French Finds

The Arts of Antiquing in France: Flea Markets – Brocantes – Antique Shops (Rizzoli)

Author: Sharon Santoni, Photographs by Joanna Maclennan and Franck Schmitt

Francophile extraordinaire Sharon Santoni, founder of My French Country Home, a popular magazine and a lifestyle brand that have become synonymous with an appreciation for the finer aspects of living in France, brings her formidable knowledge of le style de vie française to the pages of a new book devoted to the world of French antiques and pre-loved “treasures” of lesser value—where to find them and how to make them your own. Lavishly illustrated with photographs by Joanna Maclennan and Frank Schmitt, The Art of Antiquing in France (Flammarion) is Santoni’s gift to readers in search of a Baedeker whose focus is the endlessly quirky—and seductive—terrain of les antiquités françaises. For the uninitiated, Santoni begins her text with an all-important distinction made between boutiques with fine antiques (to include, for example, a Louis XV armoire), brocantes (second-hand shops with items of varying degrees of quality), and even the colorful miscellany found in the storied French marché aux puces (flea markets). Having defined the broad contours of the narrative, Santoni leads the reader immediately into individual chapters that cover such specific subjects as (to name only a few) books, silver and glass tableware, jewelry, textiles, and furniture. In her introduction, eager to spare unseasoned would-be customers, Santoni warns of “the price of hesitation” and advises: “When I see something that speaks to me, I act.” —Roger Harris