Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Provence Poetic Collecting Ephemera

 

Provence, tours, antiques, where to go what to see in Provence, charm, Corey Amaro: Ephemera

French ephemera.

I have a thing for it. 

 

Crazy truth, it is an addiction.

Whenever I see old French paper I have to stop to check it out, touch it, study it and because of it I can often tell the age just by the feel of the paper, or the type of handwriting… old letters, documents, cards, scraps have become my favorite thing to target at the brocante markets.

 

 

The French Muse: Ephemera

 

Name cards, invitations, announcements…

Bits of history of a story once lived. Words that echo similarities to the lives we live now.

A recorded history without knowing it would come to this time, giving us a window to glance back into seeing ourselves.

 

 

 

Provence, tours, antiques, where to go what to see in Provence, charm, Corey Amaro: Ephemera

 

Menus from weddings, birthdays, baptisms, anniversaries…

"Hello, How are you? I have missed you. Did you see the Marie and John the other day? Unfortunately, I was not able to make the party…."

 

 

The French Muse: Ephemera

 

Handwritten music. 

 

 


French Antique Ephemera

French Antique Ephemera

French Antique Ephemera

French Antique Ephemera

 

The French Muse: Ephemera

Stacks of paper that appear as artwork to me.

Being married to French Husband has made me a "Lifer" in France. When I arrived I already had a thing for old things, for example, I wore my grandmother's tattered wedding dress when I was married and had Chelsea and Sacha baptized in an antique massive bread making bowl. I am a bit, okay more than a bit nutty for old things.

 

A few years ago I saw an antique dealer that I have known for years. He was retiring. Last weekend I bought a book from him that was dated 1739 regarding the marriage of King Louis's daughter. It was one of the best things I have ever found. He invited me to come to his home as he knows I love old paper. 

 

 

 

Provence, tours, antiques, where to go what to see in Provence, charm, Corey Amaro: Ephemera

 

Photo via Lorna.

The amazing book I bought from the man I have called, "The Paper Guy" for years.

 

French Antique papers ephemera

French Antique papers ephemera

 

 

Books without covers, exposing a certain je ne sais quoi?

I told you… I have the Brocante Bug bad.

Please tell me you flip about something not human too? Something that makes your heart do a happy dance, and you feel like it is love, and have to remind yourself, "Hey Chickie, you know this is just a thing, you gotta take your enthusiasm down a notch or two." And your Enthusiastic Self-responds, "Shut up" in a gleeful way and keeps digging.

Right?

 

 

French Antique papers ephemera

 

 

Shelves, boxes, baskets, drawers FULL.

I seriously doubt I can retire from that sort of passionate drive.

 

___

What rocks your clock?

 

French Antique papers ephemera

 

 

French Ephemera old letters

French Ephemera old letters

French Ephemera old letters

 

We all went home with more than we could carry.

Comments

19 responses to “Provence Poetic Collecting Ephemera”

  1. Linda P.

    It’s music for me. Debussy, Puccini, and Wagner.

    Reply
  2. Taste of France

    I don’t consider these things “not human.” They are the ghosts of humans, and they retain an aura of the lives once lived. They aren’t just stuff.
    Already, books make my heart race, and old books make it race faster.

    Reply
  3. g

    PAPER….as you know! feel the same…the look the touch the feeling delicate like it might break the smell….I love school books menus receipts orders with or without graphics LETTERS oh do not even get me started-books in general advertisements oh and did I mention LETTERS!! I LOVE ALL PAPER no matter the shape it is my favorite!

    Reply
  4. NancyO.

    I love antiques, furniture, fabrics, quilts, paintings, but the things I cannot resist are white stoneware pieces with blue stripes. I have bowls, cups, pitchers, but never enough!

    Reply
  5. Bev S.

    Mine is yarn (to knit) especially Shetland yarn in an all colors either from Jamieson and Smith or Jamieson’s in the Shetland Islands. If someone is selling part of their “stash” my heart leaps, just leaps. I love putting colors together for hats or sweaters that I will knit. I. Never. Have. Enough.

