Mother's Day is just two weeks away. And while every day is a great day to honor and celebrate the wonderful women in our lives, let us help make May 14th just a little more special for the ones who have raised us, loved us unconditionally, and always cheered us on. A thoughtful gift doesn't always require a splurge, and our 20 stylish suggestions include presents that will make everyone on your list — from your mother, grandmother, stepmother, daughter, daughter in love, sister, aunt, friend, mentor, or new mom who's just welcomed a little one into the world — feel loved and adored on any random day, but especially this Mother's Day! 

1. Natural Oyster Shell and Coral Mounted on 19th Century Italian Giltwood Urn Fragment 2. Set of Six Vintage Longchamp White Majolica Oyster Plates with Master Server Dish or Platter 3. Pair of Vintage Silver Metal Italian 3-Light Sconces with Half-Shades 4. Clam Shell and Cup Coral with Seashells Mounted on 19th Century Italian Giltwood Fragment Base 5. Birdnest Coral with Seashells Mounted on 19th Century Italian Giltwood Urn Fragment Base 6. Vintage Hand Blown Green Glass Soda Syphon Seltzer Bottles 7. 19th Century French Louis XVI Style Giltwood Corner Chair with Original Needlepoint Seat 8. Early 20th Century Antique French Grape Hod or Gathering Basket 9. Vintage 20th Century Four-Light Pink and Blue Murano Glass Chandelier 10. 19th Century French Louis XVI Style Painted Three-Drawer Commode 11. Aux Anysetiers du Roy Herbes de Provence in Stone Crock. 12. Nina's Paris L'Original Marie Antoinette Loose Leaf Tea Tin, 3.5oz 13. Famille Perronneau Provence Honey, 4.4oz 14. Rare 19th Century French Pot de Confit or Confit Pot with Dark Green Glaze and Handles 15. Collection of 9 Early 20th Century Italian Herbiers from Florence, Italy Set in Large 9 Paned White Window Frame 16. Large 19th Century Spanish Terracotta Olive Jar with Green Glaze and Handles 17. 19th Century Italian Rococo Style Painted and Parcel Gilt Console Table 18. Les Macarons de Paris Tea Towel by Torchons & Bouchons 19. Herbs de Provence Tea Towel by Torchons & Bouchons 20. How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits

Lolo’s 2023 Mother's Day Gift Guide is a delightful mix of unique finds, both big and small, with a sprinkle of practical and useful gifts mom won't buy herself. Each meaningful gift is sure to make her smile — whether she's a minimalist who appreciates the simple things or a more is more gal who loves collectibles and fun finds, a gardener with a green thumb who sees the beauty in everything or a woman who can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan. This Mother's Day, let's give her SOME THINGS to chirp about! ​

À Bientôt!

It's almost Mother's Day! And we want to thank all the amazing moms and mother figures in our lives. Thank you for being wonderful role models that have shown us guidance beyond measure and helped shape us into the women we are today. Thanks for being kind when we maybe didn't deserve it and compassionate when we faced difficulties. Thanks for all the sacrifices you've made for us. But most importantly, thank you for all the love and joy you bring into our lives!    

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Régence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergère or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

TRUMEAU

tru·meau [troo-moh; French try-moh]
noun, plural tru·meaux [troo-mohz; French try-moh]
1. Architecture. the pillar or center post supporting the lintel in the middle of a doorway, especially in a church.
2. an overmantel treatment of 18th century France consisting of a pier glass surmounted by an oil painting or decorative often carved panel.
Origin: late 19th century < French: literally, 'calf of the leg'.

Detail of the portal of the Cathédrale Saint Sauveur, Aix en Provence

In architecture, the French word trumeau refers to a highly sculpted and decorated column or vertical post used in the center of a large portal or doorway, especially in a church, supporting the lintel and tympanum. First appearing during the Middle Ages, these architectural elements represent an important part of art history and architectural heritage. It wasn't until the early 18th century that the term trumeau became associated with mirrors.

Rare French trumeau with gilded candle sconces mounted to the frame, Château de Villette: The Splendor of French Decor, published by Flammarion, photo by Bruno Ehrs

Invented in France and made popular by the French aristocracy, trumeau mirrors were originally designed to hang on a wall between windows. Because mirrored glass was so expensive at the time, the royals and aristocrats who owned them took great pride and pleasure in showing them off. A common centerpiece of 18th century interiors, these long, rectangular wall mirrors set into paneling were intricately carved, often gilded but almost always painted, and topped with a carved motif or painting.

They served not only as a decorative element, but were also very functional because of the reflective quality of the mirrored glass bringing much needed light to a room. By day the mirror would reflect sunlight throughout a room, and at night it would reflect the candlelight. Candle sconces were hung on the wall on either side of the mirror to increase light or placed in front of trumeaux designed to be hung above a mantel rather than between windows. Some rare trumeaux were designed with gilded candle sconces attached to the frames. Before the use of trumeau mirrors, large panels of mirrored glass were built directly into the walls or boiserie between two windows to add light to a room.

Another rare French trumeau with gilded candle sconces mounted to the frame, Château de Villette

19th Century French Louis XVI Style Painted and Gilt Trumeau Mirror / Item #LO247 / Lolo French Antiques et More

19th Century French Louis XVI Style Painted Trumeau Mirror with Oil Painting / Item #LO3137 / Lolo French Antiques et More

The trumeau's large size makes it a very versatile piece. It can easily prop against a wall on it's own or be used as a focal point over a mantle or piece of furniture. Mirror, mirror on the wall... what's your favorite way to use a trumeau mirror? Let us know!

À Bientôt!

The air is crisp and the leaves are turning beautiful autumn colors. It’s almost Thanksgiving and there’s nothing better than having your family and friends over for food, fun, and fellowship, especially this time of year. A little preparation, however, is a surefire recipe for success if it's your turn to host Thanksgiving dinner! 

Centerpiece by Barri Thompson Interiors

Begin by planning the menu — make as much ahead of time as possible. Iron your linens. Rinse off your serving dishes, crystal, and silver. Consider making the turkey the day before. Don't be afraid to delegate or ask for help. And always be sure to stock the bar! Whether your guests are sipping and celebrating or drowning in their sorrows over Thanksgiving Day football, a good cocktail will always make things better.

But how do you prepare for the plus one (or even two) that may show up with some of your nearest and dearest? Do you have seating for everyone? If not, don’t fret. Everything will fall into place — it always does! And these three tips will keep you from going crazy while making sure every guest has a seat at your Thanksgiving table.

1. BE CREATIVE

Louis XIII style os de mouton chairs

2. BREAK THINGS UP

If every little prince and princess simply doesn’t fit at the dining table, use multiple tables. Kids tables aren’t just for coloring. A Kiddie Corner is the perfect spot for all the wee ones to gather and celebrate. Older kids will love having their own table as well… or sitting on stools at the kitchen counter. Set out a deck of cards, some board games and puzzles, and both the big and small kids will be occupied long after the last dish is washed and put away.

3. SERVE BUFFET STYLE

When your guest count does exceed the number that can be seated at the table (or even if it doesn’t) serve buffet style. There’s more room at the table and it makes everyone feel a little less guilty as they pile their plates high with turkey and dressing, sweet potato casserole, squash casserole, asparagus casserole (we love casseroles in the South), rice and giblet gravy, deviled eggs, macaroni and cheese, and Sister Schubert rolls. It’s also a great way to show off your new Louis XVI buffet.

Things may be a little more crowded some years than others, and how you choose to seat your guests or serve up your meal may vary, but one thing is for certain — Thanksgiving is a day for giving thanks! And once the blessing is said, everyone is just thankful to be able to gather ‘round the table, share some laughs, make some memories, and eat some delicious food. Hats off to you for hosting this year!

À Bientôt!

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Régence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergère or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

TABLE DE DRAPIER

tab·le·de·drap·ier [tah-bl-duh-drap-yay]
noun [tah-bl-duh-drap-yay]   
1.  table of a cloth merchant
Origin: 1325-75; <From Anglo-French; Old French drapier, equivalent to drap cloth + -ier 

Sketch of a Draper's or Upholsterer's Shop by Gustave Doré (French, Strasbourg 1832–1883 Paris), Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dating as far back as the 17th and 18th centuries, the table de drapier or French draper table was an essential piece of furniture used in a cloth merchant's shop. Designed to have a generous work surface, these large rectangular tables provided the perfect surface area for unfurling, measuring, and cutting long swaths or bolts of fabric. They often had multiple drawers on each side so that seamstresses could work on both sides and always have access to cutting tools and sewing necessities such as shears, snips, and scissors. Most tables also had a lower shelf for storing and stacking additional rolls of beautiful silk, cotton, and linen fabrics for the noble and wool, cotton, and linen for the common people. The tables functioned in a utilitarian fashion, but many were very beautiful work tables — such as the ones below. Considered the crème de la crème of draper tables, these both came from ateliers that catered to the the rich and bourgeois. Fine linens and silk brocades were definitely stacked on those shelves.

Mid-19th Century French Louis Philippe Period Walnut Draper's Table / Item LOPD52 / Lolo French Antiques et More

Grand 18th Century French Directoire Period Walnut Draper's Table with Marquetry Band / Item #LOPC130 / Lolo French Antiques et More

Today, these timeless tables can be easily mixed into both modern and traditional decor. Versatile and functional,  tables de drapier can be used as console, display, or hall tables, as well as beautiful kitchen islands or serving tables. Laurent and I used a large one at my son's 2021 wedding that was held at our store. It was the perfect table for a huge charcuterie spread, allowing guests to serve themselves from both sides while enjoying some mulled wine and other spirits during the cocktail hour. The shelf provided plenty of extra storage for plates and glasses, while extra utensils, serving pieces, and napkins were hidden away in the drawers. And the smaller table was recently used at a beautiful baby shower.    

Place one against an empty wall to show off your favorite collection of French pottery, linens, breadboards, or baskets. And with drawers and a shelf, the table de drapier is a perfect choice for stylish storage that makes a statement!

À Bientôt!

During Christmastime in France, like in the United States and elsewhere, festive sprigs or balls of mistletoe (known as gui in France) are seen hanging above doors or on beams and light fixtures, inviting anyone passing beneath to share a kiss. But why do strangers and lovers alike kiss beneath the mistletoe? Especially the French, who kiss on both cheeks when simply greeting one another. They don’t need mistletoe as an excuse to kiss. But in France, hanging mistletoe is more often a symbol of peace and a promise of good luck throughout the coming year than a reason to s'embrasser sous le gui. And, French people often give mistletoe to friends as a porte bonheur or good luck charm for the New Year.

Mistletoe is a very mysterious plant. The romantic tradition of kissing under the mistletoe dates back to pre-Christian days, with a lot of fanciful folklore and dispute as to its origins. But most agree that the Druids, Norse, and Romans all hung mistletoe above their doors to keep peace and ward off evil spirits, and it was often left up throughout the year until the following Christmas. It was banned at one time by churches because of its pagan associations.

Les druides coupant du gui le sixieme jour de la Lune, Henri Paul Motte, 1890, Lugdunum Musee, Lyon, France

Legend has it that mistletoe was first used in ritual form with the Celtic Druids in 1st century AD. This ancient legend says that the Druids, who lived on the British Isles in what is now Scotland and Ireland, believed mistletoe to have sacred powers and to be the soul of their revered oak trees. Since the oak trees were bare except for the evergreen mistletoe that was suspended midway between heaven and earth on the branches of trees, the Druids viewed this as a sign of eternal fertility and a gateway to another world. During their celebration of the winter solstice, when the dark force weakened in its battle against the sun and darkness gave way to the first rays of light, the Druids built bonfires in fields, prepared huge feasts in barns, and prayed over the crops and trees. These Celtic pagan priests and priestesses would then gather on the sixth night of the moon (the first day of the Celtic month) to perform the Yuletide ritual of oak and mistletoe. Dressed in white ceremonial robes, they climbed the mighty oak trees and harvested the mystical mistletoe with golden sickles. Because it was considered blasphemous to let this plant that could grow and thrive without being rooted in the ground, touch the ground, white sheets would be spread under the tree branches to catch the plant as it was cut. The mistletoe would then be divided among the community, and the faithful would wear mistletoe charms for good luck and place sprigs above their doors to ward off evil spirits. Over time, a kiss of peace was exchanged underneath the mistletoe. 

