Tea at Trianon: Items You Should Always Buy at Flea Markets

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Friday, October 20, 2023

Items You Should Always Buy at Flea Markets

From Veranda:

We totally understand the appeal of purchasing a new objet d’art or falling in love with a chic piece at a designer showroom, but you have to admit that there’s something undeniably addictive about finding a one-of-a-kind item at a secondhand store. You can buy vintage decor all over these days, from specialized websites to your local antique store, but going to a flea market can bring about so many possibilities to find a dream item that you wouldn’t be able to anywhere else—not to mention, it can save you a pretty penny in the process!
“Flea markets require the patience of sifting, but the rewards of a special find can make the effort well worth it,” says Ksenya Malina, principal at Time & Place Interiors. “Visiting a flea market also makes for a fun pastime, whether it's a hobby to keep up in your own city or a way to explore new places during your travels.” You can also find more affordable, unique options at flea markets—particularly vintage finds that haven’t gone through the whole examination process that secondhand stores require.
While this means you might have to examine your new item a bit more closely, it also gives you the opportunity to find some hidden gems at bargain prices—and designers know this. We asked the experts to tell us the categories that they never skimp on when they plan a trip to the flea market, and they were quick to deliver on their favorites. Below, check out the seven items designers say you should always buy at flea markets. (Read more.)