Majestic set of old patina anointed wooden anchors…

Over a bed in a New York City apartment

Designer Susan Ferrier worked with architect Bobby McAlpine…

“probably old signage or theater props…”

House Beautiful January 2009

Anchors in Bobby McAlpine’s Nashville home

House and Garden Feb. ’05

In Josephine Ryan’s new book “Essentially French: Homes with Classic French Style”

She visits several noted antique dealers including Appley Hoare…

Presiding over an incredible store in Belgravia’s Pimlico road in London, on treasure seeking trips

in the south of France with her daughter Zoe, Appley stumbled upon a derelict old farmhouse

between the ancient towns of Montpellier and Nîmes which they restored. Here her

collection of plaster finds build, are sold off, collected anew,

with a few favorites kept behind….

I love how the chair sits as found…in situ…

charming in its dressed down state.

Additional finds leaning into one another on the 19th c. weathered desk.

Collections of mirrors and other finds amass on the mantle, turtle embellished

bellows below, at the home of antique dealer Franck Delmarcelle…

whose antique shop Galerie Et Caetera opened in 1998

on the rue de Poitou in the Marais….

A penchant for taxidermy and religious artifacts….

Tweaking the gilded empire chandelier and studied rococo of the Louis XV table…

Take a tour  (and practice your French) here:

Franck Delmarcelle intérieur appartement

Unbelievably, an embarrassment of riches…

Franck has a blog here…

Delightful tones of birds and church bells as background.

Louis XVI Belgian linen upholstered chair with

19th century iron floral sconce…

Table lamp base made from chunky stair balustrade, a pair of fossilized stones

that resemble faces, petrified horses head…

Incredible antique found objects and the incredible antiquarians that find them…

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Photography for Essentially French by Claire Richardson

Last three photos from

http://franckdelmarcelle.blogspot.com/