The Metro Station

2012-04-01T10:25:00.001-07:00

BONJOUR!

We're excited to announce that our spring shipment from France has arrived in port!

We will be closed this week while we unpack and will reopen on Saturday, April 7 at 10:00 a.m. with over four hundred and fifty antique treasures from our winter trip to France. Stop by on Saturday morning, and be the first to see our latest arrivals, or stay tuned to our website as we add items from our spring collection.

Learn more at www.frenchmetro.com.

Wrapping up our Buying Trip in France

2011-07-06T00:59:00.000-07:00

We have finished our container! We worked too hard and too fast to take photos of many of our finds, but we did take some pretty shots of the scenery around where we’ve been working.

The Arena in Nimes, a Roman amphitheater built 2000 years ago.

Roman ruins can be found throughout the city of Nimes.

The Maison Carrée or Square House in Nimes is one of the best preserved temples anywhere in the territory of the former Roman Empire

Southern France is full of olive trees and lavender...

...and fields of sunflowers.

The French are masters of Trompe l'Oeil, which literally means "tricks the eye," an art technique of painting on a flat surface such that the subject appear to be three dimensional.

We catch our flight back up to Paris today and then it’s back home for Renee and vacation in the Balkans for Alexander. To celebrate our final shopping day, we spent the afternoon on a Mediterranean beach near Montpellier and had fruits de mer (fruits of the sea….or seafood platter) and rosé wine to celebrate!

Prawns, oysters, mussels, sea snails, crab, and lobster...YUM!

Chateau Coujan

2011-07-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

After another day of antique shopping at the Beziers market, we had the chance to meet Harrison’s second host family with whom he will live starting in January. Florence is from a noble family and is the fifth generation to live in the family chateau. The estate dates back to Roman times and you can still see vestiges of its Roman past. Over the centuries, it has evolved into a unique estate that includes a bed & breakfast, still produces wine…

has a 17^th century chapel….

And is home to more than 60 peacocks and 100 white doves.

Beziers Market

2011-07-01T13:36:00.001-07:00

Today there was a large antique market in Beziers. When we arrived at the gates, where buyers and sellers alike were waiting to get in, we could hear French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Polish, Dutch, German, and some languages we didn’t recognize. Between the two of us, Alexander and I speak five languages, so we were in polyglot heaven. At 8 a.m. sharp, the gates opened and we all rushed in. Here are our favorite finds of the days.

A nineteenth century gilded Louis XV mirror that measures almost eight feet tall.

A pair of nienteenth century hand carved walnut Provencal armchairs.

A collection of charming petite yellow confit pots from the region.

Lunch at the market was Provencal paella with mussels, shrimp, chicken, and squid.

After a long, hot day of work, we had a relaxing dinner full of laughter with Harrison’s host family. This time, their children, Benoite and Henri, joined us. The setting was the private property of a local vintner where they have their own restaurant as well.

2011-07-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

A nineteenth century gilded Louis XV mirror that measures almost eight feet tall.

A pair of nienteenth century hand carved walnut Provencal armchairs.

A collection of charming petite yellow confit pots from the region.

Lunch at the market was Provencal paella with mussels, shrimp, chicken, and squid.

In the Languedoc

2011-06-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

The City of Beziers is about the size of Fayetteville, Arkansas with 70,000 inhabitants. Somehow it seems much larger. The downtown is bustling with commerce and the preservation of the historic buildings and central square is impressive. Allées of centuries-old sycamore trees line the square where the city market is held.

Beziers is in the Languedoc, an area just west of Provence where vineyards abound.

Although we already had plans to come to Béziers as part of our buying trip, another reason came to light just before we left the States. We learned that Harrison, Renée and Terry’s son and Alexander’s brother, had been placed in Beziers by the Rotary Youth Exchange program for his senior year of high school in France. This was the perfect opportunity for us to see where he would be living and to meet his host family. Coincidentally, his host father is a former antique dealer and was happy to introduce us to his colleagues in the area…which led us to some amazing finds.

Nineteenth century hand carved marble column with grapes and grape vines.

