Instruments of Torture!

Well now that I've grabbed your attention I wanted to share with you my love of beautiful vintage technical instruments especially having found a couple of super examples at a brocante in the small village of Fontenet, just down the road from us.  

I have always been impressed by the beautiful craftsmanship that went into the making of tools and vintage scientific instruments  and anyone who has frequented auctions or flea markets will no doubt have stumbled across various enigmatic objects made from lacquered brass, often housed in a precision made wooden case. 

Last Sunday I found one of the most common trucs of this sort, a barometer.  But what attracted me particularly to this example was the fact that it had been made with a chrome case the shape and size of a traditional alarm clock.  I was particularly pleased that you could clearly see all the coils and inner workings of the barometer with the added bonus of a lovely bevelled glass over the face.  I know that the case is slightly pitted but to me it adds to the vintage and slightly industrial feel of the piece.  

I love this little barometer and if you do to you can find it on my Etsy Shop

OK so it's not really an instrument of torture unless you are the unfortunate partner of someone that cannot pass a barometer without tapping the glass.

Another find that myself and Spike both loved was an old clockwork Bakelite timer that would at one time have sat on a bar to time people using the telephone. Having an old vintage phone ourselves we thought it would be fun to put them together in the hope that one day we will find an external bell to make the set complete (don't ask... or if you are curious see my post entitled 'Ring Telephone Ring').   

Known as a minuteur téléphonique in France this is a super little truc

This wonderful contraption is still in perfect working order and we have already thought of how we can use it to annoy our teenage niece and nephew when they come to stay. The obvious use of course is to time their inevitable endless telephone calls back to England but we also came up with the idea of timing their showers because they do have the habit of using up all the hot water in the house (especially my nephew).  

Luckily for me I'm almost positive that they don't read my blog as the ramblings of their middle aged Auntie is not likely to be their kind of truc.  

On the quiet though I thought I might also use it on Spike for various 'time and motion studies' as he is often to be found gazing out into the distance when on a simple quick errand (thank goodness we're moving to town where there are no scenic views of the countryside to distract him!) 

The final little find was from a market we visited a couple of months back and is a lovely little brass compass that we bought quite well and congratulated ourselves on endlessly as we smugly continued our shop.  As with all things 'all that glisters is not gold' and it turned out to be a very well made reproduction from India.  

I love this little truc in spite of it being a reproduction

We were disappointed at first but on the positive side we have not only learned something valuable (which is par for the course in my trade) but because it is so pretty we have decided to keep it as a decorative piece and as a reminder that if something seems too good to be true it usually is.  

So next time you come across an old spirit level, brass telescope or pair of binoculars please give them a second look as you will really see some excellent craftsmanship worthy of closer inspection and your admiration.

The Sleeping Beauty

Last week I was lucky enough to visit a wonderful château about an hour away from where I live.  I must admit that given the choice of châteaux in the area it really came down to which one was still open for visits in September, which one had a guided tour and, if I'm completely honest, the presence of a café and gift shop possibly tipped the scale for me in favour of the beautiful Château de la Roche Courbon.  

The first tantalising view of the château is glimpsed through an imposing stone gateway,

followed by an elegant driveway lined with topiary yew trees

that leads to the stunning gatehouse.

We passed the enclosed courtyard on the way to the gardens ready to come back after lunch when a guided tour of the interior was been held.  Being a little out of season the tour was only available in French but at only 11€ per person for the gardens, guided tour, prehistoric caves and a couple of small museums I think all in all it was very good value for money.

 Although incredibly formal the gardens had a wonderfully serene quality that quite charmed me and

at the the end of a long promenade, past an ornamental pond with swans and ducks,

you arrive at some stone steps that offer you a wonderful view back to the château.

The guided tour of the château was very interesting buy sadly they do not allow photographs to be taken of the interior.  However visitors are able to take a few pictures of the cellars that house a little museum of antique wooden toys and an informative exhibition charting the history and many incarnations of the château itself.

By the 1900's the château had fallen into disrepair but luckily it was to find a spokesman in the form of the well known writer and explorer, Pierre Loti, who wrote an article for the French newspaper, Le Figaro, calling for someone to come forward and save the château from it's dilapidated state. He knew the château from his childhood having spent many holidays in a nearby village staying at the home of his sister, Marie.

In the article he coined the phrase "Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant" - The Castle of Sleeping Beauty'

It really was a magical day out and as well as falling in love with the romance and beauty of the château and gardens I also fell head over heels for this handsome fellow made of terracotta.  Sadly he is suffering from a few cracks and breaks which is no doubt why he had been secreted behind a wooden bench but I would happily have taken him home if I had been allowed to.  Well even on my days off I'm still always on the lookout for beautiful trucs!

Vendu!

I have been literally bursting to share the happy news that we have recently accepted an offer on our house.  It happened a few weeks ago but I wanted to make sure that the sale was definitely going through before I started bragging (I have been known to fall flat on my face in the past after becoming rather too pleased with myself!)

Our current home in the heart of the French countryside

Anyway, last Friday we sat down in the office of our Notaire (a sort of solicitor in France) and signed the Compromis de Vente which is a contract where all parties agree to the terms of the sale.  With French law the buyer then has a cooling off period of a week before they are well and truly bound by the contract to either go through with buying the property or to lose a large deposit (around 10% of the property price).

Now that I have covered the technical stuff the self satisfied gloating can now well and truly begin.  OK, so we were very, very lucky to get an offer on our house just three weeks after putting it on the market but we are particularly pleased that we avoided paying estate agents fees and sold it on the internet without spending a centime on advertising... oh clever ,clever me (I'm really asking for it aren't I?)

To be honest though because we received a serious offer so quickly it came as a bit of shock but we are now very excited about the move and after much toing and froing and a few sleepless nights we managed to eventually secure a lovely house in Cognac that we have had our hearts set on for the last 10 months.

Our soon to be new home in Cognac

The house is a major renovation project (as always) and in our favourite quarter of Cognac situated near the river and just a short walk from the lovely historical centre of town.  It's going to be quite a departure from the life we have now but I can't wait to have all the facilities that Cognac has to offer right on the doorstep.  

With all this excitement my brocante business has unfortunately taken a bit of a back seat but our move is scheduled for mid November so I will have time over the next few weeks to get back to the flea markets and start building up stock again for my Etsy shop.

So please keep your fingers and toes crossed for us that everything goes through without a hitch and hopefully in the future I can not only share with you our experiences as we renovate this poor, tired old house back into the beauty it once was but also keep you up to date on our adventures as we adjust to la vie en ville.

Art Therapy

I am feeling very sorry for myself today as I have come down with a horrible head cold. I have been feeling a bit under the weather for a few days now so to cheer myself up (and to spare you the fascinating details of my malady) I thought I would share with you an enjoyable visit that Spike and myself made a couple of months ago to the Le Musée de l'Art et d'Histoire in Cognac.

The elegant façade of the museum flanked by archways to the park

This wonderful little museum is on the periphery of the Jardin Public, the pretty park in the heart of Cognac, and is full of beautiful impressionist paintings, art glass from Lalique, Daum and Gallé as well as numerous sculptures, ceramics and trinkets.

If I wasn't feeling so rotten I would probably natter on about it all, but my poor aching head is struggling to keep upright as I type so I will keep my comments uncharacteristically short and share with your some of my favourite exhibits.

A beautifully crafted Art Nouveau cigarette case

A superb Emile Gallé trinket box

An elegant René Lalique vase that sadly my
photograph does no justice to at all

A stunning Daum perfume bottle that I covet so much
I am considering becoming a cat burglar

I had to include this particular painting because the subject
reminds me of our lovely doggie Jake

You can almost smell the sea air captured in this coastal painting

This lovely painting of a tree lined square illustrates one of
many things I love about French towns

A bust of Voltaire - Please click on the link to enjoy
some of his many witty and thought provoking quotes

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Cognac I do hope that you find the time to visit this charming museum because the exhibits I have shared with you today are only a tiny selection of the magical treasures to be found inside.    

