At a market recently I found a very worn and stained French flag. I couldn't resist buying it as it had an embroidered Sacred Heart of Jesus in its centre, a religious emblem I love. I didn't pay much attention to what else was on the flag at the time as I was buying other things from the same stall. In the last few days, I finally got round to photographing it and started researching the meaning of the military ribbons that were pinned on it. The flag I have found is complet

When you think of Limoges, one word springs instantly to mind: porcelain. The city’s name is practically synonymous with the fine, translucent ceramics that once graced royal tables across Europe. For centuries, “Limoges” has meant craftsmanship — artistry shaped in white kaolin clay, fired and glazed to perfection. In a curious way, it feels like France’s answer to Britain's Wedgwood, that Staffordshire marvel of industrial elegance. Both towns rose to fame on the back of be

In an earlier post we wrote about La Salette and the history behind the popularity of one of the most curious Marian Apparitions. Why curious? Well, read on. The story begins in 1846 in a tiny hamlet in Isére, the beautiful but remote hilly region near the Italian border. Its not too far from the large city of Grenoble. (via Isere Tourism) Actually the story starts well before that- 1789 during the French revolution. After the execution of the King Louis XVI the first heir to

When I review the various statistics for the website the most popular items are always of the same type. It's pretty much always Our Lady of Pontmain, Our Lady of La Salette and St Therese of Lisieux. It's clear that these have a special fascination for our customers. This is backed up by the many email requests I get to look for these items in particular. Also, overwhelmingly, these requests are from the United States. We have shipped versions of Our Lady of Pontmain all the

I always look at books when I am going to fairs or brocantes. I can't help it. We have a big problem with books at home. Removal men hate us and keep reminding us about the existence of Kindles... we always feel terribly guilty when we have to tidy or reorganize our overflowing bookshelves. We really, really should stop buying books but... you know how this story ends. Of course on most markets there will be a book stall or someone selling their grandparents collection in dus

Lisieux is the first pilgrimage site I visited. It was a school visit- I was about 12 and went there for the day with my class. We had tours and talks and I still have the medal and the book on St Therese's life I bought that day! Why "la petite vie"? No, its not a reference to Hanya Yanagihara's recent novel, but Thérèse is often called la petite Thérèse or the Little Flower and her major contribution may have been her approach to faith she called "The Little Way." I have vi

Spending a morning covered in mud at Chambord castle after almost ten days on the road made me want to restart this blog. This buying trip was hard, exhausting and very messy but it was worth it! I think the romantic fantasy for antiaue collectors is that we spend all our time on long empty sunny country roads before swinging by a charming stone village in our vintage 2CV where we bargain for antiaues with locals whilst enjoying local wine, baguettes and gauloises. It is actu

Vintage French educational posters Auzoux Rossignal Nathan

Followers of our Instagram will know we were lucky enough to spend a day in Rouen recently. Rouen is one of the great Gothic cities of Europe, and has some special examples of what's usually called Flamboyant Gothic, the particularly florid style that emerged in France in the late 14th Century. During this period Rouen was already a major city, having being capital of Normandy until William moved it to Caen and even after then remained a major seat of Anglo-Norman culture. Si

On the Virgin Mary, flowers, ancient rituals and why May is her month.

Antiques blog discusses sauvegards, scapulars and Jesuit history in France.

This is the latest in an irregular series of articles on saints and holy people local to us in Northern France. You can find previous blogs here and here. Today I will introduce perhaps the most important local saints, Sainte Anne d'Auray, patron saint of Brittany. The Shrine of St. Anne d’Auray in Brittany is one of the most visited in France. Anne isn't one of the more well-known saints outside Catholic Europe but in Christian and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mothe

Collecting vintage French magazines - what to look for and what to avoid and more on vintage style for men and women

A close look at Caillebotte, one our favorite painters and how to date antique clothes with art

Cabinets des Curiosités in Brittany!

An unusual antique from Napoleon III's International Exposition of 1867

Cabinet de Merveilles blog on Our lady of Pontmain religious antiques

Cabinet de Merveilles Article on antique Lit Clos

Our local area and very brief history of the Knights Templar

We move to Bretagne!