Why, hello there. Would you like to go shopping with me? It’s a beautiful day out, why not? What? Oh, for antiques of course. Is there anything better?
For you see, while we were up at the world’s most peaceful mazet recently, the twice yearly Foire Internationale Art et Antiquités was being presented at a mere ten minutes drive away in the always beautiful L’Isle sur la Sorgue.
So what say you? Shall we swan along together? A tiny bit of time travel will be required but just wiggle your nose Bewitched-like and we’re off…This week’s posts will be dedicated to a little virtual wish-listing. And while I am sure that Remi will sigh in exasperation at my including too many photos (as usual), I wanted to make sure that there was something for everyone…
Of course, all of the usual suspects were present, such as charming old pétanque balls…
…eye-blinding bling…
…la vannerie that would look very smart slung over a crooked elbow at the farmer’s market back home…
…plus – the perpetual favorite – pots à conserve whose prices finally seem to be going back down…
…as well as grain sacks waiting to be plumped into expensive scratchy pillows or upholstery in upscale boutiques around the world.
But there were a lot of unusual items as well.
I was especially fascinated by these oriental molds for printing wall paper. Wouldn’t they look lovely mounted in a group in a hallway or in a bath?
Similarly, Remi and I were both drawn to this set of silver molds until we saw that A) it was 287 Euros and B) it was made of ivory. Ahhh, non et non.
For the intrepid, there were many tables crammed with interesting and inexpensive bric-a-brac to trawl through. Alas, patience is not exactly my middle name…
No, I was drawn by the bigger gestures and especially the stands that offered an intact aesthetic, such as with this seller’s juxtaposition of French provincial with Asian antiques. Now we are talking.
These six sculpted Chinese flowers might have gone home with me in better days (ahem) and I loved how beautifully they complimented the gorgeous faded colorway of the dresser.
Of course, there were plenty of smaller pieces that caught my eye.
Who can ever have enough crackly old suitcases to stack at the end of the bed…
…or passmenterie to pull back those extra long linen drapes?
Pieces with authentic or even exaggerated patina were still in abundance, even while the “whitewash everything/Annie Sloan chalk paint” look is fading into the past.
Simple seems to be the order of the day, which is just fine by me…
…as well as using basic items or materials creatively, such as these stacked (albeit wobbly) vegetable crates as end tables…
…or sections of old Indonesian boats to form a perfect outdoor sofa (although I will pass on the hot pink plastic Rhino head, thank you very much).
Not all of the faire’s 250 vendors (in addition to the permanent shops) are in the old goods business.
I knew that I had seen the yellow mid-century style console before and sure enough, everything at this stand was the work of two young women from Arles. Eve and Soriana, created their company En goguette (which means “a little bit drunk”) in 2009 and since then have been creating their designs out of cardboard. The results are precisely well thought out, fun and environmentally friendly.
Which is just wonderful. For while it is always a delight to puff up the dust of the past, how important it can be to keep one eye squinting directly towards the future…
Have a wonderful week everyone! More soon…
And thank you kindly for all of your interest concerning Vickie Lester’s “It’s in His Kiss”…it tickled me pink.
OH< take me back there…………..I have been THREE times and loved it!
Is the restaurant with the falling water still there……I believe its a woman's name?LOUISE??
I so wanted to do that back here………..it sits on the canal with the swans!
Those petanque balls and the pottery would have had to come home with me – well, some of them. I adored the old suitcase too and that garden bench. I would have loved to tag along.
Well, Modern bows are made with plastic tips….at least since the 70's or so. Quite aside from aesthetic considerations, most replacement keys for pianos are made from plastic, also (we've come a long way since the days when Bakelite was the latest advancement in technology, and a key's surface makes no difference whatsoever in the sound that's produced….trust me, I studied paino formally for fifteen years). Still…..isn't it weird that you can take ivory (at least that involved in instruments) out of the USA, but not back into it? I think the final fact is that there's no risk, so to speak, in taking it OUT with you, but there's a definitie risk (dealt with the TSA folks anytime since 9/11?) getting your violin bow back in……..you never know when some prissy-butt TSA employee has had a bad day and wants to give someone a difficult time…..
—david
My darling, *how* can you pass on the hot pink rhino head??
Srsly, though I enjoyed the post entire immensely, I felt 'at home' at the bric-a-brac table. My dad has owned a thrift store all of my life and the hot lick of wonder that comes over me, never knowing what might be among the odd totschkes (sp???,) is just a quiet, tiny anticipation to savor.
I love how your lens plays with angled sunlight, btw.
Je suis jaloux.i am always on the hunt for the decent antique fairs and the better brocantes, although some of the not great ones can still yield a prize or two. But I've yet to find anything as extensive as that one near here. Guess it's a matter of time, and patience. But a petanque ball for €48? Non. Thanks for the great (and abundant) photos. 🙂
I'm not sure but I remember thinking that it was reasonable…everything was on sale. Maybe 350 Euros?
Merci Marsha! hehehe
You have to wonder…what were they thinking??
Lol…oh please, no. I love pink but not on a plastic Rhino head :).
I was right there with you Heather, fingering the future pillow tops and imagining where to place just the right piece. You've sparked an itch in the travel bug. . .thinking a return to your lovely area is far too long overdue!