French Antiques Vocabulary : the Practical Guide to use at St Ouen Flea Market
Wandering around at Saint Ouen Flea Market Les Puces de Saint-Ouen in Paris, the capital’s iconic market is a little like stepping back in time. Shopping at St Ouen Flea Market is also the best way to immerse yourself in French art de vivre.
Weither you are looking precisely for a piece of furniture, looking to unearth the gems or just wandering around in the different markets, practicing your French with un antiquaire (antique dealer), strolling in St Ouen Flea Market is a great opportunity that must not be missed.
This week, I am sharing with you useful Antiques French vocabulary and also French expressions to use with antiques dealers if you ask information about a piece of furniture or if you are in the process of bargaining for a price.
1 - Saint-Ouen Flea Market
Saint-Ouen Flea Market
Le marché aux Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen ( Saint Ouen flea market) is the largest concentration of antique dealers and second-hand dealers in the world, totaling more than 5 million visitors per year.
Fifth tourist site in France located at a door north of Paris opposite the 18th arrondissement, it is held every Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
The history of the Saint-Ouen Flea Market dates back to the late 19th century. The market's origins can be traced back to the 19th century when rag-and-bone collectors and itinerant traders used to gather in the area to buy and sell used and secondhand goods. The term "marché aux puces" literally means "flea market," and it likely derived from the fact that secondhand items sold at the market might have been infested with fleas.
The market started to formalize in the late 19th century when local authorities began to regulate the traders and establish designated areas for them to set up their stalls. It was officially recognized and organized in the early 20th century. Over the decades, the Saint-Ouen Flea Market grew in size and popularity.
It is an original experience of popular Paris, a walk full of surprises and a gold mine for lovers of vintage pieces or antiques ...
2 - French antiques Vocabulary
A - pieces of furniture
A
Une armoire - a tall cupboard or wardrobe with shelves, hooks, hanging space and sometimes drawers, most often seen in a two-door style.
Une applique - wall lamp
L’argenterie - silverware
B
Un bas-relief - sculpture in which the carved decoration projects outward from the solid flat background.
Un fauteuil bergère - literally, "shepehrdess." A large, comfortable 18th century French armchair, first made in the Louis XV style, circa 1725.
Une bibliothèque - from the French word for library. A piece of furniture with glass-fronted doors and several shallow shelves designed to hold books.
Des boiseries - sculptured paneling created for the walls of the finest French palaces and grand rooms throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
Un bureau - desk
Un bougeoir - candelstick
Un buffet- the buffet began as an open stack of shelves, the number of which demonstrated the owner's social status as a means of exhibiting wealth.Baldaquin - canopy
C
Un canapé - refers to a type of 18th century French sofa, originally curtained.
Un cartonnier - 18th century cabinet of French design.
Une chaise longe - chaise lounge
Un coffre - box
Une coiffeuse - dressing-table
Une chaise lounge - a long chair designed for relaxing and semi-reclining, usually upholstered.
Un chandelier - candelabra, a decorative lighting fixture, suspended from the ceiling, with arms branching out to hold candles and later, gas and electric lights.
Une commode - low chest of drawers with a wood or marble top, raised on legs. Intended to be set against a wall. Literally, "comfortable" or "convenient."
Un cadre - frame
Une console - console table
Des couverts : cutlery
D
Un divan - divan, coach
E
Un écritoire - a writing desk with compartments and drawers, concealed by a hinged flap, on a chest of drawers or plain stand.
Une étagère - shelve
F
Un fauteuil - one of the most common styles of French chairs. An upholstered armchair with open sides that came into popularity under the reign of Louis XIV.
G
Un gueridon - occasional or side table
L
Un lustre - chandelier or ceiling light
Un lit - bed
Une lampe - lampe
Un lampadaire - floor lamp
M
Une malle - trunk
Un mascaron - head of a fantastical man, woman, or animal.
Une méridienne - sofa with one arm higher than the other.
Un meuble - piece of furniture
Un meuble de rangement - storage cabinet
Le mobilier - furniture
Un miroir - mirror
P
Une pendule - clock
Un paravent - folding screen
Un pied de meuble - leg of a chair
R
La restauration ( d’un meuble) - furniture restauration
S
Un sofa - sofa
Un secrétaire - writing desk
Une suspension - ceiling light
T
Une tabouret -French name for upholstered footstools or benches.
