French Flea Markets

• To "chiner" in French means to hunt for antiques. There is a connotation to the word indicating that one loves pawing through incredible piles of old junk at a marche aux puces (flea markets) for the perfect decorative accent - whether it might be antique, monogrammed table linens, a piece of old French faience to hang in the kitchen, an Art Deco airplane model or some useful, everyday object containing advertising copy of its period, perhaps an ashtray from the Ritz.

• Many antique lovers are, in truth, not chineurs - that is to say individuals who adore exploring chic antique shops at the Louvre des Antiquaires in Paris but would not be caught dead scrambling with the masses of people pouring off the metro on Saturday morning to plow through the flea market at Porte de Vanves.

• The spirit which one approaches French flea markets is key to enjoying the experience. If one expects to turn up an authentic 18th century piece - say a signed Louis XV fauteuil (armchair) -- for a song because the seller was ignorant - forget it. Actually, you have a better chance of winning Lotto. Even the most humble of dealers in France setting up a table on weekends in a quaint village in Provence knows quality when he sees it. And, if by some improbability, the dealer is so ill-informed as to the true value of a piece, there are always other knowledgeable buyers around to immediately scoop up under-priced pieces tout de suite.

• Understanding the antique dealer hierarchy is important. On the bottom of the dealer food chain are the pickers, those ambitious and often well-connected souls who scour local areas for estate sales, recent deaths of collectors, or desperate sellers needing a quick infusion of cash. Pickers normally do not retail these treasures, and thus can keep prices reasonable given their low operating expenses. They have a network of dealers - usually in their own region - to whom they sell. Pickers are usually very knowledgeable about the retail value of a piece. For the beautiful, rare or truly ancient piece, they sell to the best regional dealers, but at a tolerable price. The middle-range products - such as linens, faience and interesting items of decorative value - might be sold to a local dealer who specializes in those type of items, or a reputable weekend dealer who rents space at the local marche aux puces. The junk left over in this culling process will wind up with an itinerant street seller.

• But, we are not finished yet with the dealer food chain. The larger and more prestigious dealers in the larger towns - and certainly those from Paris - are always scooping the local scene and buying the best pieces in the countryside for their urban - and very expensive - shops en ville. Thus, a 17th century carved trunk which recently was bought from an estate sale in Limoges by a savvy picker for say -  1,200 euros - travels to a shop in Tours where it is priced at  4,000 euros and ends up being listed on Boulevard St. Germain for  12,000 euros. Of course, that trunk also may have been finely and expertly restored along the way.

• In a nutshell, the weekend chineur or American tourist visiting for two weeks in France does not stand a chance of finding that dust-covered Rembrandt amidst a pile of junk.

• However, that should not take away the pleasures of hunting for treasure at French flea markets, because there are many interesting and beautiful pieces to be purchased and adored for years to come. Some examples:

• My beautiful friend Edith loves to "chiner" for simple oil paintings by unknown artists. In her Parisian apartment hangs a charming oil painting of anemones she found at the marche au Porte de Vanves for less than 100 euros.

• Old faience plates from Moustier with its distinctive motifs and colors, are positioned on moss green the walls of the Montmartre apartment of our friend Martine. A word of caution here on faience - most found flea markets will be newer pieces - often covered with a layer of dirt to cleverly - but not convincingly - convey age. Trickier are the marks found on the back of a plate - supposedly to show where the plate hanger has rubbed off the glaze over time - but again, cunningly manufactured now to indicate a provenance the piece does not have.

• You must adore to "chiner" to enjoy French flea markets, since - like flea markets the world over - the goods are mostly 20th century junk and antique reproductions worth a fraction of the real thing. If your partner is one of the aforementioned types who gravitates to the sanitized world of Left Bank shops, you will have greater enjoyment going alone or with another flea market addict.

• Can you discuss price? Absolutely, but it should be done with some delicacy and regard for the sensitivities of the seller. My wonderful new friend Indra, a Washington DC gal with a knowledge of U.S. flea markets, has recently moved to Paris and told me she was under the impressions that French dealers do not dicker over price.

• Like antique dealers the world over, the sticker price may not necessarily reflect what the seller will accept. If a piece has been languishing for some time, the dealer may be amenable to an under-retail offer. Similarly, if the dealer makes a very good purchase on a particular item and the profit margin is healthy, she may well share her good fortune with the client by accepting a lower-than-sticker-price offer.

• That said, one should not assume that the stated price is negotiable and use discretion when discussing price. Saying to a dealer "I don't think that chair is worth that much," or "why is that mirror so expensive?" will not favorable dispose a seller to lower her price. A better tactic would be to say, "I really love that antique table cloth, but it is more than I can afford to pay," or "that Louis XV commode is really fabulous, but it is out of my price range." This will give the dealer an opening to work with the client on price, if she is amenable to negotiating price. Or a more direct statement such as "would you be willing to accept an offer of  xxx for that Directoire armoire?" can often produce favorable results.

• Where to find Flea Markets in France? -- Of course, in Paris there is the famous Marche Aux Puces in St. Ouen at Porte Clignancourt. This market is no longer really a flea market, but rather home to serious dealers with beautifully decorated showrooms selling expensive pieces. However, buyers should beware here, there is much reproduction work being passed off as the real thing, and for expensive purchases, a wise buyer might have the piece vetted by a knowledgeable third party before laying out serious money. A particular favorite of ours is the flea market at Porte de Vanves, which operates on the street on Saturdays and Sundays and features mostly smalls. A very high percentage of items found here qualify as collectibles or flat-out junk, however, nice crystal, porcelain, faience pieces, along with antique linens, silverware and leather goods can be often found.

• Flea markets, antique salons and foires de brocantes can be found all throughout the country in every city, town and hamlet. Listings of times, dates and locations of such fun events may be found in the ParisScope, Figaro newspaper, guide books and internet sites.

Happy hunting!

Jane Pierce Losson
Interior Design Consulting