According to Norse myth, mistletoe was a sign of love and peace. It's said that an arrow made from a sprig of mistletoe was used to kill Baldr, the god of light and son of Frigg, the goddess of love. Baldr’s demise signaled the death of sunlight, which explained the long winter nights in the north. And as Frigg stood over her dying son, the tears she shed began turning into white berries as they fell onto the mistletoe — a transformation so powerful that Frigg declared mistletoe to be a symbol of love that would never again be used as a weapon. From that day forward, anyone standing under mistletoe would kiss. Even enemies that accidentally passed under the plant dropped their weapons, embraced, and exchanged a kiss of peace and goodwill as they declared a truce, if only for the day.

Mistletoe or gui growing on a tree near Mervans, France

These big, beautiful green balls (with evergreen leaves, yellow flowers, and white berries) that grow high in trees because of their magical ability to grow without soil, are actually parasitic plants found on the branches of a variety of trees, least often oaks! They get food from their host but also use photosynthesis to survive. Once birds eat the white berries of the European variety, Viscum album, they begin spreading the seeds that will stick to the bark of the host tree and germinate. The roots of the seedlings then burrow into the bark of the tree and begin to sap water and nutrients from it. Not a very romantic or magical notion, huh?

'Tis the season for gifting, and here at Lolo French Antiques, we love helping bring the magic of Christmas to your home! Our dreamy 2022 Holiday Gift Guide is sure to fill you with l'esprit de Noël when you imagine the sparkling eyes and oohs and ahhs of your loved ones as they find something French and fabulous under the tree on Christmas morning. Lolo's jolly elves have gathered a selection of unique and interesting gifts to suit every person on your list, so come along with us on a festive quest for the perfect gifts that are sure to bring magical moments!  

1.​ 19th Century French Louis Philippe Style White Painted Four-Drawer Commode 2. 19th Century French Spelter Table Lamp Stags Under Tree with Shade 3. ​Fine Mid-20th Century Maison Jansen French Louis XVI Style Ebonized Bureau Plat or Desk 4. 18th Century French Louis XVI Period Cherry Lyonnaise Enfilade Buffet 5. ​Jeannie Luxe Crystal Table Lamp 6. Large 19th Century French Louis Philippe Style Giltwood Mirror with Crest 7. Jeannie Luxe Crystal Table Lamp 8. Italian Sunburst Mirror with 19th Century Painted and Giltwood Fragments 9. 1920s Porte-Jambon or Ham Holder on Marble Base 10. Aux Anysetiers du Roy Herbes de Provence in Stone Crock 11. ​Maxim's de Paris Fondant Chocolate Scented Votive Candle 12. ​19th Century Antique French Hand Blown Glass Garden Cloche 13. Vintage 4-Piece French Stainless Steel and Deer Hoof Carving Set 14. ​Rare Small 19th Century French Pot de Confit or Confit Pot with Green Glaze and No Handles 15. ​Grand 18th Century French Directoire Period Walnut Draper's Table with Marquetry Band 16. ​Mid-19th Century Antique French Cruche Orjol or Water Jug with Rare Green Glaze 17. Rare 19th Century French Confit Pot or Egg Pot with Lid and White Ironstone Glaze 18. 19th Century French Terracotta Tian Bowl with Honey Yellow Glaze 19. ​19th Century Spanish Backless Leather and Velvet Louis XIV Style Bench 20. ​Antique French English Setter Hunting Dog Five Piece Fireplace Tool Set 21. ​Large Antique 19th Century Spanish Semi-Glazed Terracotta Olive Jar with Green Drips 22. ​19th Century Large Open Sided French Boulangerie Willow Baguette Basket 23. 19th Century French Painted Trestle Dining Table 24. Grand 19th Century French Handblown Dark Green Glass Demijohn or Dame Jeanne Bottle 25. ​Early 19th Century French Empire Period Walnut Longcase Clock with Eight-Day Movement 26. ​Collection of 9 Early 20th Century Italian Herbiers from Florence, Italy Set in Large 9 Paned White Window Frame 27. ​19th Century French Empire Period Walnut and Bookmatched Flaming Walnut Commode with Marble Top

This Christmas, indulge the queen (or king) of la maison with an 18th century French Directoire period draper's table or snowy white painted Louis Philippe commode. Surprise your favorite home baker with a hard to find open-sided 19th century French boulangerie baguette basket. Go all out for the garden lover with an antique French bell shaped garden cloche or Spanish olive jar. Stuff some stockings with a decadent chocolat scented votive candle by Maxim's de Paris. Spice up the kitchens of your besties with a crock of herbes de Provence. Help him stay organized with an exceptional black lacquered Maison Jansen Louis XVI desk. And make it crystal clear to the one who lights up your life with a timeless lamp — or two. From large and luxe to small and sentimental, our holiday picks for 2022 will wow and delight!

Joyeux Noël!

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Régence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergère or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

ACANTHUS

a-can -hus [uh-kan-th uh s]

noun |uh-kan-thuh s]

1. Plants. any shrub or herbaceous plant of the genus Acanthus, native to the Mediterranean region but widely cultivated as ornamental plants, having large spiny leaves and spikes of white or purplish flowers.

2. Architecture. a design patterned after the leaves of one of these plants, used especially on the capitals of Corinthian columns.

Origin: 1610-20; New Latin, Latin < Greek kanthos bear's-foot

 
Drawing after Giocondo Albertolli, Corinthian Capital, 1798

Considered the most iconic decorative design inspired by nature, the acanthus leaf motif can be found on everything from Corinthian capitals to French friezes. A stylized version (with simplified lines and graceful curves) of a common Mediterranean plant that has spiky, glossy green leaves similar in appearance to poppy, parsley, and thistle leaves, the acanthus leaf has been used in architecture, interior design, furniture, and textiles for centuries. 

Colorful massed display of Acanthus mollis leaves

The Greeks use of the acanthus leaf as a decorative architectural element dates back as early as 500 BC, when lavishly carved acanthus leaves (based on the popular anthemion design in Greek architecture) began appearing on the beautiful capitals of slender and elegant, fluted Corinthian columns. These first carved acanthus leaves, with their sharp points, deeply carved corners, and sharp ridges between the lobes, were clustered together so that their clear shadow lines could easily be seen from a distance. A symbol of eternal life and rebirth, acanthus leaves were perfect for decorating temples and monuments to the gods. Famous examples include the Temple of Zeus in Athens and the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae in Arcadia, the oldest known use of acanthus in architecture.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus is one of the best examples of acanthus leaf use in the Corinthian order 

Once the Romans began using acanthus leaves in architectural design, the popular motif soon became a featured symbol in a wider range of decorative ornamentation, including capitals, dentils, friezes, and other decorated parts of both Corinthian and Composite order columns. This Roman period produced a leaf that had a more natural feel, with the tip often curling and twisting in a more realistic way that reflected the Roman's love of beauty and art. Other countries and cultures continued following suit, but there's rarely a time that the acanthus leaf wasn't a significant part of Italian ornamental design.

France was not to be outdone, though. By Medieval times and into the Renaissance, the acanthus leaf became a prominent motif used in everything from architecture to artwork and textiles to tapestries, not to mention sculptures, manuscripts, and carved furniture. Becoming particularly popular in the court appointments and furnishings of France's Fab Four — Louis XIII, XIV, XV, and XVI — the ornamental feature found in all four king's styles differed only in the details of the curls and swirls. Ébénistes and menuisiers all over France incorporated the acanthus leaf into their furniture designs, featuring the lovely leaf on the stiles of chairs, the knees of legs, corners of frames, and everything in between!

Antique French Louis XVI Style Parcel Gilt and White Painted Dining Side Chairs, Set of 6 / Item #LOP547 / Lolo French Antiques et More

Fine 19th Century French Louis XV Rococo Style Giltwood Wall Console with Marble Top / Item #LOP909 / Lolo French Antiques et More

19th Century Carved French Louis XVI Style Oval Shaped Giltwood Mirror with Beveled Glass / Item #LOP520 / Lolo French Antiques et More

19th Century French Hand Carved Walnut Black Forest Jardiniére or Planter / Item #LOPA15 / Lolo French Antiques et More

Centuries later, the acanthus leaf is as popular as ever, constantly transforming into new and exciting shapes. Those serrated lobes pop up on products and interiors such as shoes, wallpaper, lighting, handbags, votives, vintage jewelry, planters, and wood bowls to name a few. No wonder it's a symbol of eternal life! The acanthus design never goes out of style!​

À Bientôt

For centuries shutters have adorned everything from small pied-à-terres in Paris to the Maison Bourgeois of local villages. Opened or closed, solid or louvered, these colorful painted shutters known as volets or volets battants (to distinguish them from roll down shutters called volets roulants) remain a defining feature of French architecture — adding beauty and charming details to the windows (and doors) of homes and buildings in villages and cities from the North to the South of France. 

Rue de l'Abreuvoir, one of the oldest and most historic streets located in the Grandes-Carrières district of the 18th arrondissement of Paris

But as decorative and attractive as these traditional wooden shutters are, their sole purpose has never been to just add to the character of the architecture. Shutters have always served many practical purposes. They provide privacy and air circulation, control the amount of light let in, and most importantly, they shield or protect homes from the elements. Since many French houses don't have air conditioning and are only insulated against the summer heat by their thick stone walls, having the windows open and the shutters closed really helps to cool the inside when it's sweltering hot outside. And similarly, on those cold winter days when le Mistral (the wind of Provence) is blowing hard and rattling the shutters, keeping them closed will help keep the chill away.

Place du Forum, Arles, France , where Vincent Van Gogh painted The Cafe Terrace at Night 

The first use of window shutters is said to have been in ancient Greece between 800 BC and 500 BC. Made of marble with fixed louvers, these original Grecian window shutters sheltered homes from the scorching Mediterranean sun while still allowing a breeze to blow through. As trading and commerce spread throughout the area, the practice of using interior window shutters in homes spread from Greece abroad, and with this came changes in the design. The heavy marble shutters were replaced with wood during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and designers eventually developed louvers that provided both privacy and ventilation in the mid-18th century. Adjustable louvers that let the shutter slats move upward and downward arrived in the mid-19th century. And voilà! These movable louvers provided better control over ventilation and privacy, as well as the amount of light let in, leading to an increased demand for shutters. Finally women had some control over the sunlight heating up their kitchen and fading the furniture, and ladies could nap without shutting both the light and air flow from a room!

Colorful shutters along rue de l'Abadie in the old part of Marseille

Before these developments, though, shutters hung on the inside instead of the outside. During medieval times in France, houses did have windows, but for most people the windows were nothing more than a small hole to let in some light. Early French shutters were pierced with small holes and covered with translucent oiled parchment to let in a bit of light while still keeping out the elements. As French glaziers learned how to cast glass in the late 17th century, they began making flatter, more clear, glass window panes. These glass windows were so expensive that only the wealthy aristocrats could afford them. They were quite small and used only on the top half of window openings, with solid wood shutters that opened against the inside wall covering the bottom half. When opened, the shutters let in air and light, and when closed, they offered privacy, security, and insulation against extreme temperatures.

Interior shutters in a Medieval castle in the Loire Valley

History, however, would like us to believe that shutters were first used in France during the 17th century by King Louis XIV when he moved his court from the Louvre in Paris to the Palace of Versailles. It's rumored that le Roi Soleil loved watching the beautiful ladies of his court as they bathed and frolicked in the ponds of his gardens. His guards did also. This created a terrible distraction for them since they were suppose to be protecting the large royal residence and His Highness. To resolve this problem, it's rumored that King Louis had movable louvered shutters installed into the garden walls that only he could open, permitting him to gaze unseen at the bathing nymphs. Mon Dieu! I'm sure his guards were jealous! The French term jalousie (literally, "jealousy") was coined for windows with shutters that permitted a person inside to look out without being seen... perhaps there was some truth to the shenanigans of the Sun King!

By the 18th century, glass producing technology was superior, and windows were larger and more elaborate. Casement windows that opened into rooms became popular, and double hung windows were developed. The window openings became more recessed, with handy built-in pockets for embrasured shutters to slide into when open. Carpenters were given the opportunity to be creative and began designing shutter panels that were fashionable as well as functional. The shutters could be single hung or double hung, and those that were double hung could open separately to let the light in and keep the nosy neighbors out!

It was during Louis XV's reign that fanciful window curtains with beautiful trimmings and passementerie designed to match the bed curtains became en vogue. These drapes, laden with ribbons, cords, tassels, and bows, were in such demand that they began replacing interior shutters, and exterior shutters became commonplace. Homes were being built with thinner walls made of timber that was not as heavy as the thicker stone materials used in the 1700s, making it easier to reach out through the window to open and close the shutters. Early exterior shutters were either solid raised panels or louvered shutters called contravents or persiennes. Usually painted white, these exterior shutters led to the decline of the balcony since opening the shutters was too difficult with a balcony!

Beautiful Breton stone house with solid panel shutters on the lower floor for privacy and louver shutters on the top floor to let light in and air flow

Typical white louvered contravents or persiennes along rue Reaumur in Paris

These persiennes allow the lower part of the shutter to be opened vertically to let in extra light, Nice, France

It's hard to imagine France, especially Provence without shutters. One of our favorite hotels in Avignon, the Hôtel Cloître Saint-Louis, was originally a 16th century Jesuit monastery and still has its interior shutters. I love waking up and opening the shutters to look at and listen to the beautiful fountain in the center of the cloistered courtyard that's lined with grand old plane trees. It's a perfect way to start the day!

Interior shutters in the  Hôtel Cloître Saint-Louis in Avignon 

À Bientôt!

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Régence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergère or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

BONNETIÈRE

bonne·​tière [ buhn-tyair; French bawn-tyer ]
noun, plural bonne·tières [buhn-tyairz; French bawn-tyer] French Furniture.
1. a tall, narrow wardrobe of the 18th century, found especially in Normandy and Brittany.
Origin: <French: literally, hosier
For centuries, women have been using decorations to adorn their hair. France, the fashion leader of the world in the eighteenth century, had a huge influence on the arts and design of the era. During that time, big hair became all the rage in France, and the French nobles of the court that gathered at Versailles began wearing extremely large hats, wigs, and other apparatuses. It didn't take long for most of Europe and America to follow the styles of Paris.

La Marchande de Modes, engraving of Robert Bénard’s Encyclopédie, 1769  

With the eighteenth century also came Marie Antoinette and her iconic pouf, created by hairdresser to the royals, Léonard Autié. Léonard regularly powdered, pomaded, and decorated Marie Antoinette’s hair with various plumes, jewels, and trinkets that included animals, bird cages, and the famous La Belle-Poule battleship. Although the young French queen’s opulent spending habits and need for attention were considered inappropriate due to France’s financial status at the time, her daring hairstyles ignited a fashion spark among the European bourgeoisie like no other. The lavish hairstyles favored by the rich and famous were often so high that the ladies wearing them were forced to kneel on carriage floors or have their towering hairpieces held outside the windows as they rode to their fancy balls or the opera. Can you imagine?

So... just where were these so called “bonnets” and colossal headdresses stored when the fashionistas of France weren’t wearing them? In a bonnetière, of course. Bonnetières are simply tall, narrow cabinets with one door that were made out of native woods such as cherry, walnut, oak, and chestnut. Created in western France (near the shores of Normandy and Brittany) during the mid-eighteenth century in response to the elaborate hairstyles and bonnets of the period, bonnetières were definitely made with a purpose in mind... to store hats and bonnets! Often compared to armoires, these one-door cabinets have two to three interior shelves and are smaller in all ways except one — depth. Because they were used by highfalutin, aristocratic French ladies for the storage of their large hats, bonnets, wigs, and other apparatuses that were en vogue and required tall and deep storage options, bonnetières were as deep as armoires. It's said that the enormous effort provincial cabinetmakers put into the beauty of the exterior of these cabinets often left little to no means for the insides — beyond that of quality construction.

18th Century French Louis XIII Style Provençal Painted Chateau Bonnetière / Item #LO1752 / Lolo French Antiques et More

18th Century Louis XIV Period Lyonnais Chateau Bonnetière / Item #LFA208 / Lolo French Antiques et More

Once found just inside the entrances of grand chateaux or maisons, it didn’t take long for the French to discover these wonderful cabinets could be used to store just about anything, making them even more popular. And their popularity continues to this day. Because of their versatility, bonnetières can be used in almost any room in the house where storage is needed. They’re the perfect piece of furniture to fill a niche or add additional storage in the bedroom, kitchen, or powder room, and work equally well in contemporary and traditional interiors. They also add the unmistakable charm of French Country style wherever they are used.

It's summertime! Wedding season is back in full swing once again, and getting married in France is a dream of many couples. I’m in the midst of helping plan my son Cole’s wedding to his beautiful fiancée, Marissa. It's in November, and though the wedding won’t be held in France, both the wedding and reception are being held at our store, Lolo French Antiques. Since wedding fêtes in France are not taken lightly, we’re hoping theirs will be filled with both Southern and French traditions that they’ll cherish forever! If you're dreaming of a French wedding but can’t actually tie the knot in France, this series of posts on the customs and traditions of French weddings (before, during, and after the "I do’s" are said) will give you a few ideas to add a little (or a LOT of) French flair and joie de vivre to your own nuptials. Let’s start with the trousseau and armoire de mariage.

The tradition of bridal trousseaux originated in France hundreds of years ago. The word trousseau comes from the French word trousse, which literally means a bundle of linens and clothing. Lingerie, opulent embroidered sheets, treasured textiles, and even jewelry were just a few of the pieces a young French mademoiselle would have made or collected as part of her bridal trousseau.

When fourteen-year-old Catherine de Medici arrived in Marseilles, France in 1533 to marry into the French royal family, her uncle, Pope Clement VII, spared no expense on the many trunks of lace, linens, bed hangings, gowns, undergarments, silk, and high heeled shoes designed in Milan to make her look taller and sexier (gasp!) that were part of her bridal trousseau. It’s said her sparkling gowns were embroidered with three pounds of gold and two pounds of silver, her sheets made of the finest silk. Her lingerie, which was considered as luxurious as her wedding gown, was made from the most delicate laces, gold, and silver cloth. The dazzling earrings, fabulous bejeweled rings, necklaces, and golden belts that she added to the French Crown jewel collection were beyond compare. And the gorgeous high heeled shoes that she brought with her became such a status symbol that “commoners” were banned from wearing them — and the phrase “well-heeled” was born! Poor Catherine was not a stunning beauty, however. So Clement enlisted Isabella d’Este, an Italian fashion trend setter, to help Catherine impress the French with her amazing trousseau… one befitting her new status. She may have been considered an Italian commoner at the time of her marriage to Henri II, but Catherine’s bridal trousseau, which included over 150 garments (and those shoes), was nothing less than spectacular!

The Wedding of Catherine de Medici and Henri, Duke of Orléans, Jacopo Chimenti da Empoli 

Most young girls didn’t marry royalty, but being sent off in style was of such importance that a wedding would often be canceled if the trousseau was incomplete. Trousseaux were even more expensive than the wedding itself at times! The family heirlooms and handmade linens that a bride-to-be was expected to bring to her new home were often an indication of her family’s wealth and status, meaning the greater and finer the trousseau, the higher the bride's status. Typical trousseaux included twelve pieces of each: napkins, tablecloths, dishtowels, bed sheets, nightgowns, and petticoats — all hand sewn and hand embroidered with the bride's married initials. Since wealthier families often had live-in seamstresses that would do most of the sewing (instead of the bride and her relatives), well-to-do brides might bring hundreds of pieces of linens with them — as well as linens for the servants. And custom dresses and gowns sewn by dressmakers in Paris of course. Oh là là!

According to our good friend Toma Clark Haines, the Antiques Diva, “the preparation for a young bride’s trousseau once began at birth and often before. Years before her betrothal, the future bride amassed enough linens for her bedding and tables to sustain her family throughout their lifetime.” It only makes sense then that preparations for the armoire de mariage or wedding armoire that would store this carefully curated collection throughout a girl’s lifetime also began at birth. Neatly folded antique linens, ruffles of delicate lace, family heirlooms, and countless napkins and table cloths that were once part of treasured trousseaux can still be found stored in elaborately carved marriage armoires in master bedrooms across rural regions of France today. And you can be sure they’re stacked from the bottom, not the top, to ensure strict rotation.

Early 19th Century French Country Louis XV Style Bleached Oak Normandy Wedding Armoire / Item #LO3150 / Lolo French Antiques et More

Similar to hope chests, the beautiful French armoires de mariage are much larger and hand carved with motifs of wealth and prosperity that represent good wishes for the newlywed couple. Intricate carvings include lovebirds evoking love, baskets of flowers representing fertility, pairs of nesting doves symbolizing the “nest,” sheaves of wheat and grape vines describing abundance and domestic prosperity, and musical instruments and sheet music as an allegory for harmony.

Traditions vary, but it is said that in parts of Normandy it was common for a father to cut down a large tree when a daughter was born and use planks from the tree to make the armoire de mariage once the daughter was engaged. In other parts of France it was common for a father to make a wedding armoire when a daughter was born and give it to her during adolescence. As the girl grew up, she would fill it with items from her trousseau and take it with her to her new home after she was wed. By the 18th century, wedding armoires were made by talented craftsmen and given to the bride and groom as a gift from the bride’s parents. In Brittany, it was customary before a wedding for the marriage armoire and the bride’s trousseau to be carried to her new home in a brightly decorated cart drawn by a pair of oxen draped in flowers. The bride's mother would fill the armoire with the trousseau once it arrived and the father of the bride would then throw open the doors in a dramatic fashion to the “oohs and ahs” of all the guests. Afterwards, the priest would bless both the marriage armoire and the marriage bed before the two families sat down to dinner together.

Why not consider giving your favorite bride and groom some lovely home spun, home sewn, and home embroidered antique French linens that were part of some young girl’s trousseau many, many years ago? Nothing feels and smells like good linen that has been freshly laundered. And even if you don’t have an armoire de mariage, try storing your favorite linens in an antique French armoire. You’ll be surprised what a difference it makes. It’s a perfect blend of French charm and modern storage. Everything looks nicer and you’ll find yourself using your linens more. After all, they’re meant to be used every day! And if you’re lucky enough to have an armoire de mariage, take some time to really look at the carvings and see what all you can discover. You’ll be surprised... and find that a whole lot of love went into these armoires!

À Bientôt!

Bastille Day, formally la Fête Nationale or the National Celebration, is a French national holiday that celebrates the anniversary and symbolic victory of the storming of the Bastille, a grand medieval fortress turned state political prison, on July 14, 1789. Much like America’s Independence Day, le quatorze juillet or le 14 juillet (as it’s commonly referred to in France since they don’t use the term "Bastille Day”), is a holiday filled with cheerful revelry... it is France, after all... and celebrations of French culture and national pride.

