08/23/2026
A couple of minutes from my AirBnb, I found a labyrinth of treasures.
The word Brocante comes from brocanter, to sell second-hand items, but it can be traced further back to the Dutch brok, meaning a fragment. Which I like even better, as a gatherer of fragments myself.
It was a feast for the eyes, clearly built slowly over years, maybe generations. Loads of beautiful things. Mostly, though, it was expensive, and some of the loveliest pieces weren’t for sale at all.
I bought a couple of frames. And then I went back a second time. Took more photos than I needed.
And came home with a handful of things that asked to come with me, a small wooden box, a little pole flag, a plaster hand, a pair of eyeglasses, an engraved leather case, a vintage photo, an old ice cream sign, two frames.
I like to think that objects like these don’t really belong to anyone… they just pass through hands that notice them for a while. And then go again.
Swipe to see what made the journey home with me.
allorobert.antiquites