    Reply
  6. Ann of Avondale

    I love vintage/antique greeting cards that people saved. Old valentine cards, Christmas cards, holy cards of saints, any greeting card or letter. Life was more relaxed and graceful in the “old days”.

    Reply
  7. Kathie B

    Discovering a hitherto untranslated writing in Portuguese that so moves me that I want to translate it into English.

    Reply
  8. Jacklynn Lantry

    Is that the book you showed me? We did research on it, right? AMAZING! I have never seek anything like it before (or after.) 100% museum quality piece. Oh do a post on the book!
    I love anything that tells a story. Lately I have been collecting odd photo’s and making up a story about the people in the pix. It’s fun!

    Reply
  9. debra

    definitely anything French or from France. I can be at a yard sale or antique dealer, and I am drawn to silver or glass, and as I turn it over the word FRANCE can be found. So happy I am coming again to Paris in September!!! Can you believe it? Twice in one year! xo

    Reply
  10. Marilyn

    That book from the Paper Guy sounds amazing. My weakness is linens. I must always touch and look.

    Reply
  11. Liane

    Flowers ! And gilt teacups. And old linen. Perfume bottles. Limoges shoes. Fans.
    I just love the way you express yourself. Thank you ever so for sharing. I always want to do the happy dance after I finish reading what you send.

    Reply
  12. Ali

    Oh, I do love this blog. It arrives in the evening just before bedtime. The comments are as rich as Corey’s words. Thank you all…
    Ali

    Reply
  13. Liz Schaeffer

    this blog made me ask” what is it I reach for?” it seems all shades of the color blue, and then as I looked around me that color represented in glass or stone, such as small figures of birds that I have collected. In most cases anything that reflects nature, or so it seems as I really look at the accessories placed here and there in my home.

    Reply
  14. Chrisophe

    Pepper grinders. But not just ordinary wooden ones, but silver or those with an interesting shape or design. I’ve found some great ones here on the brocantes. I bought one on Saturday, wood and metal – with a very unusual design, unlike anything I had seen before. Sometimes I’ll buy an older wooden one that has great patina from years of use.
    I buy other things too, and I like advertising items, especially signs. Art nouveau and art deco also.

    Reply
  15. g

    You are so RIGHT-I check a few times a day to see what others have contributed-I enjoy it as much as the post-personalities shine forth!

    Reply
  16. Nina

    Have you ever thought of what will become of your collection? Do your children appreciate it? Your nieces? Perhaps you will open a shop or start selling at the brocante!
    Several years ago we downsized and held an auction. We did let go of most of our many collections, but now we find we are still “browsing” and starting afresh!

    Reply
  17. Patty N. from Pacific Grove

    Oh yes…the magic of ink on paper: legal documents, letters, religious certificates…all artistically done without one errant ink blotch on the paper. How did they do that? How did they manage to turn handwriting into stunning art? I bought a large lot of hand-written music at the brocante in Barjac. I continue to marvel at the precision on each page, and sometimes get tricked into thinking it was mechanically printed. Then I see a tiny inconsistency and realize a person painstakingly turned this blank paper into music. The human touch.
    I have also collected postcards from the early 1900’s. Many from WWI. One that broke my heart was from a wife to her soldier husband: “I haven’t heard from you. Where are you? Please tell me you’re OK. Your children cry for you.” Oh gosh…

    Reply
  18. Willi

    Thanks for the article, good to know other people have their things!! OMG, sooooo many things do it for me: rusty, dusty, tins with old advertising; old linen tea towels with what some might call ugly prints, oh and linen table clothes, too; vintage buttons and sewing notions; pitchers of every description; magazines from the 20’s – 50’s with great advertising in them; and tea pots, mostly cream and gold! There’s actually more, but those are the ones that REALLY do it for me. 🙂

    Reply
  19. TerriNTexas

    OLD LACE rocks my clock! Especially lace curtains. Corey, please post some antique lace curtains. Still looking…….

    Reply

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