I will be back next week fighting fit with a new post (be prepared - it may be a long one!)

Industrial Chic

I love lots of different styles of interior design but I have always envied people who have loft apartments so that they can pull off interiors with industrial pieces or vintage design classics that have come out of commercial or institutional buildings.

Is it possible to die of envy?  I really hope not!

Vintage industrial trucs... so cool!

In France they call this the Atelier style and it is largely influenced by many of the old workshops that have been converted into quirky living accommodation in the heart of Paris.  I was lucky enough a month or so ago to have come across this striking turquoise blue desk lamp and was thinking of keeping it but wasn't at all surprised when someone snapped it up almost immediately.  

An authentic industrial lamp from the 1950s

I prefer to see items where the signs of age have been preserved

I adore old filing cabinets and big factory suspension lights and am often horrified when people sand them back and respray them losing all their natural patina.  Old industrial clocks are another of my loves but the nearest I have managed to get to one so far is this little alarm clock I picked up at a flea market a month or so ago.  

1950s Bayard Alarm Clock - See Etsy Shop

Aluminium workshop windows and doors are also very much a la mode and give a real sense of atmosphere to large open plan spaces.

Create the look of a French 'atelier' with metal windows and doors

As with any fashion there are lots of reproductions on the market but mixed with genuine vintage finds they can compliment a design.  I would however steer away from large lettering spelling ATELIER or other similar items as in my opinion they really kill the authenticity of a space.

While I'm on the subject is it just me or are there other people out there that don't see the appeal of words like LOVE, HOME, PEACE and all the other large letters that seem to be littering people's otherwise lovely homes?

My advice would be, if you're tempted, to just keep on walking!

Having said all this I must confess to being guilty of this myself as I have a little reproduction enamel sign with CUISINE written on it in, yes... you've guessed it, the kitchen.  It is design choice I still regret but unfortunately it is well and truly stuck to the wall (thanks to a combination of screws and 'no more nails') so it has become something of a permanent feature (I will have to move now!).

Why, oh why, oh why did I think that was a good idea...
the stale bread is for the chickens in case you were wondering!

This sign is not only a constant irritation to me but is also a daily reminder never again to stick words stating the annoyingly obvious on the wall!.

Oh well I suppose I'll just have to KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.... (or eat cupcakes or any of the many other versions of the famous phrase currently gracing what seems like virtually every home in Britain and beyond!

Putting Your Own Stamp on Things

Before I commence this week's post I must make a formal apology concerning my last post to my long suffering husband, Spike, if any offence was caused at being portrayed as an over-sized Squirrel Nutkin with an unhealthy TV habit.  He is in fact a very hardworking man and has a right to relax in any way he sees fit... he also has a very good sense of humour (which is just as well!)

Proof - rendering the house single handedly on one of his rare days off work

Phew, I think I got away with it...  now that's out of the way I wanted to share with you some of my latest buys acquired from a little flea market in Cognac last week.  I am always on the lookout for unusual trucs and was delighted to find a couple of old stamps for the drink, Cognac.

The lovely stamp or print block, shown below, was made for the Delont Frères Cognac House and was, according the vendor, used to mark their crates.  

See my Etsy Shop for more photos

The second stamp which is actually a wonderfully detailed etching plate is for the Cognac House of Martin Jeune & Co.  I was at a slight disadvantage when it came to trying to make a print of the image as my ink pad was woefully tiny and I did end up in a terrible mess with black fingertips as I tried to prise it out of the case.  It just goes to show that I'd do anything to make a good impression (sorry!)

See my Etsy Shop for more photos

The criss-crosses give away the size of my ink pad!