Built in the 1300s, the Bastille Sainte Antoine, as it was formally known, was originally designed to protect the city of Paris in case of an attack by the English during the Hundred Years’ War. The 100-foot-high fortress, surrounded by an 80-foot-wide moat, went through many changes over the years. It began functioning as a prison in 1417 while continuing to function as a royal castle and home to the royal treasure. It was during the reign of Louis XIII that the role of the Bastille saw its greatest changes. Louis XIII (with the help of Cardinal de Richelieu) was the first to use the Bastille as a state prison... for wealthy, upper class felons... many of whom were activists. These upper class prisoners were able to have gourmet meals, visitors, warm baths, specialist doctors, books (and libraries built for them if necessary), their own furniture, and even their own servants! Pretty impressive privileges for a prisoner! Louis XIV continued this practice of housing wealthy convicts, especially those accused of spying on or embezzling from the state. He was also fond of imprisoning those that opposed or simply irritated him, like French Protestants with religious views that differed from his. Under the reign of Louis XV, there began a decline in the number of prisoners sentenced to the Bastille, and the majority of those imprisoned under Louis XVI were social misfits instead of upper class members of French society. The Marquis de Sade, the writer and philosopher Voltaire, Nicolas Fouquet, and the "Man in the Iron Mask" were among the most famous inmates of the Bastille during the reigns of the Fab Four Kings.

La prise de la Bastille, Jean-Pierre Houël, 1788

Liberty Leading the People, Eugène Delacroix, 1830, Louvre, Paris, France

By the late 18th century, the French people, discontent with King Louis XVI’s abuse of royal power, were desperately poor and suffering from the hardships of famine (caused by two decades of poor harvests), drought, cattle disease, and soaring bread prices. Fighting for liberté, fraternité, and égalité, an armed mob of about 1000 Parisians expressed their desperation and resentment toward the tyrannical Bourbon monarchy by rioting and storming the Bastille to steal weapons and ammunition, as well as free the seven French citizens (four forgers, two crazy twits, and a count convicted of sex crimes) that were imprisoned in the notorious royal prison — supposedly for speaking out against the powerful monarchy? Hmmm... That historic bloody encounter marked the start of the French Revolution and the end of the Ancien Régime — and also led to the beheading of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The demolition of the Bastille began almost immediately and by November of the same year there was hardly anything remaining. Individual stones were taken away as souvenirs with a good bit of stones used in the construction of the Pont de la Concorde bridge across the River Seine. 

Bastille Day military parade on the Champs Élysées, Paris,  Jérémy Barande, July 14, 2010

Today, Bastille Day is celebrated all over France, not just in Paris. A patriotic day filled with plenty of pomp and circumstance, traditions include feasts with friends and family, music, dancing, fireworks, and the signature event — the grand military parade that marches down the Champs Élysées with Air Force jets flying overhead. A tradition that dates back to 1880, the parade is the oldest and largest military parade in the world and is led by the President of France. It starts at the Arc de Triomphe and ends at the Place de la Concorde.

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Régence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergère or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

CHARCUTERIE

char·​cu·​te·​rie [shahr-koo-tuh-ree, shahr-koo-tuh-ree; French shar-kytuh-ree]
noun, plural char·cu·te·ries [shahr-koo-tuh-reez, shahr-koo-tuh-reez; French shar-kytuh-ree]
1. cooked, processed, or cured cold meats and meat products, originally and typically pork products, as sausages, pâtés, hams, etc.
2. a store where these products are sold.
Origin: 1855–60; <French; Middle French chaircuterie, equivalent to chaircut(ier) charcutier + -erie-ery

Food is at the heart of French culture. And at the center of the heart these days is charcuterie — charcuterie boards in particular. A culinary art developed from necessity, the modern form definition of charcuterie involves dressing a board, usually wood, with cured meats, cheeses, and accoutrements. Derived from the French words cuit meaning cooked and chair meaning flesh, the term charcuterie was coined in 15th century France when pigs were raised by virtually every household. Before its modern definition, charcuterie was used to describe pork products (including the pig’s internal organs) sold in charcuterie shops that were salted, smoked, and dried, much like the methods used to preserve meat in Ancient Rome thousands of years before.

Charcuterie Sibilia, Les Halles de Lyon

During the 15th century, France had very strict laws that didn't allow the mixing of raw and cooked products. The first Charcutiers Guild was formed in France at that time, preventing charcuterie shops from selling uncooked pork — so the charcutiers cooked, dried, salted, smoked, and cured everything from rillettes to pâtés, saucisson, bacon, trotters (pig’s feet), and head cheese. They would then hang or display the cured meats in their shop windows to attract customers. Villagers frequented their local charcuterie shops to purchase the cured meats that would supplement their supply of fresh food throughout the year. The ingenious ways charcutiers preserved meat helped to ensure the meats would have longer shelf lives, and their popularity grew as they established stylized plates of "cooked flesh" as a part of the cuisine française culture. Cheeses, breads, fruits and veggies, nuts, olives, pickles, and jams were added over time, shaping the charcuterie board as we know it today

Charcuterie boards have become an essential at casual (and even formal) parties or apéro dinatoires, not only in France but all over, especially since there’s no cooking involved! From ingredients to serving techniques, a bit of effort is required to attain the effortless je ne sais quoi that only an authentically French charcuterie board has. Think of the meats and cheeses as the main dishes and the accoutrements as the accents — and follow these 5 tips to master a charcuterie board any French person would j’adore.

1. When building your charcuterie board, wood boards are a must. The French consider marble boards to be too lavish and too trendy. Wood boards are easier to use, easier to wash, and you don’t have to worry about scratching them with a knife. We always use antique breadboards or cutting boards.
2. If you want to make your board truly French, be sure to include saucisson, a dry, thick, cured French sausage. Other French meats include pâté, a meat in the form of a paste — some are smooth and spreadable, some are firm and sliceable, jambon, a cured ham, and rillets, chunky meat spreads also known as potted meat… and no, not the Hormel brand! Laurent always adds prosciutto, coppa, and salami, and says it’s okay to include other meats even if they aren’t from France. The meats do need to be presliced before serving and the thinner the better — except for saucisson, which should be sliced about one sixteenth of an inch.
3. Authentic French cheeses include tangy, tart Chèvres, rich, buttery Bries, sharp, pungent blues, and fruity, spicy Comtés. You don’t have to stick to just French cheeses either. It’s perfectly fine to add a Parmesan or manchego if that’s what you like, and Laurent does… so we add those also. Just be sure to use four different kinds and let them come to room temp before serving.
4. Use as many seasonal (and local) products on your board as you can. For summer this year, we’ll fill in with tomatoes, melons, figs, and cucumbers. For fall, we'll add eggplants, artichokes, radishes, and pumpkins. We add pickled and preserved items like cornichons and olives to balance out the creaminess of the cheese. Nuts (and popcorns, though not considered French) are great fillers and are crunchy as well as salty. And we always add sweets. Honey, jams, dried fruits, and macarons provide a sweetness that balances out the saltiness of the meats. And who doesn’t love an excuse to serve macarons?
5. Bread is essential! A presliced, crusty French baguette is always best, but other presliced breads like sourdough or homemade banana bread are good choices. Laurent doesn’t like crackers, but I do. So we use artisan crackers even though they’re not considered French.​​​

And don't forget the wine! A charcuterie board is not complete without the wine pairings. You'll want to serve wines that compliment the flavors of the meats and cheeses without overpowering them. An oaky Chardonnay balances the spice of sopressata. Add a creamy French Brie and voila! You'll have a winning trifecta. Pinot Noir is a perfect choice for saucisson. Light wines like a dry Reisling or Muscato partner well with light hams like prosciutto, and if seafood is on your board, a Merlot or Pinot Grigio will blend perfectly with the salty flavors of smoked salmon, shrimp, and lobster.

1. Large 18th Century Rustic Country French Cutting Board or Chopping Block with Well / Item #LO3193A / Lolo French Antiques et More
2. Early 20th Century French Country Guillotine Style Bread Cutter with Board / Item #LO3192 / Lolo French Antiques et More
​3. Country French Style Breadboards / Item #LFA223 / Lolo French Antiques et More

Father's Day is coming up this weekend, so why not surprise Dad with a beautiful charcuterie board filled with all his favorites​? Instead of serving him breakfast in bed, indulge him with a breakfast charcuterie board filled with bacon, sausage, ham, baguettes, cheese, waffles and pancakes. Add in fruits, jams, butter, and granola as accoutrements. It might not be "authentically" French, but the process of building the board will be fun and easy — and the time spent with dear old Dad will be truly special!

Bon Appétit!

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Régence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergère or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

CABRIOLE

cab·ri·ole [kab-ree-ohl; French ka-bree-awl]
noun, plural cab·ri·oles [kab-ree-ohlz; French ka-bree-awl]
1. Furniture. a type of furniture leg, a curved, tapering leg curving outward at the top and inward farther down so as to end in a round pad, the semblance of an animal's paw, or some other feature: used especially in the first half of the 18th century.
2. Ballet. a leap in which one leg is raised in the air and the other is brought up to beat against it.
Also called cabriole leg.
Origin: 1775–85; < French: from cabrioler to caper, leap like a goat; so called because modeled on leg of a capering animal (see cabriolet)

Printed in 1897, Bibliographisches Institut Leipzig Germany, as an illustration for the 5th edition of "Meyers' Konversations Lexikon"

Furniture legs come in all shapes and sizes, and nothing symbolizes 18th century French furniture more than the iconic cabriole leg, a stylized representation of the rear leg of a leaping goat. This sinuous, double-curved form used in legs (and feet) of furniture, features the upper portion curving outward and the lower portion curving inward in a gentle "S" shape. Because of the double-curved form, cabriole legs are more difficult to make than straighter furniture leg and must be made from a solid piece of wood.

While used extensively in French furniture, especially the Louis XV period of furniture design, the cabriole shape originated with the ancient Chinese and Greek furniture makers. It really became en vogue during the late 17th century when the English, Dutch, and French furniture makers introduced smoother, more curvy furniture styles than those used in medieval times. One of the most popular styles of legs, the cabriole leg has been used on a wide variety of furniture for the last several centuries. Found on chairs, tables, commodes, and even large, heavy armoires, cabriole legs vary in height and length depending on the piece.

Fine Pair of 18th Century French Louis XV Period Carved Walnut Fauteuils / Item #LOP464 / Lolo French Antiques et More

18th Century French Louis XV Period Bressan Armoire / Item #LO90 / Lolo French Antiques et More

There's no mistaking the signature "S" shaped cabriole legs on Louis XV furniture. Besides being very attractive, the graceful, curved lines of the cabriole leg are also very practical. They create the balance needed to support heavy pieces of case furniture on slim legs without the use of stretchers, and can be used in formal or informal settings in both modern and traditional homes. Size most often determines whether pieces with cabriole legs have a chic and refined look or a more rustic feel. Provincial pieces such as farm tables with heavier or larger scale legs have a more casual, charming feel while pieces like small side tables with delicate, slender legs and ormolu ornamentation appear more sophisticated.        

Antique French Louis XV Style Oval Kingwood Bouillotte Table / Item #LFALO1966 / Lolo French Antiques et More

Early 19th Century French Louis XV Style Walnut Commode Sauteuse / Item #LOP445 / Lolo French Antiques et More

Furniture historians often determine the origin of an antique based solely on the form and detail of its legs. Whether shapely or straight, legs provide important clues to the style and period of a piece, and French cabriole legs most often terminate in elaborately carved scrolled french toes, known as whorl feet, or pieds de biche, also known as hoof feet. What shape are your favorite legs? And do you like them all dressed up with ormolu and sabots? Or plain and simple with no decoration? Let us know!

À Bientôt!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. In two weeks we’ll be celebrating all the wonderful mothers, mother-in-laws, and mothers-to-be in our lives by letting them know just how much they’re loved and appreciated. Finding the perfect Mother's Day gift that fully shows your love and appreciation might seem more difficult this year. If you’re not quite sure where to start and need a helping hand, take a look at Lolo’s Mother's Day 2021 Gift Guide. It’s full of gift ideas — with a French twist — that are as unique and thoughtful as the important mother figures in your lives. With gifts ranging from inexpensive to luxe that will both surprise and delight, we hope to make your job of selecting the perfect present easy breezy. Our 20 picks include gifts for every mom — from green thumb gardeners to gourmand goddessess, and even the wonder women who already seem to have it all.

1. Large 18th Century Rustic Country French Cutting Board or Chopping Block with Well 2. Early 20th Century French Country Guillotine Style Bread Cutter with Board 3. Mini 19th Century French Alsatian Terracotta Kouglof Bundt Cake Mold 4. French Art Deco Period Ladies Mirrored Vanity 5. Faustine 100% Organic Amber Candle by Apis Cera 6. L'Ami Provençal Savon de Marseille - Traditional 7. 19th Century French Rococo Style Red Tortoise Shell and Gilt Bronze ​Footed Vanity Mirror 8. 19th Century French Terracotta Amphora or Olive Jar with Green and Yellow Glaze 9. 9th Century French Pot de Confit or Confit Pot with Light Green Glaze 10. Champagne Colored Six-Light Murano Chandelier 11. Vintage Mid-Century Modern Italian Lounge Chair and Ottoman 12. Nina's Paris Fete de Versailles Loose Leaf Tea in White Gift Tin, 2.82oz 13. Nina's Paris L'Original Marie Antoinette Loose Leaf Tea Tin, 3.5oz 14. Small 19th Century French Terracotta Biot Pot or Jar 15. Fine 19th Century French Louis XVI Style Mahogany and Fruitwood Tea Table with Removable Tray. 16. Vins de France Tea Towel by Torchons & Bouchons 17. French Jacquard Herbs or Aromates du Jardin Tea Towel by Coucke 18. Herbs de Provence Tea Towel by Torchons & Bouchons 19. French Art Deco Period Bistro or Cafe Table with Marble Top 20. Antique French Painted Iron and Marble Top Bistro or Garden Table

For the past year, moms around the world have been working extra hard to keep everyone healthy and happy, and the love and compassion they've shown hasn't gone unnoticed. They’ve had to wear many hats while learning how to balance life as parents, teachers, employees, and often caregiver to their own parents.  There's no right or wrong gift to give these wonderful women in your life. Just remember the best gift of all is to tell them how much they're loved all year round! Cheers to all the Moms!

À Bientôt!

March Madness is back! Not just for the throngs of college basketball fans across the country, but also for antiques and collectible fans around the world. The two-week antique craze known as Round Top Antiques Week, like the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, is now in full swing. Upwards of 100,000 designers and decorators, pickers and junkers, and collectors and hoarders are descending on the tiny Texas towns of Burton, Carmine, Round Top, Warrenton, La Grange, and Fayetteville through April 3rd to experience the spectacle that’s Antiques Week. 

Round Top Antiques Week Map ©Lolo French Antiques

Over 4,000 dealers of treasures, trash, and everything in between set up shop along a 25-mile stretch of Highway 237 with Round Top, the state’s smallest incorporated town, as ground zero. And not until you pass by that famous green sign that reads “Round Top CITY LIMIT POP. 90,”  do you realize you've officially  entered the madness! 

Hailed as the largest antiques fair in the United States, this shopper's paradise (which has been around since the 1960s) is held every spring and fall in the idyllic Texas Hill Country. Round Top Antiques Week now lasts more than two weeks with about 80 separate shows or venues set up in everything from dance halls and barns to warehouses and sheds. Fields full of bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, and Texas longhorns have been transformed into fields full of  white tents with crystal chandeliers swinging from the rafters and margaritas flowing. The merchandise in each is as varied as the venues and dealers themselves. 

Pretty much anything under the hot Texas sun can be had. Fine French antiques, vintage jewelry, Industrial salvage, European linens, fine art, furniture from every era, cowboy boots galore, and plain ole' junk for as far as the eyes can see are there for the taking. And as you wander through those fields you'll see A-list designers standing shoulder to shoulder with weekend thrifters, experienced collectors, and casual browsers — all with varying lists and budgets, but all hunting for one-of-a-kind treasures.

Lolo began setting up our space in the Blue Barn at Blue Hills a week ahead of opening day… assembling tables and armoires, shining copper and silver, hanging mirrors and paintings, and dusting and waxing furniture into the wee hours of the night. And when 9 o’clock came around last Saturday morning, our March Madness began!

We hope you'll stop by and take part in the madness — and experience the most amazing shopping adventure ever! But come prepared. Don’t leave home without your boots, hat, sunscreen, umbrella (it can rain at anytime), camera, and a tape measure. And definitely be ready to shop 'til you drop! After all, it's a mad, mad world...

À Bientôt!

"So this is Christmas, for weak and for strong. The rich and the poor ones, the war is so long... A very merry Christmas and a happy new year,  let’s hope it’s a good one without any fear."  These well-known lyrics from John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 1971 Christmas song ring true once again. We're fighting a different battle now for sure, but it's a battle nevertheless. And though much has been cancelled throughout 2020 and this holiday season because of Covid-19, Christmas has not been cancelled. We may have to celebrate in different places, different ways and break with some traditions this year to keep healthy and safe, but we can still celebrate Christmas in ways that promise yuletide cheer, laughter, and time well spent with loved ones both near and far.

Even in the midst of a global pandemic, Christmas is still a magical time of twinkling lights and tinsel trees, swans a-swimming and geese a-laying. A time to splurge on fine wines and feasts with friends and family, even if it's virtually. It’s also a time of year steeped in traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation – holiday traditions that bring back childhood memories of popcorn strands, paper chains, colored lights, and a shiny tin foil star atop the tree.

Just as Santa takes on many shapes, many sizes, Christmas traditions do also — varying from family to family and country to country. You won’t find an “elf on the shelf” hiding masks or wreaking havoc on our household, and our stockings are still hung by the fire. But with our own jolly French elf… uh, I mean chef… in the family, we do indulge in a little more food and fun. From foie gras and the bûche de Noël to French santons and the nativity scene, our Southern family has added some à la française to our pa-rum pum-pum-pum. 

With only five days left until Christmas, I’m sharing five Gallic traditions that will have you and yours dreaming of a French Christmas along with the return of heartwarming holiday gatherings in the future. Try a few!

Postcards from Père Noël
Each year in late November, children around the world begin sending their Christmas wish lists to Père Noël by way of a postal office in the small French village of Libourne. About 60 volunteer La Poste “elves” sort through and reply to every letter – over 1 million from 140 different countries. Santa’s first official response was in 1962 when Le Sécretariat du Père Noël was started by the Ministère des Postes et des Télégraphes. For more than 50 years, letters addressed to “Père Noël, France” have been answered. Postal officials say this French station probably gets more letters than any other country because it’s the oldest of its kind. The operation costs an estimated $1.4 million each year.

Shoes by the Fire
French children don’t hang stockings by the fire on Christmas Eve. Instead, they leave their shoes or slippers by the fireplace, filled with hay and carrots for Père Noël’s donkey to eat. Père Noël takes the hay and carrots and refills the shoes with small presents, candies, fruits and nuts for children to find Christmas morning.

Mistletoe
During Christmastime in France, festive sprigs of mistletoe (le gui) are often seen hanging above doors, inviting anyone passing beneath to share a kiss as a promise of good luck throughout the coming year (and we all could use good luck in 2021). A kiss between a couple in love hints at marriage and a prediction of happiness and a long life. Although originally reserved for New Year's Day, now kisses can be exchanged under the mistletoe at any time during the holiday season!

Bûche de Noël
Bûche de Noël is the traditional French dessert served after le réveillon de Noël or Christmas Eve Dinner. Bûche de Noël, which literally means Christmas log, is a sponge cake and buttercream roulade that resembles a Yule log. The chocolate frosting is textured like bark and the cake is typically decorated with cocoa dirt, confectioner's sugar snow, meringue mushrooms, and marzipan holly and berries, depicting a winter woodland scene.

55 French Santons
La crèche de Noël (the nativity scene) is very popular in France. It’s usually displayed from the first Sunday of Advent until February 2nd, the date of the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, known as la Chandeleur (Crêpe Day). During the French Revolution, public nativity scenes were prohibited so small figurines called santons (little saints) were created in Provence for display in the home. The Provençal crèche includes the Holy Family, shepherds, animals, angels and Three Wise Men, as well as bouchers (butchers) boulangers (bakers) and various other village people – for a total of 55 characters – all waiting to welcome Baby Jesus, who isn’t added until midnight on Christmas Eve.

The countdown is on! As you finish decking the halls, wrapping the gifts and making the menu, there’s still time to add some French cheer to your home this year. Read about more French Christmas traditions here and let us know if your holiday plans include any Francophile festivities. But wherever you are and however you’re celebrating… please stay safe and healthy!

Joyeux Noël

There's something so magical about Christmastime... when treetops are glistening, lords are leaping, and chestnuts are roasting on an open fire. We may not be mixing and a-mingling in large groups this year, but we can still create plenty of magic for ourselves and our families, for no magic lasts longer than that which we create together. 2020 has certainly been frightful,  so we're here to help make your holiday season a bit more delightful!

1. ​Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Style Carved and Painted Hall Tree by Louis Chambry 2. Nina's Paris L'Original Marie Antoinette Loose Leaf Tea Tin, 3.5oz and Nina's Paris Fete de Versailles Loose Leaf Tea in White Gift Tin, 2.82oz 3. 19th Century French Restauration Period Walnut Settee or Bench 4. ​Les Anis de Flavigny All Natural Lemon Mints and ​Ravissant Organic Honey and Beeswax Lip Balm by Apis Cera 5. ​Antique French Louis XIII Style Bleached Oak Normandy Buffet 6. Favols Strawberry Marshmallow Jam, 9.2oz​ and Favols Apricot Jam with Lavender, 9.2oz 7. ​Famille Perronneau Maritime Lavender Honey, 4.4oz 8. ​1930s French Art Deco Period Walnut Armchair or Lounge Chair 9. Large 9-Light French Painted and Parcel Gilt Two-Tier Chandelier 10. Laguiole Jean Dubost 3-Piece Boxed Cheese and Wine Set 11. Herbs de Provence Tea Towel by Torchons & Bouchons 12. Antique French Louis XVI Style Painted Medallion Back Side Chairs, Set of Four 13. Ambroise Handcrafted French Beeswax Pillar Candles from Provence, Box of 2 and Faustine 100% Organic Amber Candle by Apis Cera and ​Lucienne Hand Rolled French Beeswax Alter Candles from Provence, Box of 9 14. ​18th Century Painted French Louis XVI Period Commode or Chest of Drawers 15. ​Aux Anysetiers du Roy Dark Chocolate and Pistachio Fondue 16. 19th Century Country French Louis XIII Style Walnut Side Table with Drawers 17. Famille Perronneau Orange and Lemon Honey Sweets 18. ​Large 20th Century Handmade French Artis Flora Tapestry

One of the best ways to create a little magic is to deck the halls with French antiques and inspired gifts. From one-and-done presents that make the whole family happy to tasty stocking stuffers and Secret Santa surprises, Lolo's elves will find the perfect gifts for the naughtiest to the nicest on your 2020 list. Let us make things merry and bright with a beautiful painted and parcel gilt chandelier. Or help you stay cool under the mistletoe with lemony fresh French mints as you await that first Christmas kiss. We can spice up the kitchen for the cook who spends more time there than ever before. And you can get comfy with jolly old Saint Nick in an Art Deco chair as he reads Christmas stories to all. Covid has taken much from us, but it can't steal our holiday season or Christmas cheer. This year, spend more time rocking around the Christmas tree while Lolo decks your halls!

Joyeux Nöel

Unlike the strictly decorative vases d'Anduze we discussed in the previous post (Part 1) that served no real purpose during the 17th and 18th centuries except to bring joy and beauty to the homes and gardens of those lucky enough to afford them, the famous earthenware jarres de Biot did in fact serve a utilitarian purpose. Before the beautiful earthenware jarres de Biot  became popular as jarres pour le jardin, they were originally used to store grains and  flour and were later used to preserve and transport olive oil.

Jarres de Biot,  Cote d'Azur Villa

Biot jarres, named after the fortified medieval hilltop village of Biot in Provence, have been handmade without a mold or wheel using the ancient technique of rope thrown pottery since the 16th century. Due to the quality of the clay deposits and stone ovens in Biot, it became the largest producer of jars in the Mediterranean — with hundreds of thousands of the utilitarian jars being shipped throughout the Mediterranean between the 16th and 20th century. It's also said that over 500 potters have been identified since the first Biot jar was made.

Today, potters in this coastal village famous for its ceramics and pottery,  continue the tradition of coiling rope around a wood frame to shape the pot. They then use a mixture of red and gray clay to achieve the desired color and apply it by hand onto the rope. Once the clay begins to dry and the shape sets, the potters carefully unwind the rope and remove the wood frame, leaving a wonderfully textured pattern on the inside of the jar.

I miss France, Provence in particular. Traveling in the footsteps of Van Gogh and Cézanne to discover the unexpected, stopping for a picnic lunch and a glass of rosé along the roadside, and snapping selfies in a field of sunflowers with the hot yellow sun beating down sounds dreamy right now. Summertime in Provence is especially beautiful — with its gardens, meadows, and even forests filled with a profusion of colorful blooms. But there’s something magical about the gardens of Provence. Classic or contemporary, cottage or formal, these fairytale-like gardens conjure up scents of fragrant lavender and citrus, sounds of babbling brooks and bubbling fountains, and sights of tree lined paths and manicured shrubs and mazes. Layered with pea gravel or crushed limestone and filled with vases d’Anduze and jarres  de Biot, they seamlessly connect the inside to the outside.

Vases d'Anduze, Chateau Mireille near St. Rémy de Provence

Provençal pots that function both as garden and decorative accessories have long been considered iconic symbols of French garden decor. Both the glazed Anduze pots (pictured above) and the unglazed Biot jars are an elegant yet charming addition to any garden or home.

Named for the picturesque Medieval village of Anduze in the Cévennes mountains in the South of France, the vase d’Anduze was created in 1610 by a local potter named Boisset. Drawing inspiration from Italian Medici vases he saw at a fair in Beaucaire, Boisset created his version of the famous inverted bell-shaped pot in a flamed color with a glaze applied in green, brown, and straw hat yellow streaks. Floral garlands, a stamped medallion with the potter’s signature, and other refined decorations embellished each pot. Pots are still being made in the Languedoc-Roussillon region by artisans in the same way as the old Anduze family craftsmen.​​

Anduze pots adorned only the estates of aristocrats and nobles (and Versailles, of course) during the 17th and 18th centuries. Once Marie Antoinette began lining the formal gardens and terraces of Versailles (perhaps the first container gardens of note) with vases d'Anduze and decorating the orangerie with hundreds and hundreds of the shapely planters, they instantly became en vogue — popping up in manor gardens all over France.

Production of the pots almost became a thing of the past during the French Revolution (1789-1799), forcing most of the factories in Anduze to close permanently. This is one of the reasons these crusty old 18th and 19th century pots are so desirable and expensive today. With just a handful of artisans left making the beautiful, glazed terracotta vases d'Anduze, they became scarce and hard to come by — a rare and collectible commodity these days.

The pots continued to grow in popularity after the Revolution with the nouveau riche silk merchants in the Anduze region designing and creating their own private gardens and parks, filling them with large, heavy Aduze pots containing small orange, lemon, and olive trees with underplantings of lavender, thyme, and other herbs. Today, gardens and parks all over France are still decorated with grand Anduze pots made famous by Marie Antoinette and the gardens and orangerie of Versailles.

Thank goodness you don’t have to be Marie Antoinette or Louis Seize to enjoy the amazing variety of fruits, flowers, and veggies or shapes, colors, and fragrances that can be grown in these fabulous pots. And don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and mix it up. Just like the French mix different styles of antiques in their homes, they often blend formal with informal and mix beauty and utility in their gardens. Next time we'll discuss the utilitarian Biot jarres.

À Bientôt!

Father’s Day 2020 is just around the corner. Only a few days left to find the perfect gifts for dear old dad, grandad, or any other special father figure in your life. Whether he's a genuine classic that can cook and bake or a man that’s game for anything, Lolo French Antiques 2020 Father’s Day Gift Guide has something that’s perfect for every type of dad.

1. Antique Wooden French Hat Molds or Blocks, Set of 3 2. 19th Century French Empire Period Walnut Bibliotheque or Bookcase 3. 19th Century French Cast Iron Clockwork Rotisserie Spit Jack 4. Large Open-Sided French Standing Willow Baguette Basket from Boulangerie 5. Antique French Louis XVI Style Mahogany Bouillotte Side Table 6. 19th Century Country French Louis XIV Style Hall or Window Bench with Storage 7. 19th Century Custom Made Solid Wood French Drafting Table or Architect's Desk 8. Vintage 1970s Italian Leather Club Chair 9. 19th Century French Louis XVI Style Walnut and Cane Porte-parapluie or Umbrella Stand 10. Set of 6 Leather Swivel Bar Stools 11. 19th Century French Tapestries Depicting Life of French Nobility, Set of 4 12. Fine Wax Bust of Franz Liszt by French Sculptor Paul Gaston Deprez, Signed 13. 19th Century Primitive French Walnut Balance Scales 14. French Jacquard Poissons or Fish Tea Towel by Coucke; French Jacquard Le Homard or Lobster Tea Towel by Coucke 15.​ 19th Century French Louis XVI Style Walnut Bureau Plat or Desk with Leather Top

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Régence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergère or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

RAFRAÎCHISSOIR

ra·fraî·chis·soir [ra-fre-shee-swar]
noun [ra-fre-shee-swar]
1. a table of the 18th century having a cooler for bottles and shelves for plates so that occupants of a room may self-serve themselves libations without outside interruption.
Origin: < French, literally refresher

"Le souper fin", ("the gallant dinner"), engraving, after J.M. Moreau the Younger (1741 - 1814), France.

It's said that if you drank a different wine each night, it would take EIGHT years to drink your way through France! With the vast amount of wine consumed by the French upper class during the reign of Louis XV, it's no surprise then that craftsman specialized in certain types of furniture to store, chill, and serve the luxury crus that were a vital part of everyday life in France. One such piece of furniture was called a rafraîchissoir.

Considered an "essential" serving table in 18th century France, the rafraîchissoir did serve a very specific purpose for certain members of French society at the time. Having one of these small refreshment tables parked near the dining table gave French nobility or the bourgeoisie and their guests the opportunity to dine alone — meaning waiters and other domestic servants were not privvy to the confidential conversations and rumblings of the rich and famous. Whether we would consider a rafraîchissoir essential during these times of COVID-19 is questionable, but definitely probable.

French Louis XVI Style Rafraîchissoir / Item #LO1701 / Lolo French Antiques et More

Most often made with a marble top and brass gallery to accommodate spills, rafraîchissoirs (sometimes called servantes) were fitted with two or more wells that held removable brass or silver plated buckets for chilling wine. They also included a drawer for storing corkscrews, cutlery, extra napkins, and anything else that might be needed during dinner. They also had a shelf or shelves below to hold covered dishes or extra plates for later courses, thus allowing the host and his guests more privacy by providing all the required items for the duration of the dinner without the prying eyes and ears of the help.

Antique wine furniture has become very collectible in recent years. Pieces like the rafraîchissoir have become as relevant and interesting to today's interiors and lifestyles as they were during the days of Louis XV and his favorite mistress, Madame de Pompadour. These clever, yet elegant tables were very popular and continued to be in use until the end of the 19th century. They can still be found in French homes, but are most often used as a planter or bar cart. Hmmm... maybe they do qualify as an "essential" piece of furniture? What do you think?

À Bientôt!

For centuries, earthenware vessels were a standard in French kitchens, especially those in the South of France where the weather was much warmer. Charming, yet utilitarian pots, jars, jugs, and bowls, with their bright, beautiful glazes, were once used to preserve everything from duck and geese to jams and oils; collect milk for the making of cream and cheeses as well as for rinsing vegetables and washing dishes; for serving water or wine in the home and the fields.

Antique French Pottery

Historically used before refrigeration was invented, antique clay vessels known as pots de confit were used to store or preserve duck that was slow cooked in its own fat. These quintessential French pots are easily recognized by their glazed tops and earthenware bottoms — made famous in Vincent van Gogh’s series of sunflower paintings he did while in Provence.

Vincent van Gogh, Vase with 12 sunflowers, 1888. Oil on canvas, Neue Pinakothek (Munich)

Typically, the top half of a confit pot was glazed a beautiful yellow color — from mustard, to honey or a bright sunshine yellow. Chips, drips, and imperfections help authenticate the utilitarian pots and only add to their patina and desirability. The color of the glaze is characteristic of the region the pot was made and some of these charming pots have a beautiful off white glaze called terre de fer, an indication they were made in the Albigeois region in the South of France. The rarest pots have a green glaze. Because confit pots needed to stay cool as part of the preservation process, they were covered and either buried in the ground of the cellar or stored in a stone lined larder once the duck had been cooked and cooled. This is the reason there is no glaze on the bottom of most pots — it tended to peel when stored in the cool dirt.

The word confit, from the French word confire, literally means “to preserve,” and when stored in a cool place, confit pots filled with delicious confit de canard or duck confit lasted all winter. The dish was meant to sustain locals during the cold winter months after all. Confit pots come in many shapes and sizes, but the smaller pots that were used to store only one serving of duck confit are the most difficult to find and are very collectible. It’s even said that King Henri IV of France, born near Gascony, a region renowned for the quality of its duck, loved and missed the classic delicacy from southwest France so much that he had barrels of it sent to him in Paris during his reign.

French Confit Pots

The antique French basin-like earthenware vessel, originally made in Narbonne, France (near Spain), is known as a tian. Wide at the mouth and narrow at the base with an unglazed, pale terracotta exterior and a beautiful glaze to the interior and lip, tians were traditionally used in southwest France to prepare duck confit or cassoulet, two of the local specialties of the region. The French also used tians in the collection of goat’s milk for the making of cream and cheeses, to rinse vegetables, and to wash dishes or perhaps even bébés.

Another very collectible French earthenware vessel is the cruche. Half-glazed with two handles, a spout, and a lid, these water jugs were also stored in the ground as a means of keeping water cool. The largest cruches were used to collect water from a fountain or a spring and were carried by donkeys or mules. Smaller cruches were traditionally used to serve cooled water in the fields and at home. Similar thermos-like jugs called gargoulettes were worn on a belt and allowed those working in the hot Provençal sun to have a drink of cool water. The drinking spout was made long and thin so several people could drink from the cruche without touching their lips to the spout while the pouring spout had a trumpet like shape and was corked to prevent spilling. Because gargoulettes were usually worn on a belt, they did not suffer as much breakage as other vessels.

French Tian and Cruches

Today, confit pots, tians, and cruches are very popular and collectible for their bright, beautiful colors as well as their many uses. Now that spring has sprung, it’s the perfect time to bring those vivid hues of yellow and lush shades of green inside your home by adding various pieces of antique French pottery to your decor. Place blooming branches or flowers from your garden into confit pots, use creamy white confiture pots for jams, olives, mustard or other condiments, and fill a lovely tian bowl with fruits or vegetables. Pair with an antique bread board for that perfect je ne sais quoi. Whether grouped together in a corner, used as a centerpiece on the dining room table, or tucked away on open shelves, glazed French pottery adds a colorful punch and a bit of French Country charm to any room. It also makes for a very très chic egg hunt!

Joyeuses Pâques!

Bread has always been important to the French. For centuries, it was their main food source — their staff of life literally. The tale of Marie Antoinette, the queen of France, callously responding to the news that French peasants were starving from a lack of bread with the much quoted line, “Let them eat cake,” is questionable, but her subject’s hunger and anger were very real. It was their suffering and feelings of resentment that led to bread riots, the storming of the Bastille in 1789, and the eventual beheading of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette by guillotine. Today, bread is considered more an accompaniment to a meal instead of the main course, but it’s still a part of every meal. And the most popular bread in France is the baguette.

