More often than not, there are at least two or three brocantes held in various parts of the city on Sundays. I'll often find treasure
like this for example, but there are also times when the treasure comes in the array of interesting things laid out before one's eyes. This Sunday is a good case in point.
There was a ton of interesting china and household furnishings in the brocante I hit and while this isn't my particular field, I took pictures of the nicest objects I found.
Hope you'll enjoy this selection as much as I did.
I never knew what these tiny glasses (I wanted to show their detail so they look big, but really they're tiny almost like shot glasses size) were for till I asked. These particular ones date back from the 19th century and they're hand carved crystal. You can imagine how I took a step back after I heard that. I didn't want to accidentally knock them over while taking a photo! And they were used for very strong spirits--like eau de vie after dinner. Since they were so potent, they only needed small glasses!
Then I saw this gorgeous sewing kit made of, are you ready, ivory and silver. It was absolutely gorgeous and heavy to boot too! Good thing I'm not much of a sewer else this little beauty would have come home with me. And now I know why elephants are now endangered since back then even such things as sewing kits used to be made with ivory!
And this one, I've never seen till now. 19th century ladies smelling salts! Isn't it neat? I don't know if the picture shows it clearly but the inside was filled to brim with what looked like rock crystal salt. I found it so beautiful and I could totally imagine some lady dressed in tight corsets holding it up to her nose so as not to swoon. I was transported. And tempted to add it to my growing pile of beautiful yet highly impractical objects in my house, but at 170 euros, I had to leave it behind.
And finally a tapestry print hat bag, of a more recent vintage of course. I totally found myself thinking of reasons why I had to bring it home. Alas, reason prevailed once again. What in the world would I store in this thing?
Ah, but you didn't really think I came home empty-handed did you?
A delicately pretty milk pot and matching sugar bowl from the early 19th century. I got a really good deal too because somewhere along the way, the little sugar bowl lost its cover. I didn't get too finicky about this detail because I love the way they look together with the pink and gold stripe running along their rims. I love the way the handles curve and the pretty lip of the milk pot. How could I pass it up?
