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Gathering the Treasures…

Anticipation…anticipation…  It’s making me wait…

Carly Simon’s famous tune always comes to mind as June approaches.

First, as an educator I used to look forward to the end of the spring semester and the beginning of a much-deserved holiday. It was a time to enjoy, re-invigorate, sharpen the saw, and detoxify from the stress that comes with teaching. Even though I loved facilitating the learning of others and learning from them, by June I am ready for a recess. Teaching is a very rewarding yet stressful job. Hats off to all of you committed and passionate teachers who with your efforts are leaving a great legacy!

Combining the finds from the last week markets

Now, I look toward June with even more anticipation because each year I get to travel through France, and sometimes other countries of Europe, procuring and gathering the beautiful and unusual items that we bring to our customers in the USA.

 Even though it is not all as romantic as some of our clients think it would be, roaming through the South of France with anticipation of finding a unique piece or finding a great deal, or meeting up with those other dealers who become occasional friends, makes it fun. 

Heavy English garden urns

Often when we share of this experience, our customers gasp and exclaim, “Oh, what fun! Traveling through Europe, and especially France, just shopping for beautiful antiques!”  Yeah?  Try hauling some beautiful 300 lb. concrete urn to your truck in the heat of the Mediterranean summer.  Smile!  And yet, it is a blissful experience; one that we look forward to with much anticipation. Will you come along?

This year it will be a first for Martin and he is definitely looking forward to the adventure.  Johan and I joked that as part of his initiation, he will have to do all the hauling. “I don’t think so!” says Martin, “And you guys had better treat me to some delicious French food and good wine.”  Knowing Martin, he’ll be figuring out how to “steal” recipes and ask us if we can send a few cases of wine in the container.  I will try to find him a vintage toque

Clock from British rail road station 

Johan is already there gathering gorgeous pieces for our next container.(scheduled to arrive early September) He was here for just over a month and has already been back on the road looking for all those sigh-inspiring beauties to bring to California.  Take a tour through our web site as he is already posting photos of available pieces.

 

 

On the market south west of Paris last Wednesday

Here we see him buying, hauling and preparing another beautiful cargo of French and other European antiques and vintage items.

Trinidad - Johan - Martin

Back at the warehouse