French Baguettes  

Take a stroll through any city, town, ville, or village in France and you'll catch a whiff of fresh baked bread. You'll also likely see people from all walks of life standing in line at the local boulangerie (bakery) to buy a freshly baked baguette, nibbling on one as they walk down the street, or hurrying home with a baguette tucked under their arm. The reason? The iconic French baguette is eaten at breakfast, lunch, and dinner — with an estimated 30 million baguettes sold and eaten each day. That adds up to 320 baguettes consumed every second (about half a baguette per person, per day) and 10 billion every year. Whether split in half and spread with beurre (butter) and confiture (jam), filled with pâté and cornichons, dunked in steaming hot coffee, or cut into small pieces and lightly toasted to top off French onion soup, this long and thin, crusty bread is a quintessential part of daily French life — as much a national French symbol as the beret and Eiffel Tower.

Baguettiquette 

French bakeries have been making long loaves of bread since at least the mid-eighteenth century, even earlier if you include the very wide and long loaves made during the reign of Louis XIV. But the term “baguette,” which simply means wand or baton, wasn't used to refer to this staple of French cuisine until 1920 — when the baguette took on its classic shape. Due to the economic climate after the war, a law was passed that year banning French bakers from working between the hours of 10 pm to 4 am. This new law made it extremely difficult for bakeries to have the very large three to twelve pound round loaves that were popular at the time ready for early morning customers. Because of its novel, thin shape, and the introduction of steam ovens to French bakeries, the baguette could cook fairly quickly, allowing bakers to make up for lost time. Plenty of bread was ready when the doors opened each morning, and voila, the baguette became a part of everyday life for all!

The quality of bread in France is important as well. Ideally, all baguettes will be crusty on the outside, soft on the inside with the the interior of each slice filled with irregular air pockets, weigh about half a pound, and be approximately 25.6 inches long, 1.6-2.36 inches wide, and 1.18-1.97 inches high. Made of only four main ingredients — wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt, all baguettes are not created equal, however. Before 1993, nearly all bread of any kind consumed in France was pain ordinaire, or ordinary bread. Although good, it varied greatly from one bakery to another. The baguette ordinaire (ordinary or standard baguette) was no exception. Additives were allowed, and sometimes these standard baguettes were (and still are) made in industrial bakeries with "fabricated" dough that would be frozen and then delivered to retail bakeries to be baked on site. Bread made by the retail baker in his or her own bakery was becoming less common. Things changed with the passage of Le Décret Pain (the 1993 French Bread Law), which aimed to ensure the baguette maintained its integrity and history. The law outlined exactly what conditions the bread needed to meet in order to carry the title "tradition."

Baguettes de Tradition

Of the four main types of baguettes — baguette ordinaire, baguette moulée (moulded baguette), baguette farinée (floured baguette), and baguette de tradition (traditional baguette) — the baguette de tradition is the true artisanal loaf, calling on the skills of the baker as outlined in the Bread Law. As the name suggests, this delicious hand formed baguette is made the old-fashioned way (unlike the other types), and must be produced following a very specific recipe. It's less perfect and uniform in shape, has no artificial flavors, has not been frozen at any time during preparation, requires a long proofing time (from 15 to 20 hours), is always baked on site (meaning you will not find one sold in the mass-produced bread section of the grocery store or a depot de pain, a shop that sells bread baked elsewhere) is darker in color with a richer flavor, and is usually a bit thicker than other baguettes. It’s definitely Lolo’s and my favorite baguette! It's crunchier than other types, a sort of rustic version of the baguette, and pairs perfectly with all French cheeses — and wines, of course!

À Bientôt!

Valentine's Day is almost here, and whether you love it or hate it, there's no escaping this day of candy, cupids, cards, and kisses. Restaurants create special menus, bars concoct special love potions, and florists design special arrangements. Sometimes, however, the best Valentine's Day gift you can give (or receive) is the gift of uninterrupted time together — no matter if you're consciously coupled, uncoupled, or somewhere in the middle and it's complicated.

My sweet Valentine (that handsome French man with the most infectious smile, contagious laugh, and bluest eyes) and I will be having a pretty quiet Valentine's Day this year. We're taking Don Draper's advice, "Make it simple, but significant," to heart. We've been so busy with the new store, buying trips, and life in general, that having a simple, romantic dinner at home, canoodling on the couch, and watching movies sounds like a dream date!

If you're like Lolo and me and want to enjoy a laid back night at home watching movies with your King or Queen of Hearts, here's a look at six of our favorite Valentine's Day films. From rom-coms to thrillers to an epic war film, there's something for everyone. These classic movies will transport you to the beaches of Normandy, the streets of Paris, the sun-drenched coast of the French Riviera, and small, charming villages in between. No passport required to  make Valentine's Day special this year. You won't even need to leave home.

Sabrina (1954)

Synopsis: David and Linus Larrabee (played by William Holden and Humphrey Bogart) are ultra-rich brothers living in New York. One is all work, the other all playboy. When Sabrina Fairchild (Audrey Hepburn), daughter of  the family's chauffeur, returns home from Paris all grown up and glamorous, the stage is set for some family fireworks as both brothers vie for her attention. True love wins out in the end. 
​
Reasons to Watch: ​One of the best romantic comedies ever made. Sabrina's little black dress, with what would come to be known as the Sabrina neckline, was designed by an unknown Hubert Givenchy and immediately became a wardrobe classic. It's easy to see why women of all ages are still trying almost 70 years later to copy Audrey Hepburn's style, grace, and charisma. 

Chocolat (2000)

Synopsis: Chocolat tells the story of young single mother Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche) who arrives in a small, provincial French village with her six-year-old daughter in tow. Vianne opens a small chocalaterie (that happens to be across from the church) just in time for Lent and her magical confections quickly begin to stir sleeping passions among the villagers. As things get sticky and hearts are melted,  the townfolks lives are changed.

Reasons to Watch: A "once upon a time" grown-up fairytale that's sinfully delicious! Both charming and whimsical, the movie delves into the forces of paganism and Christianity — and if chocolate and Johnny Depp, who plays Roux, Vianne's love interest, aren't reason enough to watch, I don't know what is! 

To Catch A Thief (1955)

Synopsis: Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 seductive thriller stars Cary Grant as John Robie, a notorious, retired jewel thief living life tending his vineyards in the South of France. When a series of robberies bearing his MO rocks the Riviera,  Robie is the natural suspect. With the help of smitten American heiress, Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly), Robie goes on the lam to catch a thief preying on the wealthy tourists of the French Riviera and clear his name.

Reasons to Watch: The glam costume design and sensational star pairing of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly as they stylishly cavort on the beaches, bistros, and rooftops of the French Riviera, make To Catch a Thief a visually dazzling film. A rare murder-free thriller with fireworks to fill the night.

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Synopsis: This 2001 film tells the story of young poet/writer, Christian (Ewan McGregor), who finds himself in a passionate but tragic love affair with the terminally ill star of of Paris's now legendary Moulin Rouge, Satine (Nicole Kidman). Set in 1899 Paris, the story of their doomed love is played out in the city's seedy, fantastical underworld. And nowhere is the thrill of the underworld more alive than at the infamous Moulin Rouge — where the fashionably rich and slumming aristocrats carouse with everyday workers, artists, actresses, and Bohemians. A dangerous triangle develops as the rich, psychotic Duke of Monroth (Richard Roxburgh) desires Santine's affections. Christian and Santine fight to remain together, but a stronger force takes its toll, one that love can't conquer.

Reasons to Watch: A powerful story of love and conflict, a talented cast that can actually sing, and more sultry shades of red than Toulouse-Lautrec ever painted, Moulin Rouge! is everything a romance musical should be. It's no wonder it has a cult like following.

The Longest Day (1962)

Synopsis: The Longest Day accurately portrays the Allied invasion of occupied France that was launched on June 6, 1944. A much needed break in the severe weather that had forced troops to wait impatiently onboard ships in England allows General Dwight D. Eisenhower (played by Henry Grace because of his remarkable resemblance to Ike), to give the order that set in motion the largest amphibious invasion in world history. The conflict is seen through the eyes of everyday soldiers (portrayed by the likes of John Wayne, Richard Burton, Sean Connery, and Roddy McDowall) as well as military leaders (Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, and Mel Ferrer) as the battle takes a huge toll on both sides. 

Reasons to Watch: The ultimate D-Day film. The Longest Day not only depicts D-Day itself, but takes you through all the activities leading up to June 6, 1944 — from the tough decisions and pre-planning of Eisenhower to the legions of men and women fighting, surviving, and dying on the beaches of Normandy that fateful day. D-Day is an epic film about an epic military operation, with no one actor, not even John Wayne, as the star of the movie. 

Marie Antoinette (2006)

Synopsis: Sofia Coppola's candy-colored portrait of Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst) is an impressionistic tale of the life of the teenage bride of Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman) as she matures into France's most iconic, but ill-fated queen. From the moment she arrives in France, she's at once trussed up in satin and silk and feathers and furs. Restrained by the rituals of her opulent and eccentric court life, her gilded cage is a world of beauty, wealth, privilege, and loneliness.

Reasons to Watch: Coppola's account of Marie's rise and fall perfectly captures the fabulousness and outrageousness of the Rococo period. The clothes, the parties, and the passionate affairs take precedence over plot and character, laying forth the trappings of luxury for the audience to revel in. From the pink marble to the pink macarons, Marie Antoinette is a feast for the eyes, rich in both lavish imagery and luxuries.

À Bientôt! 

Brrrr! The weather outside is frightful — one of those cold, rainy days that makes you want some good ol’ comfort food to warm your soul. On days like this, there’s nothing better than a steaming hot crock of soupe à l’oignon (French onion soup) to beat back the cold. With its flavorful broth, caramelized onions, crispy bread, and yummy gruyère cheese browned on top, soupe à l’oignon is the quintessential French comfort soup.

Lolo's French Onion Soup

Onion soup has been been a French staple for so long that no one really knows who made it first. Many credit King Louis XV for the recipe, claiming he returned to his lodge at Versailles after a long day of deer hunting to find the cupboards bare — except for onions, butter, and, of course, Champagne. According to this version, his cook threw everything into a pot and stirred as the wonderful smell of caramelized onions spread through the lodge, tantalizing everyone’s taste buds!

Others say Stanislas Leszczynski, the Duke of Lorraine and father of Queen Marie, Louis XV’s wife, brought the tasty dish to Versailles. The Duke tried a soup prepared by Nicolas Appert (inventor of canning) at La Pomme d’Or in Châlons-en-Champagne while on his way to visit his daughter and the King. He found the soup so tasty that he asked to see how it was made. Dressed only in his bathrobe and slippers, he watched with tears streaming down his face as Appert sliced dozens of onions for the soup. Leszcynski wrote down everything the chef did so that he could make it for the Royal couple and their court once he arrived at Versailles. Appert dedicated his recipe to Lesczynski in his 1831 cookbook, calling it onion soup à la Stanislas.

Whether it was the Duke or the King who introduced the iconic soup at Versailles has remained a mystery, but my money's on the Duke. Versailles wasn't where onion soup found fame, however. The restaurants that surrounded Les Halles in Paris, like Au Pied de Cochon, Poule au Pot, and Chez Baratte are responsible for onion soup becoming not only a brasserie classic, but also a trusted hangover remedy across France.

Basic onion soup was seen as a food for the poor — onions were plentiful and easy to grow, therefore, onion soup was a common meal for generations of French families. By adding grated cheese to the basic version and placing the bowls under the broiler, local restaurateurs created a dish that brought together the poor and the wealthy. The men and women who worked at the giant food market would eat the Gratinée des Halles at dawn before beginning a hard day of work, and the finely dressed men and women leaving the theater or cabaret would stop by and have a bowl to avoid a hangover. Everyone soon realized onion soup was also a great way to mask the smell of alcohol, and the name "soup of the drunkards" quickly became associated with the soup.

