Boulled over.

I love Boulle doll furniture. This was made as copies of Andre Charles Boulle's work. He was a French cabinetmaker who was born in 1642 and died in 1732. He excelled at marquetry and set the standard for French furniture design that followed him.

Boulle

                                                               from the Chateau Chantilly.
I never thought I'd have any but then Shale of Susan's mini homes
convinced me to go to the two flea markets in Paris on different weekends. At the first maison de poupees I walked into I asked the owner if he had any Boulle, "non" he said, then stepped aside to a vitrine full. Wait till you see Shale's finds!  

photo by Shale

When visiting the Musee de la Poupee in Paris I found this following piece. It came with authentication papers from the Museum.

Perhaps the center drawer is missing and I shall have to fill it with letters?

 The small bed and cheval mirror are more burl looking. But then they are perfect for "Bad Antoine". The petulent, spoiled little school boy doll. Or as my Little Assistant asks, "has he been asking for Mousse again???" She adores him. CM

PS. This is hilarious. Susan and I were both talking about how we didn't feel like blogging but I wanted her to send me pics of her boulle, and I took some of mine to send her. We had no idea the other person was blogging today! Are we the same person???

Susan has left ze maison!

She is back in Toronto with tales to tell. I will begin immediately with two. She lead me (a polite word) to every corner of Paris, places I had not been before. She covered BOTH marches de puces, the flea markets. The first Saturday we went to the less, eh, established. Yesterday we went to the "antique" one on the opposite side of town.

I am ready to re do my own house in Piere Deux style after seeing what was on offer there! Fortunately Air France would not let me carry any of it on the plane,so we continued looking for petite meuble, boulle.

The first shop I went into I asked the owner and he said he did not have any "boulle" then stepped aside revealing a vitrine full of it. I was very adult and did not actually start jumping up and down, no matter what Susan says. It was as expensive as on ebay and American dealers because it is an antique but that Susan can bargin! I hope she bloggs soon about the wonderful pieces she got.

We also found another little store that sold Susan all the owner had even though she had to guide us to an ATM, because we a. would NEVER have found it and b. would never have found our way back. Her friends guarded her store and giggled, (actually I think they were cheering because the economy here is just as stale as at home, and eveyone is worried about the Euro) about the Americans and the path to the ATM.

Then there was this incredibly rude restaurant owner in the middle of the market who wanted us to stand at the bar for coffee when were were dead on our feet and needed to refuel, even though his whole restaurant WAS EMPTY. We have our Paris legs now and marched out to a charming pizza restaurant. I love Italian food in France, another story.

What interested us was that some of the boulle were in pieces and deserved to be restored. Our antique guru Ann Meehan (see http://www.meehanantiqueminiatures.com/annbio.htm ) has knowledge and background, besides the best antiques ever (do not buy them I want them all) ... to help us with this endeavour.

                                                        All pictures by Susan Hale

 Eh, it looks as if Daphne and Colette still have glue in their hair from their hats from the Wedding... their last adventure...

              On their way to Simply for galettes et Savignon Blanc even though it is winter (red wine in winter, white in summer, unless it is poissons etc.) You can take the girl out of California, but you can never take California out of the girl...eh  SF mini amies?

                                                         In the Tulleries Garden

                                                  And of course on ze Metro!

                  
                                        Au revoir Daphne, Colette
Oh P.S. Susan I did find my black cotton beret in the bottom of the washer (european style washer) and I had to check it very carefully many times because I wanted to be sure I was not walking around Paris with black Costco panties on my head...