A FABULOUS bronze and Baccarat crystal chandelier with sixteen lights, c. 1830-1840

We attended a party this evening with Laurence and Patrick, Harrison’s French host parents, at their friends’ villa. Their collection of art and antiques made it hard for us to concentration on minding our manners.

Southward Bound

2011-06-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

Today we geared up for the next leg of our journey which started with a Ryanair flight from Beauvais airport (1.5 hours north of Paris) to Beziers in the south of France. If you’ve never heard of Ryanair, it is one of several dozen no-frills discount airlines that have popped up in Europe in the last ten years (think Southwest or JetBlue). And if you’ve never flown any of these airlines, let me tell you that it is quite an experience. First of all, our tickets cost all of 15 Euros ($22) each for a one-way flight that would have taken us eight hours by car– but you certainly get what you pay for. We arrived at the sad little airport in the middle of nowhere (although they’ve deceivingly named it PARIS Beauvais) several hours before our flight so we’d have plenty of time to return our rental car and get checked in. When we got to the ticket counter, we were greeted with a smile and asked if we had any carry-on bags. When we nodded, the ticket agent left his seat to inspect our luggage. When our rolling suitcases didn’t fit in the metal frame box measuring exactly 21.5” X 15.5” X 8.5” we were asked to repack or pay an additional 40 Euros ($58) to check a bag. So, we stepped aside and proceeded to rearrange shoes, toiletries, and a few small antique accessories. Before returning to his post, the agent added “and make sure your purse and small bag also fit inside your luggage, messieurs-dames.” So Renee emptied the contents of her purse into her suitcase while I stuffed my postage-size camera bag into my bag. Needless to say, it took us three tries and a total disregard for orderliness until we finally passed the “carry-on luggage test.”

That was just the beginning. It was a bit of a free-for-all boarding the plane without assigned seating. The flight itself had something of a carnival atmosphere with the attendants running up and down the aisles hawking anything from lottery tickets to rubber watches “with the healing power of tourmaline.” When the plane finally landed at the Beziers airport, a trumpet fanfare blasted from the loudspeakers followed by applause from the passengers, a celebration for another on time arrival by Ryanair.

In the end, we made it to our destination in one piece, albeit a bit frazzled and asking ourselves if it was worth saving several hundred euros (yes, it was).

An entire shop dedicated to macaroons

An Extraordinary Musical Find

2011-06-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

We wrapped things up in the north today before leaving for the Mediterranean coast. We found quite a few interesting accessories…

Bronze dog inkwell

But our BIG find of the day was a early twentieth century bookmatched rosewood baby grand piano!!! It’s a true work of art made by Niendorf, a German maker famous for the quality of its cases which contributes greatly to the richness of its sound. After all, the Germans are known for producing the best pianos (think Steinway or Bosendorfer). Luckily, Alexander was there to attest to its quality as an instrument; he began studying classical piano at age four and has a degree in piano performance. The piano has great action and a range of sound you would expect to find in a much larger grand piano. We can’t wait to put this piece front and center in the window of our shop on Dickson Street.

Arriving in the Seine-Maritime.

2011-06-26T02:33:00.000-07:00

One of our great finds today was this sparkling crystal chandelier, dripping with prisms.

Unless you’d rather have an entire 17^th century Baroque altar, which could be yours for a cool $300,000. Believe it or not, we found this available to buy today.

After a long day of driving, we arrived in the city of Rouen. We strolled through the medieval quarter past the city’s famous clock that stretches across a cobblestone pedestrian street. It was the perfect spot to have a bite to eat …

and do some people watching…

We arrived at our Bed & Breakfast this evening and took advantage of the cool evening to wander through the luscious gardens on the grounds of this two-hundred-year-old Normandy home.

La Manche Encore

2011-06-25T02:20:00.000-07:00

We are in La Manche, near the English Channel, where the Normans are proud of their heritage.

Here we are with the Normandy flag proudly displayed in front of our chambre d'hotes (bed & breakfast)

We started the morning with a “vide grenier” – a seasonal village-wide empty-your-attic event where you can find anything from World War I ammunition shells transformed into vases to worn out dolls, old suitcases, and 1980’s jewelry. Not at all fruitful for us, but fun to see how the French do their own kind of garage sale.

While driving to our first destination of the day, we came across an elderly gentleman cutting the grass around his cow pasture. Why use a weed whip when you can use a nineteenth century hand forged iron scythe?

Along with sixteen wonderful furniture pieces (a record for French Metro Antiques in one day), we came across a great selection of 18^th century copper not far from Villedieu-les-Poeles, the city that has been producint artisan made copper for over five hundred years.

We also found a late nineteenth century marriage globe still holding the orange blossom laurel wreath worn by a bride on her wedding day. It rests on an elaborate bronze stand decorated with love birds, mirrors, and a red velvet pillow which originally displayed the couple’s wedding rings. An interesting note: the number of mirrors on this exquisite piece indicates the number of children the married couple hoped to have. Whew! Quite a few mirrors!

La Manche

2011-06-24T14:29:00.001-07:00

Off to a La Manche this morning, almost to the Brittany border. We made a quick stop along the national road and found this stunning Napoleon III papier maché tilt top table with exquisite oil painting and mother of pearl inlay. Renee has an obsession about Napoleon III mother of pearl---Stay tuned to see if this table makes it to the shop!

A tiny little village in La Manche with a monumental surprise: authentic nineteenth century Paris street lamps and street signs installed in the village. Now how did those get here? The little white dog seemed quite at home in his faux Parisian setting!

Our drive through La Manche ended with another of our favorite restaurants. The chef recognized us when we walked in, and we got to watch the chef and his crew do their dance in the kitchen while preparing the evening’s feast.

Friends, Food, Flowers, and Finds in Le Perche

2011-06-23T03:31:00.000-07:00

Today was about friends, food, flowers, and finds. We started the day discovering a treasure trove of fabulous things

Le Perche is full of flowers…

…and Percheron horses, the Clydesdale-type breed of the region.

Before heading to dinner, we stopped at our friend’s tiny country cottage of 350 square feet. Called La Vanniere, which means the basket weaver’s house, it was originally where the local basket weaver lived and practiced his craft.

A tradition when we are in the region is to have dinner with the local antique dealers at the local top restaurant. The chef’s wife always comes to the table with her thick Provencal accent to describe the delicacies of the evening. Among the evening’s fare was fois gras, chocolate, and cheese. No, that’s not all we ate. Fish and fresh vegetable rounded out the meal.

La Sarthe Finds

2011-06-22T03:23:00.000-07:00

We left the city of Chartres and headed to La Sarthe, the neighboring region known for its green rolling hills and fishing industry.

We found so many wonderful things in this region, we didn’t have time to take many photos, but here’s a sampling.

Hand painted Napoleon III period tole tray with 18th century monkey motif, c. 1840.

We finished our work and rewarded ourselves to a delicious meal at a charming restaurant in a 150 year old stone farmhouse. Situated on the banks of a pond, it was cleverly called “Les Pieds dans l’Eau,” literally “Feet in the Water.” But it’s a French expression that loosely translates to “getting your feet wet” or “giving something a try.” We’re always amazed that the French appreciate their cuisine so much that a gastronomical restaurant such as this one can subsist in the outskirts of a village of a few thousand people.

On our way back to the car, we noticed that there must have been a fellow Razorback fan dining that night…

Chartres Finds

2011-06-21T03:08:00.000-07:00

No buying trip is complete for us without a stop in Chartres, the bustling town of 70,000 people, which is famous for its Gothic cathedral and stained glass windows.

We found quite a few interesting things during our stay.

Large oil painting signed and dated 1912.

Nineteenth century hand painted cartoon or cartouche originally used as a model for making a tapestry.

Oil on Canvas

Set of six hand carved Louis XIII dining chairs. Late nineteenth century.

Hand painted Renaissance style panels from a turn-of-the-century restaurant.

Nineteenth century oil on canvas in original gilt frame.

Iron fireplace back from a noble family, dated 1690.

Oil on canvas depicting a Brittany religious procession. Signed.

Lovely cast stone sculpture, c. 1920.

