Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Collecting

Img_2518 EVERYTHING HAS A PRICE

How much did it cost you? An arm and a leg? Why did you pay so much? Was it something you’ve been looking for? How can you tell if it is real? Where did you find it? Are you sure it is going to fit in your house?  Is it in perfect condition?

…

Everything has a price. Sometimes, the thing you want the most cost pennies, and other times it costs you nearly everything.

The question is: Is it worth it to you?

…

Sometimes, I wonder if the questions asked about buying antiques are not under-cover questions about life!

Photo! A peek into my home.

Comments

33 responses to “Collecting”

  1. marita

    it was all worth it and still is…the heritage of my parents and sister alice, the storries of my life and these beautiful objects standing in my home touching them, remembering, loving. i wouldn’t have missed a for any gold in the world and more!!

    Reply
  2. martina

    Sometimes it may be something you aren’t sure about, you take the blind leap and it works out better than you ever expected.

    Reply
  3. martina

    Sometimes the item or the chance you take may be something you aren’t sure about, you take the blind leap and it works out better than you ever expected.

    Reply
  4. tinker

    If you truly love it, the price is almost always worth it. Thank you for the peek into your home – it is beautiful! xo

    Reply
  5. tommiea

    As many places as we have lived, I have managed to make that house or living quarters our home. Sometimes we have to find a specific piece to make everything work, other times we pay to store those few things that we truly love. So yes, if I love it, it is worth it.

    Reply
  6. Hasmin

    Yes, it’s worth it’s weight in gold if it makes my heart happy. 🙂 Lovely mirror!

    Reply
  7. Pinkie Denise

    Hi Corey,
    I had a nice visit with your mom today. The funny thing happen there was this pretty ugly
    decanter in the shop, she said where can I hide this. She put it back in a corner. The next person that came picked it up and brought
    it. One mans junk truly is anothers treasure.
    Speaking of treasure I bought the black secretary today and took it home its now my
    favorite color, guess what? I absolutely love your sofa and that mirror! Its to die for….

    Reply
  8. Elaine L.

    I would Love to see more pictures of your home!
    ~elaine~

    Reply
  9. meredith

    I think you are on to something! Une question peut en cacher un autre…I think that’s how you say it 🙂

    Reply
  10. Jeanne

    Lovely indeed.
    I love all that you share including your wise words of wisdom!
    Blessings to you on this beautiful September Sunday and always.
    Love Jeanne

    Reply
  11. Pauline

    TICA – how observant you are! It’s the “dead cat” theory in action. A dead cat is only worth something to its owner…

    Reply
  12. ParisBreakfasts

    I like Andy Warhol’s fleamarket shopper’s comment:
    “If I said that some object or other looked like junk to me,
    Andy would say,
    “Oh really.
    See how much it is.”

    Reply
  13. Shannon

    I weigh out my options. How much do I want it, will it enhance my life, and how quickly would Jeff send me to the doghouse if I paid “x” amount of money.
    And then I buy it.

    Reply
  14. Cre8Tiva

    the cost of collecting…and collecting…and collecting…can be high indeed…it’s the price you pay to have…blessings, rebecca

    Reply
  15. Colette

    Good question! I have no pat answer. You make the choice and you take the consequences. Sometimes it’s sublime, and sometimes…it’s not!
    [It’s interesting that we use expressions with body parts to express the cost: an arm and a leg, and in French: les yeux de la tête.]

    Reply
  16. Rosemary

    You are wise Corey!
    I love your home. My husband always asks me, “where are you going to put that?”
    Have a great day!
    Rosemary

    Reply
  17. Mélanie

    Good post and above all good question and I am an antique dealer !!!

    Reply
  18. Tumblewords

    Wonderful post and picture. Enjoyed my visit!

    Reply
  19. Betty @ She’s Sew Pretty

    The most important question that I always forget is “will it fit in your house?”. I have forgotten to ask myself this question and now have antiques in the garage waiting for me to have a bigger house or a vacant room. When, my heart starts to beat faster and I can barely breathe, I forget all about that important question.

    Reply
  20. rochambeau

    Like you said there is a perceived value to everything. The hardest thing for me to put a monetary value upon is the pieces I create.
    After telling eb this, she said she knew why it was so difficult, saying how can you put a price on love?

    Reply
  21. Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)

    If you love something, then yes, it’s worth it. As for will it fit? If I love it, I’ll make it fit! Lovely photo’s, your home is gorgeous!

    Reply
  22. Beverly

    Always worth it!
    If it’s important to you, it’s always worth the price!
    (Life lessons in the antique market?!?)

    Reply
  23. Darla

    Everything has a cost. When it is in monetary terms I like the saying that something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
    If you don’t take the risk on something you love then you run the risk of regretting it forever. That goes for people or things.
    Darla

    Reply
  24. Merisi’s Vienna

    If you really love something, you don’t want to ask for the price.

    Reply
  25. Judith in Umbria

    It’s odd, but I think of antiques as being a job of work. I am caring for them for coming generations. I therefore try to make sure I’m taking care of the right stuff, eh? Collectionism is one of the few activities in which you pay for the privilege of working, sometimes very hard indeed.

    Reply
  26. elsa

    i read this last night and thought about how those questions could also be about one’s personality which i would find much more interesting.
    but the worth, is the delightful feeling of having something that is your heart’s desire. maybe small, big, cheap or expensive but it delights you!

    Reply
  27. patois

    If we can say it’s worth it to us, then it really doesn’t cost too much. Lovely post. Lovely peek into your home.

    Reply
  28. susanna

    Yes, I think you are right. I think those questions reflect the person who is asking them. What are we willing to pay for something we want? Can we afford it? Do we think we deserve it? Those questions and answers certainly play out in my own life. I admire my twin sister who thinks nothing of treating herself to a manicure or a massage or to a beautiful antique chair.

    Reply
  29. mary ann

    Life does immitate how we choose what to purchase and what to keep, don’t you think? Very nicely written. Thanks!

    Reply
  30. Amy

    a story I bet you’ll like. I’ve been married for 17 years, and I’ve never owned a coffee table. I said that when I found the right one, I would buy it – but it must be the right one. I waited patiently for 17 years without one – knowing that if I bought just any old one for the time being, I wouldn’t justify the money if I one day found one that I loved. Flash forward to this month….September. I found and bought a coffee table that I LOVE. I know there’s a moral in there. Patience is rewarded and all that… 😀

    Reply
  31. cruststation

    Lovely analogy and so true. Your home is pure eye-candy, so elegant and stunning!

    Reply
  32. Ceylon Sapphire

    As a dyed in the wool magpie that adores anything that sparkles, Im loving the glimpses into your home. It makes you even more real to me, beyond the words that I often think are too precious for ‘just’ a blog.
    Ceylon

    Reply
  33. Alison Whittington

    Wrestling with these questions right now… about moving my grandparents’ dining room set across the country.

    Reply

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