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The Mariner is a man of exquisite taste.
A man of style.
A man of many talents.
From the mundane to the utilitarian to the obscure.
Through his eyes the past is reimagined.
Reinterpreted.
He breathes new life into the castoffs of medicine and science.
Appreciates form and function in equal measure.
He sails across oceans.
Curates and collects.
An inner compass that always finds true north.
An unerring eye for detail.
And light.
Finds promise.
For tomorrow.
The bread and butter of the brocante.
Small finds that make my heart sing.
Antique wooden boxes for posting valuables. I recently bought a cardboard box full of these old boxes that someone had peeled the labels off of, and chipped away the wax seals. Ah well. In their next life they will be stained and waxed and nailed to the wall, a sea of tiny shadow boxes housing strange goods.
Reinvention.
Reincarnation.
The middle initials of the brocante.
Antique enamel plaques, just the right size.
Pharmacie pots, though this label is a little too nouveau-deco for my tastes. It's thisclose to acceptable, but the inner-curator is still undecided.
But this one?
Lovely.
Perfect patina.
Script and graphics and zinc lid just right.
Verrrrrry old.
Hand-forged brass protractor.
Miniscule numbers, etched just so.
Brass seals with those irresistable turned wood handles.
And this petit pot?
Exquisite.
Tomorrow, someone else's treasures.
Be forewarned, I am going to gush.
First of all, thank you. Thank you for stopping by. Thank you for staying awhile. And thank you for coming back now and then.
Thank you for your emails and your comments. Please know that every single one is read and appreciated. And not just because you say nice things, though you do. If you feel the need to leave some constructive criticism I will read and appreciate that too.
It has been duly noted, dear Claire, that you find plastinated organs unfathomable, and I shall not leave any about your bedroom when you next come to stay.
In answer to several queries about the enamel hotel numbers, YES! There will be some for sale soon. A kind and kindred soul is helping me link Etsy with la Belle Brocante (in a visually pleasing way, of course!), and I will add to the listings there soon. Like many of you, I just need a few more hours in each day.
And finally, if you helped decipher the matter of the heart, please email your address. Tiny brocante packages will be going out later in the week.
xoxo
So it is a heart. Un coeur.
And yes, it is a porcine heart. Un coeur de porc.
And yes, it is preserved. Un coeur de porc conservée.
But it is not pickled. Nor dehydrated. Nor bottled in formaldehyde.
It is plastinated.
I can't wait to show it to you, but alas, a few more days to wait.
In the meantime, Merci. I have enjoyed your thoughts, ideas, and questions. All of them. And all of you.
Please email me your mailing addresses, and I will send you that lovely little piece of 1800s French script. I have many to share.
I look forward to hearing from you.
xoxo
This is getting serious!
The sleuthing is reaching epic proportions, and the end is in sight.
Here's the latest:
Is (was) the mammal a primate? No.
Carnivorous? No.
Omnivorous? Yes.
Artiodactyla? Yes.
Lagomorpha? No.
The organ, is it cardiovascular? YES!!!
Digestive? No.
Respiratory? No.
Endocrine? No.
Only one more step to go ... WHOSE cardiovascular organ is it? And WHY is rare or special or delicate in its current state when it isn't usually?
So. It is usually common, but is unusual in its current state. It was once alive. A lively fauna. But now it is quiet and delicate, softish, and small enough to hold in one hand. And no, it is NOT an albino smurf!
It is not from the sea. It is not fur or feather. Or eggshell or bone. It is not insect or amphibian. It is not toothy, and was not puked up by an owl. It is not of rodent persuasion.
I am awaiting its arrival. More specifically, I am holding my breath until it passes through Customs.
It's coming from Texas. That doesn't matter, but thank you Texas, all the same.
... she sails out the door to take pictures.
Back soon!
xoxo
While May 1st is the day for muguet in France, further north we have to wait several more weeks for that heady scent, and the hopes and wishes that accompany it.
White waxy blossoms. Brilliant green foliage. My own petit muguet are making a break for it this year, leaving the protected shade beneath the bamboo and honeysuckle, and sprinting across the lawn.
Your sleuthing powers are developing nicely.
You are making progress.
Keep it up, dear friends.
... and I appreciate that you would have me engaged, pregnant, and married off in no time, even though that is NOT where this is leading!
By now I assume you know a bit about me.
By now I also assume that you're here for the same reason I am.
Brocante finds.
Old stuff.
So guess what Ms. Brocantey-Pants found now?
I will give you a few days. Or a week.
You can ask questions, but I'll only answer yes or no.
You can make guesses.
I'll post your guesses and questions to keep you up to date.
You reeeeeallllly should play along with this one. If you do, I'll send you something nice. And old. And flat. Written in the 1800s. And I'll eventually share photos of 'The Find'.
Go on then, be brave. What could have the Belle Brocante household in a complete tizzy?
Is it here or will it be arriving? No. Yes.
Is it printed? No.
Is it originally from France? No.
Is it mainly light in colour (ivory, cream, white, or tan)? Yes.
Will we ooh and aah when we see it? Ummm...some of you will. Some of you probably (definitely) not.
Does it have a photo on it? No.
Is it something that is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand? Yes.
Or large enough to require extra hands to carry it? No.
Is it jewelry? No.
Is it a new baby? No.
Is it a new puppy or kitten? No.
Is it a bone or a tooth? No. No.
Was it once a living thing? Yes.
Is it an owl pellet? No.
Is it in the insect or amphibian realm? No. No.
Does it have feathers or is it part of the plant family? No. No.
Is it an egg or egg shell? No.
Is it a skeleton? No.
Is it a type of fabric? Is it soft? No. Yes. Ish.
Is it a seashell? Did it come from the sea? No. No.
Is it extremely rare? No. Not in its original state. More rare in its current state.
Is it a living thing? No. Was it a living thing? Yes.
Is it a cabinet de curiosités artefact? Yes. But it is not antique.
Is it a pelt? No.
Is it a cloche with something soft, smallish, previously living, and more rare now in it? No. It is not a cloche. Yes. it is something soft, smallish, previously living, and now more rare. And I will probably put it in a cloche to keep it safe. Once it arrives.
Is it a mouse? No.
Is (was) it flora? Fauna? No. YES!
Is it a bat? No.
Weasel? Rat? Albino Smurf? No. No. And No.
Mammal? Reptile? Arachnid? Yes. Part of a one at least. No. No.
Embryo? No.
Is it part of a mammal in itself? Or something made from one? Yes. No.
Shedded snake skin? Preserved tarantula? No. No.
Plant based? Human based? No. No.
Produced from something living or something that was living? Yes.
Is it an organ? A brain? YES!!!! No.
Is it a wasps' nest? A dessicated cacti? No. No.
Is it a bladder, or a gall bladder? Non. Et non.
