewer could just take a spoon to get the paint off the canvas and take a bite! This is my favorite approach to painting, and it takes quite the commitment by the artist to achieve this result! This lovely, accurate description from his bio sums it up: "His portraits of shotgun houses and Creole cottages, captured in layer upon layer of thick impasto paint, brimmed with color and energy and captured the essence of his subject." Quite the visionary and entrepreneur, Michalopoulos owns a house in the Burgundy region, started and stewards a foundation devoted to providing affordable spaces in NOLA in which artists can create, and live. In the 90s he opened a rum distillery, Celebration Distillation, the first craft rum distillery in the nation in over a century. Celebration features the "Old Orleans" label, and sadly, it suffered a fire, and is closed until further notice. Amazingly, he is primarily self-taught artistically, although he took a couple of art classes in NOLA. This gallery is spacious, it's 3 stories, and not pretentious at all. The staff are friendly, and you may engage with the art as long as you would like during their business hours.

    Incredibly impressed with the quality of the staff. We own a number of his Jazz Fest Remarque…read moreposters. Been 21 years since I've been to his gallery. Last time they had the original Mahalia Jackson painting in the opening room. We had a lot of fun reminiscing, and we bought his bookalopoulos. Had to catch a flight and needed to have it shipped. A couple of weeks later...no book. When my wife reached out they apologized profusely. It's Mardi Gras... and the order slipped through the cracks. Next week.... bookalopoulos shows up with a massive signature. Please check out the photo below. Damn ... another reason why I love this town!

    Photos
    Michalopoulos - Exterior and sign.

    Exterior and sign.

    Michalopoulos - Exterior sign.

    Exterior sign.

    Michalopoulos

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    MS Rau - jewelry - Updated July 2026

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