French onion soup also became a tradition at French weddings to prevent a hangover after a long night of drinking and dancing. To this day, friends and family of the bride and groom continue to track down the happy couple on their wedding night to eat onion soup from a special tureen.

Soupe à l'oignon is really a home cook’s dish. So put on an apron and channel your inner Julia Child — or Jacques Pépin. Even when sober, French onion soup is the perfect remedy for chilly winter days and nights!

Lolo's Soupe à l’Oignon ( French Onion Soup)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
5 tablespoons olive oil
5 to 6 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry sherry
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 quarts beef broth
1 baguette sliced
12 slices Swiss cheese or 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper; cook and stir until softened, about 10-12 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1-2 minutes longer.
2. Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to coat. Add sherry. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by about half.
3. Add beef broth; return to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 45-55 minutes, to allow flavors to combine.
4. Preheat oven to broil
5. Place baguette slices onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Place into oven and broil until golden brown on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side; set aside.
6. Divide soup into ramekins or ovenproof bowls. Place onto a baking sheet. Top with baguette slices to cover the surface of the soup completely. Add Swiss or Gruyère cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Place into oven and broil until golden brown and cheeses have melted; about 2 minutes.
7. Serve immediately.

Bon Appétit!

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Régence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergère or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

BOUILLOTTE 

bouil·lotte [boo-yot]
noun [boo-yot]
1. an 18th century gambling card game that was so popular in France that a special table was created for play. Based on Brelan, it is regarded as one of the games that influenced open-card stud variation in poker.
Origin: < French bouillotte card game, equivalent to bouill (ir) to boil + -otte noun suffix

La Bouillotte 1798 by Jean Francois Bosio

The gambling game Bouillotte was introduced in the 18th century, during the French Revolution, as a regulated form of a popular card game known as Brelan.  The French had been playing Brelan since the 1600s. The standard Bouilotte   game included four players using a piquet pack (20-card pack) by removing the sevens, tens and Jacks, with the cards in each suit ranking from high to low — A-K-Q-9-8. The best hand was a brelan carré, or four of a kind made with the aid of a turned card, followed by a simple brelan, three of a kind. If no one had a four of a kind or three of a kind, the winning hand was the hand containing the highest card of the suit belonging to any player who had not folded during the betting. See rules here.

Le Suprême​ Bon Ton No. 4

Bouillotte, said to be one of the card games that led to the development of poker, became such a favorite past time that drawing rooms or card rooms had to accommodate the needs and comforts of the players. Playing became so en vogue during the reign of Louis XVI that special tables (and lamps) of the same name were created specifically for the game. Although neither the table nor the lamp were required to play the game, both were created to meet the needs of the popular card game.

French Louis XVI Style Marble Top Bouillotte Table / Item #LFALO948 / Lolo French Antiques et More

The small marble topped card tables, created in the Louis XVI neoclassical style, were often made of mahogany and raised on four tapering legs ending in sabots or fitted with casters. They were usually round, having a pierced brass or bronze gallery that made it possible to place a bouchon (felt-like cover) securely on top of the marble when the table was being used for the game. 

Since the 14th century, households all across France have been celebrating the Epiphany and the arrival of the Three Kings in Bethlehem with a galette des rois or kings' cake. Available in every boulangerie, pâtisserie, and super marché during the month of January, galettes des rois are created by artisan bakers and pastry chefs using centuries old techniques. They are traditionally served on January 6th, the date set as the Fête des Rois or Three Kings' Day in 1801 when  Napoleon and Pope Pius VII signed the French Concordat, re-establishing the Catholic Church in France.

La Fête des RoiLa Fête des Rois

These tasty kings' cakes come in various styles, shapes, and sizes. In Northern France they are typically made of pâte feuilleté (puff pastry), filled with frangipane or almond cream, and topped with a gold paper crown. In Provence, they are a brioche-style cake known as a gateau des rois, and are usually baked in the shape of a crown, flavored with orange water, and covered with candied fruits and sugar.

Galette des Rois

The essential ingredient in every cake, however, is the same — le fève. Originally a fava bean, the fève is now a tiny porcelain charm or trinket hidden inside the cake that represents the king or the queen. These collectible figurines are highly sought after by the "fabophiles" who collect them, and actually help increase sales of kings' cakes. Fèves created by popular Paris bakeries are especially collectible. 

Vintage Collection of Fèves from Paul, France

Tradition calls for there to be as many slices of cake as there are guests, plus one, in case an unexpected visitor or poor person should knock on the door or stop by. Having the extra slice set aside ensures that everyone has the opportunity to "draw the king" from the cake. During the slicing of the cake, the youngest child at the celebration hides under the table to call out the name of each person when it's his or her turn to get a slice — in case the person passing out slices may be inclined to cheat! The person who discovers the fève in their slice is then crowned king or queen with the paper crown that comes with the cake, and is guaranteed good luck for the next 12 months. He or she is also responsible for buying the next year’s cake.

What better way to start off the New Year than by popping open a bottle of your favorite Champagne? The tradition of beginning each year with a glass of bubbly has been around for hundreds of years. Champagne has been the drink of choice for kings and queens, princes and princesses, and even a royal mistress or two since the 17th century when it emerged as a beautiful, sparkling white wine.

Antique French Champagne Coupes

This king of wines and wine of kings, known as Champagne, was especially adored and appreciated by the House of Bourbon. King Louis XIV was prescribed a daily dose by his doctor, and drank Champagne at every meal for almost his entire life. Madame de Pompadour, the famous mistress of Louis XV, was one of the most loyal customers of the French Champagne house, Moët & Chandon, and was the muse for their limited edition Rosé Capsule collection. A lover of all things beautiful, she is quoted as saying, “Champagne is the only wine that leaves a woman beautiful after drinking it.” She should know! She had exquisite taste — in everything from fine champagne to interior design. But it's Marie Antoinette, wife of King Louis XVI, who comes to mind at the mention of the Champagne coupe!

According to legend, Louis XVI commissioned a 65-piece set of dishes to be designed by the French porcelain house Sèvres for L’Hameau de la Reine. Included in the dish set were four jatte-téton, breast bowls designed specifically for the drinking of milk, that were said to be molded from Marie Antoinette’s left breast. Those breast cups merely served as one more weapon in the fight to portray Marie Antoinette as a decadent, insatiable Queen — fond of throwing wild parties in her rustic hamlet at Versailles. While there was a typical working dairy on the property, there was also a laiterie d’agrément or pleasure dairy. This pleasure dairy, to the displeasure of the poor commoners, was a beautifully appointed salon decorated in all white marble and other excess where Marie and her ladies-in-waiting could dress up as milkmaids and frolic all day  — without ever having to get their hands or perfectly coiffed hairstyles dirty! This maddened  the less fortunate working class.

L'Hameau de la Reine

Since there were only four breast bowls created to drink from, those hoping to perpetuate the myth of the depraved courtesan seized upon the idea that she wanted her court to toast her health by drinking from Champagne coupes molded from her breast instead. Although portraits show Marie Antoinette’s breasts as small and round, like the Champagne coupe, the petite glass was actually designed by a Benedictine monk and made in England around 1663 — over 100 years before her birth!. There is, in fact, no truth to any of the rumors! That they still persist, however, speaks volumes to the perceived sexiness of the famous (or infamous) coupe glass. It was, after all, the Champagne vessel of choice in Europe for nearly 300 years before becoming insanely popular in the United States with the likes of flapper girls and Hollywood royalty. Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Eva St. Marie, Joan Fontaine, Cary Grant, and Humphrey Bogart are just a few of the many famed celebrities filmed or photographed with a coupe glass in hand. 

Cary Grant drinking from a coupe glass / Image Credit: North by Northwest, 1959

Today, those petite, tapered bowls of glass that sit atop a long, thin stem with a circular base have come full circle. They are now considered the preferred glass for serving many a Champagne cocktail or craft cocktail. Cheers to that! 

​Bonne Année!

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Régence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergère or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and style.

TORSADE

tor·sade [tawr-sahd, -seyd]
noun [tawr-sahd, -seyd]
1. Furniture. refers to the twisted column that was a chief element in furniture design during the reign of King Louis XIII.
2. Clothing & Fashion. an ornamental twist or twisted cord, as on hats. Also called barly twist from barley sugar twist.
Origin: 1880-1885;< French from obsolete tors twisted, from Late Latin torsus, from Latin torquēre to twist.

Torsade or Barley Twist Leg

In French design, the spiral shape known as a torsade became a major element of the Louis XIII style. The shape dates back to 333 AD when Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor, brought back a pair of helix shaped columns from Jerusalem to be used in the altar of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. According to tradition, these columns, known as Solomonic columns, were originally used as structural pillars for the roof of the Temple of Solomon.

Gianlorenzo Bernini's Baldacchino in St. Peter's Basilica

A new basilica was constructed in 1506, and the same spiral columns were preserved and used in the new architecture. They still stand, built into the supports of the church across from Gianlorenzo Bernini’s Baldacchino (one of the greatest examples of Solomonic columns), and are viewed by the millions of visitors to the site every day.

Intricately carved French church alter front and back

Often used in altars or on the dial case doors of late 17th and early 18th century longcase clocks, as well as the legs of French, Dutch and English furniture, these intricately carved twisted columns gained popularity in the Catholic regions of Europe and became a feature of the Baroque style.

9th century French Louis XIII style double barley twist writing table or desk

Rare 17th century Louis XIII period walnut buffet

While English collectors and dealers often refer to the twisted shape as barley sugar twist after the sweet barley sugar twist stick candy that resembled the 17th and early 18th century leg, the French prefer torsade or barley twist.

1. Louis XIII style barley twist dining chairs 2. 18th century Louis XIII style walnut armoire 3. French Louis XIII style barley twist side table 4. Rare Louis XIII open barley twist writing table

It's easy to add a French Twist to any decor! Try it...

À Bientôt!

Ever wonder whether it's a Rococo or Régence? Louis XV or Louis Philippe? A Bergère or Fauteuil? Each week, we will highlight a word, term, or phrase to help identify antique furniture, periods, and styles.

ENFILADE

en·fi·lade [en-fuh-leyd -lahd]
noun [en-fuh-leyd -lahd]
1. Architecture. an interconnected group of rooms arranged usually in a row with each room opening into the next.
2. Military. gunfire directed from a flanking position along the length of an enemy battle line.
verb (used with object), en·fi·lad·ed, en·fi·lad·ing.
1. Military. to attack with an enfilade.
Origin: 1695–1705; < French, from enfiler to thread on a string, pierce from end to end, enfilade, from Old French, to thread, from en- 'in, on' + fil 'thread'

Palace of Versailles; The Grand Trianon Interior

The French word enfilade in architecture refers to a series of salons or rooms, formally aligned with one another, that provide a sweeping view through the entire suite of rooms. The enfilade served to organize space and vision and is a common feature found in many of France's grand palaces from the Baroque period. Royal palaces often had separate enfiladed state apartments for the King and Queen — state rooms would be lined up on one axis while private apartments would be on another. The homes of noblemen (especially when hoping for a visit from Louis himself) also feature enfiladed suites.

Musée du Louvre Hall of Paintings

Often used to move large numbers of people along in procession, the enfilade is a common arrangement in museums and art galleries for this very reason. Enfilade is the reason that Le Louvre in Paris, originally a palace erected by King Louis XIII, makes a magnificent museum.

Louis XV style Francisque Chaleyssin painted enfilade

An enfilade also refers to a piece of furniture, usually a buffet, in which the cabinet doors reveal connected compartments in a row. It is a long buffet and must have at least three or more cupboard doors. Enfilades add stature to a room with their length and the fact that many are tall.

Interior of Louis XV style Francisque Chaleyssin painted enfilade

Exceptional Mercier Freres Louis XVI style Cuban flamed mahogany enfilade

French people often prefer the higher ones to the lower ones, and think nothing of serving off one that is over forty inches high. It's all about the look...not ease of use!

À Bientôt!