Having researched the Cognac houses a little it seems that they no longer seem to be manufacturing which is a shame.  My initial thoughts were that the stamps would make super paperweights but on reflection they could actually be used (in a crafty type way) to decorate furniture/walls or whatever takes your fancy for that French je ne sais quoi look (can you tell I have no idea what I am talking about?)

I was also lucky enough to find on the same stall some little stamps from the 1970's that portray scenes from Disney's Pinocchio and thought they would be charming to decorate a child's room with or even perhaps fabrics.   They could, of course, just be given to a child, as originally intended, to play with!!!

See my Etsy Shop for more photos

Such cute little images from the much loved Disney animation Pinocchio

Whatever these finds end up being used for at least I have had great fun this week playing with them and I really do hope that someone else will appreciate their quirky nature as much as me.

A Room of One's Own

I have come to the conclusion that Virginia Woolf was right and every woman should have a room of one's own.  The man shed/cave or den has always been an accepted concept to get out of the way of 'er indoors' but a thought should be spared for women all over the world who do not consider that the kitchen fulfills this function.  

On the other side though I hate it when women inflict over-feminine bedrooms on their poor embarrassed partners who have to wade through a sea of fluffy pink just to get into bed.   Whatever sex you are wouldn't it would be wonderful to have a personal space where you do not have to embrace another person's needs or tastes? 

I am very lucky to live in a beautiful house but the room I use as my office, HQ for my Etsy business and general place for 'Nina' type trucs is a through room that leads to the staircase and the living room (Spike's domain with eating and watching TV being very much top of the agenda).  

My little office space in the corner of the room under the stairs

Being a very open and public space my office has several problems such as not being able to keep my stock to hand as not only would it look terrible but the cats have a horrible habit of getting into every box that's left lying around and either breaking things or covering them in hairs.  This means that my trucs have been distributed all around the ground floor of the house, in the barn and upstairs in the wardrobes of the spare bedrooms (not very convenient when people come to stay).  

Another issue I have come across since opening my Etsy shop is that I don't have a dedicated place to pack my orders.  I am therefore lugging the stock, packaging materials and paperwork into the kitchen from what feels like the four corners of the earth and using (and abusing) the poor old kitchen table that's becoming more and more scratched because I often use a craft knife to cut boxes down to size (must thank my glamorous box supplier, Karin, for keeping me stocked up).

However, for me, the most compelling reason to have my own special room is that I would love somewhere I can express my love of opulent period interiors and have a space that is really over the top without effecting the rest of the house.   

Fashion designer Iris Apfel's apartment in New York gives you an idea of the opulent yet comfortable space I would like to create in my room (although mine would have less expensive trucs in it and be much less tasteful - I mean to really go for it!).

Iris Apfel - A stylish lady that isn't afraid to do things her way

I am simply yearning to fill my room with Edwardiana, Victoriana, rich colours, oriental textiles and wallpaper (silk would be nice), gilded French clock garnitures (think 'After Eights') and perhaps an Art Nouveau dressing screen.  I have some beautiful silk curtains (they still make me wince when I think of how much I paid for the fabric) that would be perfect and I have always nursed a desire for a velvet or damask covered chaise longue complete with a matching tassled bolster cushion. 

Waiting to be auctioned off - a bit sad but with a bit of love a real beauty

The wonderful thing about the items I have described is that they couldn't be less fashionable at the moment, due to the current taste for minimalism and modern furnishing, so these unwanted trucs can be bought at a fraction of the price of what I consider to be their real value. 

I love the idea of stuffing my special room full of objets d'art and antiques but I am not brave enough to decorate the whole of my house in this way especially as Spike would probably run off, build a man cave in the workshop and take to living there (with the TV and a few snacks in tow of course!).

I am not sure whether my desire for these fussy objects bucks the trend or if a new interior design phase is on it's way and I'm a little ahead of time.  I'll have to not only wait to see if my hunch is right (I do hope so) but also wait with crossed fingers for a room that I can close the door on and truly call my own (how deliciously selfish!)