Several months ago at the flea market here in France, I was digging through a box, pulling out one piece of antique linen after another. I love moments like this… a cardboard treasure chest and nobody around to watch me drool over my discoveries. Then as if the French flea market fairy landed at my feet the dealer said to me, "I have a whole attic full."
My mouth dropped, my heart skipped a beat, but I managed to compose myself to ask, (in French with my twangy American accent,), "Can I come to your home and take a look."
"Sure." She beamed back, rubbing her hands together, as I hugged my heart.
The flea markets in France are like being a kid in a candy shop. Imagine chocolate corsets, lollipop linens, sweet sheets, and boxes after cardboard boxes full of other tempting treats. You never know what you’ll find, but one thing is certain you will find a paradise full of amazing treasures, and the invitation to dream.
From the very first step into the French flea market, one feels they have gone back in time. The vast array of antiques is overwhelming. There is something for every age and pocketbook. It is as if Marie-Antoinette and Louis the Sixteenth are standing by your side smiling, as you rummage through tabletops of painted porcelain dishes, silverware, monogram linens, and tea sets that seem to beg you to sit down and eat cake.
First lesson when buying antiques: See with your heart. Buy what you like, what has value to you. Any piece will become more valuable with age. But not every antique is going to make your heart sing. Some of us find peeling paint attractive, others like the smooth feel of a rich patina, yet others find the sleekness chic. What is your style?
When I arrived at the antique dealer’s house she took me up to her attic it was stuffed full of faded grandeur. I nearly wet my pants I was that giddy. "Is this the stairway to heaven?" I asked. The dealer was very kind she said, "Take your time, open any box you want. I'll be downstairs.
Antiques come in many sizes, shapes, textures, and styles. It doesn't have to be a gilded 18th-century mirror to be valuable. Some elements make a piece authentic: The original mercury glass, the patina, the bold hits of age. Some clues to look for are is it has a story, a history, the quality of the product, the material it is made out of, the rarity, and the condition it is in. But the bottom line is… Does it have value to you?
France’s culture creates the ordinary into the extraordinary. In the faded grandeur of peeling paint and rusty iron, the history of time unwinds. When you see something you like on a stand, the first thing to do is say, "Bonjour Monsieur or Bonjour Madame.” to the dealer(s) then ask if you can look at the object of interest. Turn it around, look on the back, the sculpting, is it regular or slightly uneven? Are the colors washed with age? Can you see how the piece has been used? For example, a drawer handle will be worn, grab it and feel the softness of usage.
There is plenty to say, to learn, to know, to love about antiques.
Thankfully, France has a rich past with antiques where things were kept, guarded, and passed down. Over the years I have seen plenty of things bought, sent off, and or recycled.
This is what I love most about France (Well not counting Yann, Chelsea, Sacha, Martin, and now Gabriel.) the antiques that have given me avenues of learning about the French culture, lifestyle, and beauty.
In the end, I bought some linens… and then called some friends to come over who deal in linens on a grander scale than I do. Everyone was happy.
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