Every Sunday the brocanteur who sets up on the corner takes out his wares: Theatrical costumes from the 1800 to 1900s. He bought the entire collection from a person who use to travel from opera house, to theatre, to concert hall… offering his collection of costumes to whatever theatrical play or opera that might need them.
I have seen his array of costumes hanging outside his truck for months, never giving them a second thought. Bright colors, garish, wrinkly, which made me think, "What would I do with those?"
Until last weekend when he unloaded the Don Juan collection in antique brocade silk and bullfighter's vest and cape. The workmanship, the quality of fabric used made me take a deeper look.
The gold metal embellishments at the end of the pale blue silk ribbons…
The name tag in the jacket: Don Juan, it came home with me.
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