Hand carved Louis XV desk.

Set of six hand carved walnut Louis XVI dining chairs.

Working with the shippers

Citizen Diplomacy

2011-06-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

Blogging in bed….a walnut Louis-Philippe bed that is! Our B&B is full of Louis-Philippe antiques – quite possibly our favorite period.

Today’s finds were varied and exciting…

Pair of cast stone planters from a Normandy manor house, c. 1930.

INCREDIBLE 16th century iron and bronze grills from a church converted into a coffee table.

Artisan-made brandy barrel converted into a side table/bar.

One of our favorite things about our trips to France is the people we meet. Here our friend, Jean-Michel, shows off his passion for vintage American slot machines here in France.

Our conversation with a local Moroccan pizza maker brought a smile to our faces. While discussing the political situation in the Arab world and the various revolutionary movements there, he colorfully noted the following: “Democracy in Morocco? That’s like giving a tagine to a camel…they don’t know what it is.” In case you don’t know, a tagine is a delicious traditional Moroccan dish of couscous, vegetables, and lamb.

Normandy Finds

2011-06-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

We woke up in the bed & breakfast where we always stay outside Chartres to be greeted by Tino, the donkey, who’s as affectionate as a lab. After a breakfast of homemade jams, croissants, and French coffee, we set out again determined to find a great selection of antiques, without the hiccups of yesterday.

Our first stop was very successful, with a dozen finds.

A Restauration period side table with Saint Anne marble top, c. 1815-1830

A bistro table with iron base and wooden top....

...with the name of the maker in Paris.

Pair of large hand forged iron sconces. 42" H

Eighteenth century Louis XVI period table with single drawer. Hand carved oak.

Louis XV style painted counter from a 1930's shop. Ideal as a bar.

Nineteenth century porcelain dish. Ideal as a soap dish.

Large eighteenth century artisan-made farm table converted into a coffee table.

Seventeenth century Louis XIII period cabinet. Great as a night stand.

Nineteenth century Louis XV burled walnut armoire. Beautiful wood and the perfect size for a house with eight foot ceilings

Next, we met with a 78 year old man who has been collecting his whole life. He now has box after box of exquisite things that he is ready to part with.

Louis-Philippe period rosewood perfume box, c. 1830-1848.

Exquisite bronze and ormolu clock from the Restauration period, c. 1815-1830. In perfect working order.

Pair of Napoleon III period bronze candle sconces.

Hand carved Black Forest cachepot.

Exquisitely hand carved walnut armchair with rams' heads. Nineteenth century.

Our last appointment was with two brothers who always have some unexpected pieces tucked away in their stables. They just finished reconstructing this 150 year old barn using all the original techniques after disassembling it at a nearby property beam by beam, peg by peg.

For dinner, we went to Nogent le Roi, a nearby village rich with centuries old buildings typical of the Normandy region. Colombage refers to the traditional building technique of beams laid into exterior stucco walls.

Our meal at Le Capucin Gourmand was a perfect end to a very good day, and we celebrated with a great bottle of Roussillon.

Car Trouble and Oil Paintings

2011-06-18T03:26:00.000-07:00

We started day two with excitement and enthusiasm. We had appointments in Versailles, a beautiful city with great antique contacts. However, it seemed that fate was going to try to thwart us. We woke up at our bed and breakfast (chambres d’hotes, in French) to find that the cigarette lighter socket in our Renault Berlingo was not working, essentially making it impossible to use our GPS, much less charge our phones, camera, and laptops. Now, we know France well, and we can get around just fine with paper maps alone, but travelling along tiny dirt roads in the middle of remote areas like Le Perche has become an unnecessarily stressful task without the GPS. So, after weighing our options of losing a day trying to find a Europcar Rental Office that could replace our large car versus losing a day at a mechanic’s shop trying to diagnose the problem, one of the other guests at the B&B suggested it might be the fuse. We may know the French language and culture almost like it’s our own, and we definitely know how to shop for antiques, but neither of us knows ANYTHING about cars. It turns out that plugging in two laptops and a GPS into the electrical socket in a car while trying to squeeze in thirty minutes of work before dinner will almost certainly blow a fuse. Luckily our fellow guest at the Chambres d’Hôtes seemed to have enough experience with mechanics that he successfully pulled an extra fuse out of a friend’s car and replaced ours. The little green light on the GPS lit up immediately. We were charged again!

Crisis averted, we headed to Versailles, where we found several beautiful 19^th century oil paintings in original gilded frames

as well as a collection of charming rustic accessories that included early twentieth century chocolate molds…

And a group of small antique woodworker’s tools.

We were ready to load up and head to Chartres, so Renee stayed with our new finds while I went to get the car. The only problem was, it was rainy and cold (Yes, COLD. It’s been in the 50’s since we arrived in France) and I was still jet lagged, so I was having trouble finding our car. I felt pretty sure we had parked next to the chocolatier...or was it next to the patisserie? In any case, I simply couldn’t find the car. So, soaking wet, I headed back to find Renee with my tail between my legs. After we both walked up and down the street several times, we stepped into the chocolate shop to see if they might have any answers. The gentleman behind the counter suggested that it may have been towed or stolen. Neither situation sounded very appealing. Our French friends called the police for us and found out that our car had indeed been towed, even though we had parked in a “Payant” spot on the street and had fed the meter. Dreading another major delay and major expense, our French friend, Karina, took us to the police station to pay a possible fine before we could pick up our car from the tow yard. It turns out there had been some small announcement taped to the pole, making our spot a “no parking” spot for the day. In the end, Karina pleaded with the police so we would avoid paying a fine while we stood by pretending not to understand a word of French. We had our car back after just over an hour and all agreed the situation could have been much worse. Thanks to the savoir-faire and generosity of the French we averted two potential roadblocks today! Let’s hope day three will prove to be less eventful and even more fruitful.

The entrance to the Palace of Versailles with a temporary modern art installation , framing the statue of Louis XIV.

Back in France...and the shopping begins!

2011-06-17T01:01:00.000-07:00

We landed safely in Paris early this morning and immediately hit the ground running. After a bit of confusion at the Europcar counter concerning the size of car we had reserved (“we’re antique dealers; we have to squeeze furniture in there” we pleaded), we headed into Paris to pick up our woodworking products, our traditional “first-stop” on any buying trip. While we were in the neighborhood, we decided to walk around the famous Paris Puces (Paris Flea Market) to see if prices had changed since the last time we tried shopping there. They hadn’t. Once again, we found that most pieces, having changed hands several times before reaching Paris, were priced way above what they would be in our shop, so we knew there was no point in lingering too long. Nevertheless, it was a great way to get in “the antiquing groove”.

The Paris Puces

We drove deeper into Paris to our first appointment with an art dealer in the posh 8^th arrondissement. There we found four fantastic paintings, each one very different from the next.

Oil on Canvas depicting a Bal de Musique

Oil on Canvas, still life with cantaloupe and plums

Oil on Canvas in original frame. World War I Veteran

Oil on Canvas of a Woman with Basket on her Head

To get to our next appointment, we traversed the city on Blvd. Haussman, the famous tree lined allee that runs from the Arc de Triomphe to the Arc de la Defense, dotted with many glitzy shops and department stores along the way.

The Pairs Metro!

Chanel Ad!

The Arc de Triomphe, Naopleon's monument France's military victory during the Napoleonic Wars

Arche de la Defense, France's monument to it's triumphs in commerce of the modern world!

We discovered some beautiful things at our last source of the day. Many formal Paris apartment pieces that were top quality.

Biography of Christopher Columbus, with a beautiful binding.

Empire Bookcase with Bronze Fittings

Gilded console with mirrored drawer fronts and marble top.

Louis XVI Bookcase with Bronze Trim

Louis XVI desk with red leather top.

Walnut Armchar

Empire period armoire

Hand carved walnut pannetiere, or bread box. Unusual find.

At 7:30 p.m. (or half past noon and 24 sleepless hours for us), we were famished and exhausted. After an early dinner, we were off to bed by 10 p.m, ready to begin another day uncovering the rare and unusual

Off to France again...

