Every antique store I have visited in person and every antique store I have visited in cyberspace have a good number of French antiques on their inventory. Some of the local big and famous antique storeowners go to France every year to bring containers full of French antiques. (They swear by it).
France is approximately 213,010 sq. miles in area with a current population of around 65 million. USA is around 3,794,101 sq. miles with a population of 312 million. (This shows France is much smaller than USA, both in area and population). If you did not get it, let me tell you that the great State of Texas is around 268,581 sq. miles in area. Which means France is 55,571 sq. miles smaller than Texas.
 |
| 19th century French table |
There are 50 states in USA and there is at least one big city in every state. That big city has at least dozen antique markets or stores. (Slocum Street in Dallas, Texas alone has more antique stores than you can imagine). Now in each one of these antique stores you will find French antique furniture and accessories.
It is said that, in France all the worldly possessions such as furniture etc. is passed on within the family, generation after generation. Which means unlike us, they do not have an estate sale after their grandpa and grandma pass on.
I am curious as to how much furniture (or extra furniture if they don’t sell family heirlooms) French made in the last few centuries, so that we could get an endless supply of it in the form of French antiques here in the USA.
 |
| Louis XIII armoire |
The other curiosity is that in case they did not make any extra furniture and since we Americans have bought all of the furniture out of their homes, what do they use these days in their own homes? I bet they don’t use IKEA.
Have you ever thought of that? I have been bothered by this thought lately.
 |
| 18th century wedding armoire |
 |
| 19th century French console |
i love french antiques too!!!
ReplyDeleteHello my friend,
ReplyDeleteThis question is very interesting. I know a couple of antique dealers who export to America, eh it's usually things that Europeans no longer want. And so here in Europe a large part of our heritage that gone away for America. And believe me, many people prefer Ikea over here in Europe. I find that very unfortunate, but that makes that our heritage is valued at America.
Greetings from Belgium
Jérôme
Very interesting to hear from your point of view. There is no doubt that we do love and care for all those antiques we get from europe. We use a French Table from late 1800s in our kitchen as an island. I was very ashamed and hurt when i inadvertently put s few scratches on it.
ReplyDeleteIt seems your loss is our gain.
Thank you so much for visiting!! An interesting discussion!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
the 19th century French table looks so timeless!
ReplyDeleteVery good post I enjoyed reading it from top to bottom.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS FOR SHARING VERY GOOD INFO.
Amazing write up! thank you so much for this information!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete