The French brocante offers more than old stuff and left over treasures. It is more than a pile of boxes filled with dusty books and chipped dishes. The French brocante is a museum where history, culture, and craftsmanship stack up hoping to be passed down to the next generation. The French brocante is where I learned to speak French, it is where I began to understand the French culture. Listening with one's eyes teaches, can give keys to the hidden past, taking you far into the future.
When and why to go to the French Brocante?
Saturday or Sunday morning always early…
discovering not only old things but as well the villages, the atmosphere, the music, the bakeries, the cafes… brocanting it about the experience, the moments rushing together weaving past to present.
French lessons at the brocante:
A painted zinc horse head. "Interesting," she was curious so she asked, "did it hang above a stable at a chateau? Was it the crown above the stall of a race horse? Was it a trophy?"
The brocanteur smiled at her hopeful imagination, and replied, "It use to hang above a butcher shop that sold horse meat."
"Horse meat?" The vegetarian swallowed heard.
"Yes, horse meat." He said without a wink.
The French brocante
Houses that have lived a couple of hundred years, containing old things, items gathered, cared for, repaired, stored and used from one family to the next. Never changing, always giving their best. Items that have been made to last and made for a purpose. Such as linens, tools, chairs, grain sacks, utensils, tables, buckets… Items too that were meant to entertain ones past time and help create coziness; toys, books, paint boxes, needles and bobbins, fabric, cards, games….
Then one day the family is no longer… the house is sold… the objects are sold from one dealer to another, to one client to another, to one country to another…
The objects become seeds scattering, hoping to be reborn and heard.
Hand made linens and lace, beautiful pieces created for special moments: Marriage, birth, communion…
French furniture handles and hinges.
A spool of pink cotton thread, as big as a puff of cotton candy, waiting by a fabric covered sewing box.
The French Brocante:
At the bottom of most boxes, trunks, and chest of drawers bits and pieces of papers that once had meaning, that were not thrown away, that some how survived the journey of time. That tangibly tell us bits and pieces of a life once lived… pages of books, torn letters, stamps with post marks, candy coupons, buttons, music sheets, photos, wine labels, thread and bingo cards…
The French Brocante, Tongue in Cheek Cheeky winners:
What the these things…
The first person to guess correctly and winner of a "Carnard Biberon is:
Nancy with her response:
"Although
it looks just like a sauce/gravy boat, my guess is that it's an Invalid
or Infant feeder. Also known as Pap Boats or Pap Feeders."
The winner of the Creative Answer, and the winner of a Carnard Biberon is:
DONNA with her response:
"Theses are
little shoes for walking upon water. When the water gets too full it
trickles out the toe! When you get to your destination, you hang them up
to dry by the handles. Those French think of everything!"
The winner and first person to guess the name of this object is French is:
ANA MARIA with her response:
"I think
they are adult invalid feeders (in France, usually called a " canard de
malade ", because it is shaped like a duck). The ones used for children
were also called "biberons"".
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Thank you for playing and for giving your responses in the comment section. Will the above winners please send me your addresses so that I can send you your prizes.
(The Easter Bunny Man)
Also today I am giving away the nineteen century Easter postcards that I posted at Easter.
If you would like to have one of them please tell me a story about one of them. If you are not into story telling, that is okay too, just add your name to the comment section and tell me which one you would like.
I will randomly pick the winners tomorrow.
"The Pink Thing"
or
"The Easter Egg"
The Hair Do.
Or "The Backdrop", that I wish I could find at the brocante…
Or "The double DD Easter Egg Bra."
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