Thanks to everyone who came out to see us and our Painted Edge line at AmericasMart last week. Suzanne is just in from her buying trip to France and England with some great stories and exclusive photos of our newest finds! This post begins a series that will chronicle each step of this memorable trip and give you an insider’s look at antique-buying in Europe. We’ll let Suzanne take it from here:

“I covered a lot of territory on this trip as I described in my last blog post starting in France with Chartres, Le Mans, Normandy and Brittany, and then on to London and the surrounding countryside. I crossed the channel again and went to the Paris flea market and the Avignon and Montpellier fairs.

“These fairs are for dealers only, and they call them “deballages” because all the dealers come with their trucks full of antiques, madly unload them at 8:00 a.m. sharp, and then pack up what didn’t sell about 3:00 p.m. and go home. My job is to be there before 8,  look inside their trucks for a preview, and then at the stroke of 8, run in at record speed and try to be the first to get the best pieces at the lowest price possible. I will do anything and go anywhere to find the best pieces for The Gables!”

My agent and I talking to an antique dealer in Chartres from whom we purchased a beautiful period Buffet Deux Corps.

The oldest butcher shop in the area dates back to the 17th century.

My highly anticipated visit to the landmark Chartres Cathedral, pictured in the background.

Dealers milling around early in the morning before the fair opens its doors.

Trucks of antiques being readied for the rush to unload at the deballage.

Stay tuned for the next installment of photos and stories from our antique-buying trip to Europe! Submit your e-mail address to receive updates and communication from The Gables Antiques blog.