The essential guide on what to collect, how to select, and where to find the French antiques of your dreams, complete with expert tips and insider knowledge.
After decades of antique hunting throughout France, Sharon Santoni offers invaluable insight on finding and collecting French antiques—from Provençal quilted boutis to floral transferware to landscape paintings—which exude a singular charm and bring cachet to the home. Through aspirational photographs, interviews with specialized dealers, and the savoir faire of a local, her comprehensive guide includes well-researched descriptions of the most popular French collectibles, including tableware, silverware, paintings, textiles, rugs and tapestries, jewelry, books and illustrations, furniture, chandeliers and mirrors, and architectural and garden details.
Extensive resources complete the book, with advice on where to shop—from professional déballages to live auctions, and from flea markets to annual fairs—along with Sharon’s favorite antique dealers throughout France, a glossary of terms, a buyer’s guide to successful antiquing with useful phrases, and a detailed index. This sumptuous book is an indispensable reference for antique lovers everywhere. A portal to the charm and elegance of French antiques, it embodies the thrill of the hunt and the allure of French style to infuse your home with soul and personality.
“Rooted in decades of on-the-ground experience, this richly illustrated guide opens the doors to France’s flea markets, brocantes and antique shops, revealing how to buy with confidence…. Interviews with specialist dealers sit alongside practical advice, while photographs illustrate real places and real objects rather than fantasy interiors. A substantial resources section adds lasting value, with a nationwide shopping guide, glossary, useful French phrases for buyers and a detailed index. Both inspirational and methodical, the book captures the thrill of the hunt while demystifying a world that can feel opaque to outsiders. It will appeal to seasoned collectors and curious newcomers alike, offering a wonderful introduction to the enduring appeal of French antiques.” —France Today
“This book brings together practical know-how on what to collect, where to find it and how to style it…. [S]panning everything from tableware and textiles to mirrors, furniture and architectural salvage.” —Antiques Gazette
British-born and Normandy-based Sharon Santoni is the founder and editor of My French Country Home magazine. She leads antiquing tours throughout France and received the St. Roch award for contributions to the promotion of antiques. Joanna Maclennan’s photographs have appeared in books including The Foraged Home, Living Wild, and The World of Atelier Vime, and in periodicals including The New York Times, The World of Interiors, House & Garden, and My French Country Home. Franck Schmitt is an author, photographer, and journalist; whose work appears regularly in My French Country Home.
The essential guide on what to collect, how to select, and where to find the French antiques of your dreams, complete with expert tips and insider knowledge.
After decades of antique hunting throughout France, Sharon Santoni offers invaluable insight on finding and collecting French antiques—from Provençal quilted boutis to floral transferware to landscape paintings—which exude a singular charm and bring cachet to the home. Through aspirational photographs, interviews with specialized dealers, and the savoir faire of a local, her comprehensive guide includes well-researched descriptions of the most popular French collectibles, including tableware, silverware, paintings, textiles, rugs and tapestries, jewelry, books and illustrations, furniture, chandeliers and mirrors, and architectural and garden details.
Extensive resources complete the book, with advice on where to shop—from professional déballages to live auctions, and from flea markets to annual fairs—along with Sharon’s favorite antique dealers throughout France, a glossary of terms, a buyer’s guide to successful antiquing with useful phrases, and a detailed index. This sumptuous book is an indispensable reference for antique lovers everywhere. A portal to the charm and elegance of French antiques, it embodies the thrill of the hunt and the allure of French style to infuse your home with soul and personality.
Praise
“Rooted in decades of on-the-ground experience, this richly illustrated guide opens the doors to France’s flea markets, brocantes and antique shops, revealing how to buy with confidence…. Interviews with specialist dealers sit alongside practical advice, while photographs illustrate real places and real objects rather than fantasy interiors. A substantial resources section adds lasting value, with a nationwide shopping guide, glossary, useful French phrases for buyers and a detailed index. Both inspirational and methodical, the book captures the thrill of the hunt while demystifying a world that can feel opaque to outsiders. It will appeal to seasoned collectors and curious newcomers alike, offering a wonderful introduction to the enduring appeal of French antiques.” —France Today
“This book brings together practical know-how on what to collect, where to find it and how to style it…. [S]panning everything from tableware and textiles to mirrors, furniture and architectural salvage.” —Antiques Gazette
Author
British-born and Normandy-based Sharon Santoni is the founder and editor of My French Country Home magazine. She leads antiquing tours throughout France and received the St. Roch award for contributions to the promotion of antiques. Joanna Maclennan’s photographs have appeared in books including The Foraged Home, Living Wild, and The World of Atelier Vime, and in periodicals including The New York Times, The World of Interiors, House & Garden, and My French Country Home. Franck Schmitt is an author, photographer, and journalist; whose work appears regularly in My French Country Home.
