Last Sunday I accompanied an American friend to the famed Marche aux Puces at Porte de Clignacourt. Usually I stay away from this flea market, as items often are overpriced for the tourist trade. But at Marche Vernaison I found a treasure trove of old documents, typeface letters, vintage post cards, French franc price tags and band sheet music, as well as a red tole tray - all for reasonable prices. My friend also found some lovely pieces, including an exquisite 19th-century Black Forest jewelry box, a Limoges pill box and a decorative perfume bottle.
This document was written and notarised in 1679 and contains several handwritten addendums and official stamps to prove it.
This bill of sale was written in 1829, with amendments notarised in 1834.
A bill of sale under the reign of Napoleon. Note the "imperial" reference.
A document dated 18 May, 1782 fills eight pages, with several amendments. The magnifying glass is bakelite from the 1940s.
A bill of sale dated 17 June, 1781 is seven pages long.
The documents were found rolled up and stuffed in various glass scientific beakers at Marche aux Puces, Porte de Clignacourt. The 19th-century tole tray also came home with me.
More typeface letters and printer's trim to add to my collection. The vendor had an entire alphabet of letters like the large "A," but the price was too steep.
Heavy board price tags in French francs from an upscale department store were found at Marche Paul Bert.
Sheet music for various band instruments will be used in decoupage and collage projects.
i am so jealous! i want them all. mostly i am envious of your fine adventure collecting such treasures. good for you!
Posted by: somepinkflowers | 25 April 2007 at 03:53
Those old documents are quite a treasure! I love the writing ... *sigh* Love the sheet music, too!
Posted by: Lynda | 24 April 2007 at 17:19
Have I told you (lately) that I love your blog?*
+to be sung in the slightly-nasal manner of a great country singer....
Posted by: pepek | 24 April 2007 at 16:28
Isn't it amazing how beautiful the written word can be, ever when it transcribes music? I've always been fascinated by typography. Thanks for sharing these.
-- f
Posted by: footpad | 24 April 2007 at 05:45
What a treasure trove! I used old sheet music to decoupage drawers on an old dresser. I do have a penchant for letters as well, especially that pricey “A”! Beautiful items!
Posted by: giggles | 23 April 2007 at 21:01
Oh I wish people still wrote like that!! Who knew plain old sheet music & sheets of writing could be so BEAUTIFUL??!! wOw
Posted by: [a} | 23 April 2007 at 18:54
Now, while I can admire the gorgeous armoire, this is what makes my heart race! The music sheets would look fantastic in collage or decoupage. Lucky you!! xoxox
Posted by: Colette | 23 April 2007 at 18:37
Wonderful treasures from the past! JP
Posted by: JanePoe (aka Deborah) | 23 April 2007 at 17:41
I knew you would find the bargains though Marche Vernaison is the place to find them. I love those price tags. I am back in Paris in June (with the car this time) so hopefully will bag some BIG bargains.
Posted by: Di Overton | 23 April 2007 at 08:31
Wonderful finds, Tara! What a treasure trove - it's probably a good thing for our bank account that I don't live near such amazing flea markets.
Looking forward to seeing the results of your collage collection. Hope you had a happy Earth Day! xo
Posted by: tinker | 23 April 2007 at 07:44
looking forward to seeing what you will be doing with those treasures!
Posted by: AscenderRisesAbove | 23 April 2007 at 05:43
its just fantastic to see these things!
I was S0 excited when I found newspaper dating from 1870 in a cedar chest of draws I had restored!
Posted by: simon | 23 April 2007 at 04:51
Tara-- Wow! These are truly exceptional! Gorgeous! Fascinating! Imagine the people who have beheld, held or longed for each article you found! I would have loved the letter J from the collection :-).
Keep posting your finds. . . I feel a vicarious thrill, as though I could be at Port de Vanves today. --Joan
Posted by: Joan O'Connor | 23 April 2007 at 02:21
Glorious Finds!!!
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!
Thanks for showing us!
Posted by: tongue in cheek | 23 April 2007 at 01:57
Tara, your blog is such a treasure trove...thanks for the shots of Normandy, which bring me back to our visit there on June 6, 2000. It was something to see elderly veterans who were so proud to attend the ceremonies in their honor...at the time I still didn't know my Uncle Walt had also been at Normandy. He told that story two years later, to my parents' amazement. Love the photos of the hotel and of course your finds, and I greatly appreciate your take on the French elections. Fascinating! K.
Posted by: Karen DeGroot Carter | 23 April 2007 at 01:13
Tara,
What a fortuitious sojourn for you. The handwriting alone make those documents works of art. The "A" is magnificent. Too bad the whole set was priced prohibitively.
rel
Posted by: rel | 22 April 2007 at 23:50
I adore the heavy board price tags and the tole tray - to die for. But what I really really covet are the typeface letters, especially the A.
I was at this flea market years ago and even then, it seemed like the prices were high.
I always love your market adventures even if I'm drooling with envy. (=
Posted by: kristen | 22 April 2007 at 23:36
Very, very cool finds, I especially loved the sheet music! XXOO
Posted by: Tammy | 22 April 2007 at 22:18
You always seem to find the neatest stuff on your antique excursions! Thanks for sharing... I haven't made it to any of the marchés aux puces yet and these photos make me want to go!
Posted by: The Bold Soul | 22 April 2007 at 21:33
Oh oh oh ... I want to come back and photograph these documents too :) Wicked I am but I love them!
Lovely photographs, thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Di | 22 April 2007 at 21:03
I love these pages. I could stare at them for long periods of time. Why is that? Maybe it's the lost art of calligraphy and scripted writing with ink and pen. The seals and the details. They are so beautiful.
The typeface letters. Everything has become so modern and technical, and I think sometimes, the beauty of the creative process is lost, little by little. Today, in many ways, it's about how fast can we get it done.
Thanks for sharing these pieces. They stirred up in me an appreciation of of times where "hurrying up" did not dictate the process.
Posted by: cheeky | 22 April 2007 at 20:36
Oh my---you did exceptionally well! I am just now becoming interested in assemblage/collage, so my eyes lit up when I saw your treasures. Good for you!
Posted by: Southern Heart | 22 April 2007 at 19:49
Exceptional finds!
But WHAT A SHAME to use those historical documents for collage! Cutting them !?!
A real sacrilege indeed!
Tara responds:
Marie-Noelle, I won't be using the historical documents for collage; only the band music. If I used the historical documents, I would photocopy them and use the photocopies in collage! I agree that cutting the originals would be sacrilege.
Posted by: Marie-Noëlle | 22 April 2007 at 19:14
I've just come over from Vanessa's, these are wonderful tresures. I've take a quick scroll down your posts and see that there is much to interest me.
Posted by: carolyn | 22 April 2007 at 18:18
wow Tara, what treasures you find...what fantastic art they are unto themselves. I want to see the art YOU create from them one day. Oh to go a hunting treasures with you!
XOXO
Posted by: Lisa Oceandreamer | 22 April 2007 at 18:02
The bills of sale of gorgeous Tara. They are artforms in themselves.
Posted by: AnnieElf | 22 April 2007 at 17:26
The documents make my heart skip a beat. How incredibly beautiful. I think I would rather find a paper treasure than almost anything else! You were very fortunate!
Posted by: Rebekah | 22 April 2007 at 17:25
Wow!! Lucky you. I agree that the St.Ouen market is very expensive, but I still love to look...and now you have proven, you never know what you will find! Those old documents are amazing.
Posted by: MyMelange | 22 April 2007 at 17:10
I would say you hit the JASKPOT, I can only imagine finding such gems..WOW.
XO
Kristen
Posted by: Kristen R | 22 April 2007 at 16:43
These are simply wonderful. what do you do with such wonderful finds?
Posted by: Jone | 22 April 2007 at 15:54
Gorgeous I love that calligraphy!
Posted by: Jeanne | 22 April 2007 at 15:19