Through the talents of sculptor-decorators and plaster craftsmen – working with fibrous plaster and stucco – blossomed capitals, leaves, pearls, modillions, caryatids, cornices, rosettes and more. These ornaments together culminated in unprecedented spaces of spectacular aesthetic style. With the use of plasterwork decoration at its pinnacle, the future of the profession was assured.
The trade was to be further expanded at the initiative of three sculptors, P. Larue, A. Auberlet and G. Laurent, who decided to unite in their efforts to produce and sell decorative ornaments throughout the entire world.

They went on to become leaders in the industry, accumulating a host of international awards, including the Vancouver and Toronto Prize in 1898 and the Gand Prize in 1913. In 1919, Messrs Auberlet and Laurent founded a company through which to pursue their flourishing and ambitious opus. Notably, it was acclaimed for its reproduction of the Cambodian temple of Angkor Wat under the direction of architect Mr Blanche. The temple was to be erected for the national colonial exhibition of Marseilles in 1922, the Arts Décoratifs of Paris in 1925 and the international colonial exhibition of Paris in 1931.

After the Second World War, business diminished owing to the inherent nature of the conflict and the fact that fibrous plaster, as crafted by Auberlet & Laurent, was no longer the order of the day. Nonetheless, the company’s international reputation endured.

Business grew and new techniques were put into practice (for example, using silicone and synthetic resin). The collection was enriched with numerous designs, which gave birth to a catalogue and resulted in prestigious commissions both in France and abroad, in particular the Middle East.
 
Thierry Lebufnoir, the current chairman of Auberlet & Laurent, arrived at the company in 1982, helping to run operations before acquiring it in 1998. Under his impetus, the company focused on developing its installation service. Private individuals, decorators and architects turned to the company’s design office for its valued expert advice. The company’s intricately detailed craftsmanship and unmatched aesthetic flare were universally celebrated, inspiring clients to entrust it with extraordinary commissions such as Hôtel Lambert, Hôtel Kinsky, the Elysée Palace, the Palace of the Sultan of Brunei and Hôtel Soyencourt, among others.

The many advantages of 3D scanning systems will support the efforts of staff at the design office, worksites and workshops. In particular, this technology will allow spaces to be mapped more quickly and accurately in preparation for works, such that the work of all contributors can be undertaken with greater efficiency and any potential challenges foreseen.

Furthermore, 3D printing will enable the production of models and samples in order to meet the latest needs of architects and decorators (BIM), to afford clients the benefit of a more concrete visual representation and, above all, to endow the company’s associates with new skills that combine their expertise with the latest technology.