M.S. Rau

M.S. Rau: A Century of Fine Art and Antiques on Royal Street

M.S. Rau is one of North America's most distinguished fine art, antiques, and jewelry galleries, operating from a 40,000-square-foot showroom on Royal Street in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter. Founded in 1912 by Max Rau, the gallery has been in continuous family operation for over a century and is now led by third- and fourth-generation owners Bill and Rebecca Rau.

Origins on Royal Street

Max Rau opened his antiques store on Royal Street in 1912, during the golden age of New Orleans as a cultural and commercial hub. The location was not incidental—Royal Street had already established itself as the city's premier corridor for fine art and antiques dealers, a reputation it maintains to this day. From modest beginnings, the gallery grew steadily, cultivating relationships with collectors, estates, and institutions. The commitment to quality over quantity became the firm's defining principle, maintained through three generations of family ownership.

What M.S. Rau Sells

The gallery's inventory spans an extraordinary range of museum-quality works: paintings by Claude Monet, John Singer Sargent, and Rembrandt van Rijn; furniture by Thomas Chippendale; silver by Paul Revere; glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany and René Lalique; and fine jewelry spanning centuries. Unlike an auction house, M.S. Rau operates as a dealer—the gallery owns its inventory outright, meaning every piece has been individually selected, vetted, researched, and priced by the Rau team before being offered for sale.

The Exchange Guarantee

One of M.S. Rau's most distinctive features is its exchange policy: any purchase can be returned for 125% of the original price in store credit. This "buy with confidence" approach is virtually unheard of in the fine art and antiques world, where most transactions are final. It reflects the gallery's confidence in its own pricing and selection, and it gives buyers—particularly those new to collecting—an unusual safety net.

How Buying Works

Buyers can visit the gallery in person on Royal Street, browse the extensive online inventory at rauantiques.com, or work directly with specialists by phone or email. The gallery ships worldwide and handles all logistics for large-scale purchases including furniture and sculpture. Unlike an auction house, there is no buyer's premium—the listed price is the price, subject to negotiation.

Who Should Consider M.S. Rau

M.S. Rau is ideal for collectors who prefer the certainty and personal service of a dealer relationship over the unpredictability of auction. The exchange guarantee makes it particularly appealing for newer collectors building confidence. Anyone visiting New Orleans should consider a visit to the showroom, which functions as much as a museum as a commercial gallery. Sellers with significant individual pieces—rather than large collections or estates—may also find the gallery interested in purchasing outright, offering immediate payment rather than the wait-and-hope of consignment.