2011-06-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

Go shopping with us this summer...

FOLLOW OUR BLOG - "It's the next best thing to being right there with us"

We are heading back to France on Thursday, June 16th for a three week buying trip that will take us from Paris to Normandy, from the Loire Valley to Provence. Be sure to follow our blog to join us as we uncover treasures along the way. You'll get an exclusive sneak peak at the one-of-a-kind pieces we find as well as a glimpse of the French countryside, interiors of French homes, and a behind-the-scenes look at our shopping excursions.

CUSTOM SHOPPING - "It's like having your own personal shopper in France"

French Metro Antiques is pleased to introduce a new complimentary custom shopping service. Let us find the perfect piece for you, whether its fine artwork, architectural salvage, or one-of-a-kind furnishings and accessories. We'll take your detailed wishlist with us to France and email you photos of pieces that might meet your needs. As professional antique buyers fluent in French, we negotiate the best possible price for you after examining each piece with a discerning eye for quality, beauty, and value. We’ve spent years developing relationships and off-the-beaten-path sources all throughout France, allowing us to consistently uncover the rare and unique. Not only is this service complimentary, but all custom purchases qualify for a 10% discount.

learn more about custom shopping »

Congratulations, Reba Cloud, winner of our second annual tulip giveaway!

2011-05-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Did you see our tulips in full bloom this spring???

2011-04-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

Every spring, the garden at French Metro Antiques is a torrent of color planted with 1200 tulips. Each May, we dig up the bulbs to make ready for the new season and to plant a different color combination in the fall. Below are a few pictures of our 2011 spring garden. If you would like to enter for a chance to win all 1200 tulip bulbs from this year's planting, click here.

French Metro's Second Annual Tulip Giveaway!

2011-04-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

*Shipping within the United States at winner’s expense. Design consultation with DK Design for Northwest Arkansas clients only. Tulip quantity is an approximation only. French Metro does not guarantee tulip performance.

Our Spring Shipment from France is Arriving this Week!!!

2011-03-26T08:41:00.000-07:00

We're excited to announce that our new shipment from France is in port. That means we'll be receiving the container on Monday and will be closed all week while we unpack it. We will reopen on Saturday, April 2, with hundreds of antique treasures from our winter trip to France. Be the first to see our newest arrivals in person or stay tuned to www.frenchmetro.com as we upload them to our website.

New Shipment from France Arriving Soon!

2010-11-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

We're excited to announce that our new shipment from France is in port. That means we'll be receiving the container next week and will be closed while we unpack it. We hope to reopen on Saturday, November 13, with hundreds of antique treasures from our trips to France this summer and fall. Stay tuned to find out when exactly we'll reopen our doors and to see our newest arrivals as we upload them to our website.

Sign Up for Our Fall Class on French Art and Antiques!

2010-09-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

WHEN: Five Tuesday sessions from 7-9 p.m. starting September 28
WHERE: French Metro Antiques on Dickson Street
TUITION: $275 (50% deposit due upon enrollment. Enrollment deadline is September 21. Space is limited).
$50 for Online Version.
To enroll, call 479.587.0804 or enroll below.

Topics Include:

Styles of French furniture from Louis III through Art Deco
Development of 19th century French art
Authenticity, age, and care of antiques
Quality & appraisal (certified appraiser as guest speaker)
Decorating with antiques (local designers as guest speakers)
click for syllabus

Tuition includes:

Guest speakers including certified appraiser Kristi Alexander and local designers, Chris Goddard and Carolyn Carroll, to share different perspectives on incorporating antiques in your home.
A home tour and reception showcasing three homes.
A gift bag valued at $50
a $75 gift certificate to French Metro Antiques.

Tuition for ONLINE VERSION includes:

All Study Outlines, Handouts, and Powerpoint Presentations from the Fall 2010 Class on French Art and Antiques.
Video of all four lessons.
Video of three guest speakers including certified appraiser Kristi Alexander and local designers, Chris Goddard and Carolyn Carrol, to share different perspectives on incorporating antiques in your home.
Photos and Video of the the French Antiques home tour showcasing three homes.