Une table de chevet - bedside table
Une table à jeu : gaming table
Une table basse - coffee table
Une table de salle à manger - dining table
Une table desserte - sideboard
Une table gigogne - stacking tables
Un tableau - painting
Un tapis - carpet
Une tenture - wall covering
Un tiroir : drawer
V
Un vaisselier - hutch or china cabinet. A buffet deux corps used to store dishes. Comes from the French word "vaisselle," meaning dishes.
Un vase - vase
Une vasque - bowl
Une vitrine - window
B - Types of materials
La porcelaine - porcelain
Des boiseries - wooden panellings
La céramique - ceramic
La faïence - glazed earthenware
Le textile - textile
Le plastique - plastic
L’aluminium - aluminium
Le bronze - bronze
Le cuivre - copper
Le cuir - leather
L’acier - steel
Le chrome - chromium
Le laiton - brass
Le verre - glass
Le crystal - crystal
Métal brossé - brished metal
Le rotin - rattan
L’ivoire - ivory
Le marbre - marble
La nacre - mother-of-pearl
C- Types of woods
Les bois précieux - precious woods
Les bois exotiques - exotic woods
Un bois massif - solid wood
Le citronnier - lemon tree wood
Le noyer - walnut tree
Le chêne - oak tree
L’acajou : mahogany tree
Le chêne : oak tree
Le palissandre : rosewood, palissander
L’ébène : ebony
D- Types of techniques
La marqueterie - marquetry (adj marqueté : inlaid)
L’orfèvrerie - goldsmiting - gold work - silversmithing - silver work
La faience - tin glazed earthenware
L’émail - enamel ( adj émaillé – enamel)
La laque – lacquerwork ( adj laqué - lacquered
Un placage - (wood) veneer ( adj - plated)
Une incrustation - inlay ( adj incrusté - inlaid)
La gravure - woodcutting ( adj grave - engraved)
E- Types of shapes
Rond( e ) - round, circular
Oval( e ) - oval
Rectangulaire -rectangular
Carré (e )- square
Plat(e) - flate
Bombé(e)- rounded
Galbé ( e) - curved outline
F- Different styles
Le mobilier Directoire (1789 -1799) : Directoire style
Le mobilier Empire 1804 – 1814 : Empire style
Le mobilier second empire (1848 - 1870) Second Empire style
Le mobilier art nouveau (1900) : Art Nouveau furniture
Le mobilier art déco ( 1910 - 1930) : Art deco furniture
Le mobilier années 1930 - 1940 : fourties style
Le mobilier des années 50 : fifties style
Le mobilier des années 70 : Seventies style
Le mobilier industriel : industrial furniture
Le mobilier scandinave : Scandinavian furniture
Le mobilier chinois : Chinese furniture
Un style épuré, minimaliste : streamline style
Un style baroque : baroque style
Un style fonctionnel : functional style
Un style industriel: industrial style
G- Useful French terms & expressions to use with antique dealers
Ca date de quelle époque ? - what time period does it date from?
Est-ce que vous avez une carte ? - do you have a business card?
Est-ce que vous expédiez à l’étranger ? - do you ship abroad ?
Quel est le délai de livraison ? - what is the delivery term ?
Est-ce que vous pouvez encore baisser le prix ?- can you lower the price ?
C’est vendu - it has been sold
Il y a des traces d’usure - there wear marks
Je voudrais le faire estimer - I would like to make it appraised
Discuter les prix, marchander, négocier - to discuss prices
Chiner - antiquing to look for items to buy in order to sell up
Dans son jus / dans l’état - meaning the object has not been renovated
Restauré- meaning the object has been renovated
Marchander un prix - to negociate a price
3- Sections Inside Puce de Saint-Ouen
The Saint-Ouen Flea Market is a sprawling complex with more than a dozen individual markets (Antica, Biron, Cambo, Dauphine, l'Entrepôt, Jules-Vallès, Malassis, le Passage, Paul Bert and Serpette, l'Usine and Vernaison), five shopping streets Pucières (Rue Jules Vallès, Rue Lecuyer, Rue Paul Bert, Rue des Rosiers and Impasse Simon) and merchant unpacking on the sidewalks, each with its own identity, forming a picturesque and friendly whole.
Marché Vernaison is a market where you will find a wide range of vintage clothing, accessories, and furniture.
Marché Malik is known for its diverse selection of antique and decorative items and Clothing!
Marché Dauphine is a treasure trove for art lovers, with galleries showcasing exquisite artwork.
Marché Biron offers high-end antique furniture and collectibles.
Marche Paul Bert is my favorite because it’s easy to navigate and very beautiful.
