The Best Vintage, Antique and Collectible Shops in Paris [Paperback]

Edith Pauly (Author), Sandrine Alouf (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 5, 2009

Antiques aficionados and rummagers of every stripe: call to mind dimly lit attics, trunks smelling of old leather, dusty cartons, and that indescribable tingle of suspense aroused by the idea of a hidden prize which has been lying there, biding its time, waiting for you to find it. If you follow the instructions we have mapped out for you, you might discover almost anything. . . Armed with this list of Paris addresses, carefully selected to fulfill all your desires, you’ll be equipped with what you need to search for the unknown, unexpected surprise, be it large or small. Paris still contains many mysterious secrets and magical places, which you’ll discover, to your wonderment, as you explore its secondhand stores that are brimming with all sorts of decorative curiosities. At the rear of a courtyard or sheltered by a nineteenth-century arcade, in a Gothic stone basement or in an ordinary-looking shop, you will find a cornucopia of delights at a variety of prices, always with charm.

Fifty-eight antique, vintage, and curiosity shops–as well as the Saint-Ouen flea market–are profiled and photographed in this lavish guide to all things collectible in Paris.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Paris is many delightful things, one of which is shopping for antiques and collectibles. For that pursuit, this little guide is indispensable: 58 antique, vintage, and curiosity shops are profiled.” —Booklist

"Do you want to know where Karl Lagerfeld and Philippe Starck shop? Where to buy Bavarian tea sets? How to find a shop that sells antique doorknobs, and has more than 5,000 to choose from? You’ll find the answers to these questions, and tons more inspiration, in The Best Vintage, Antique and Collectible Shops in Paris, by Edith Pauly, with gorgeous photographs by Sandrine Alouf." --Irish Times

"Part of the enduring appeal of antique hunting is its serendipity. You can never be sure what you will find. And in a city such as Paris that is especially so. 'Paris still contains many mysterious secrets and magical places,' writes author Edith Pauly. Here she describes nearly 60 of them, including shops that specialize in china and housewares, antique kitchen utensils, vintage clocks and even a toy store for grown-ups. The gorgeous color photographs by Sandrine Alouf, beautifully laid out, accentuate the text." --The Chicago Tribune

"Shopping for vintage items offers two benefits: bargains and uniqueness. And when the shops are as appealing and eclectic as the 60 or so featured in this handy little guide, there's a third attraction: fun." --France Magazine

About the Author

Edith Pauly is the author of a book for children, Gigi, la grenouille qui voulait voire la mer, and is the French correspondent to Interni, an Italian design magazine.

Sandrine Alouf is a French photographer whose photographs appear in Paris Chic & Trendy and Boutique & Chic Hotels in Paris (both published by The Little Bookroom). Her installation of photographs of clouds along the platform of the RER Luxembourg station in Paris was called A ciel ouvert (Open to the Sky).

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Little Bookroom (May 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892145731
• ISBN-13: 978-1892145734
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.8 x 5.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #298,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Les bons trucs, April 18, 2010

By 

Blue in Washington "Barry Ballow" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: The Best Vintage, Antique and Collectible Shops in Paris (Paperback)

A great guide for the inveterate browser. Think something between the upscale Louvres des Antiquaires and the junkiest Parisian flea markets and you'll get the sense of what this well-researched and very nicely illustrated shopping guide is focusing on. Author Edith Pauly is into stuff that is antique or vintage or maybe new or newish, but always cool, funky, decorative, useful and/or off-beat. It all looks pretty interesting as laid out in this 238 page, six inch square book. Not small (what reviewer thought that?), but portable if you're on an all day shopping crawl.

Store/market names and addresses are provided along with hours, websites and Metro stops. Index provided at the back of the book. The only thing missing is price range, but you can assume that most of the stores listed are relatively downscale compared to the afore-mentioned Louvres des Antiquaires and old-line Left Bank antique shops. Just about every neighborhood in Paris is represented in these listings. "The Best Vintage..." was published in 2008, so it would be a good idea to check out the websites given to be sure that stores are still in business before making the trip there.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Cute, but useless, September 29, 2010

By 

Renee Pruett - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Best Vintage, Antique and Collectible Shops in Paris (Paperback)

This makes a nice little book to sit around for decoration. Pretty cover. Information inside is useless and outdated. It seems like the author is pushing high-end shops. I keep the book out because it looks nice, but I will never use it. I know Paris and the shops well and I didn't find this interesting or helpful.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unusal and helpful, October 5, 2010

By 

Lucille Magilicutty "fashion fanatic" (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best Vintage, Antique and Collectible Shops in Paris (Paperback)

If you are looking for some out of the way shopping spots, unique antique dealers, flea market finds, I recommend this book. The size is just big enough to fit in your rucksack or cross body bag. Definitely get this one if you are a shopper and want some new and different shops to see.