French Details of the Nineteen Century

A collection of nineteen-century French lockets. Holding on to memories that no longer have names. One has a locket of hair behind the image. Where do you keep your memories?

French antique broken detail on a frame, that reflects beauty to me.

Early nineteen century graffiti on a stone wall. The name of the person, "Voisin," also means, "neighbor," in French.

As I was eating my French croissant, I realized that it has the same look today as they did over a hundred years ago. Do good things need to change?

Turn of the century packets of mini black and white postcards of France.

A carved walnut wood frame, with worn silk upholstery, make up this nineteen-century, French antique chair. It sits disregarded at a second-hand store.

French antique cafe au lait bowl on a cotton hand towel waiting on a marble counter.

Old links painted new, hanging out over the old port of Marseilles.

Links that hold the past to the present, that connect you to me...Thank you for reading my blog, for encouraging me to take photos, to write, and share my world with you.

"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love." Saint Augustin. I love old things...I wonder what that means?

Comments

[MyMelange]

Ms. Corey...now you have done it! A croissant and a cafe au lait bowl all in one post! How I want be enjoying that in a French cafe right now. Such lovely pictures...and I keep my memories in my heart!

[berrie]

No! Thank you for doing what you do...I think YOU are the link that has brought lots of us together!...um scuse the croissant crumbs (did I ever tell you how much I love those)?xoxox

[Penny]

I love the cafe au lait bowl sitting on the towel which is on the marble. Such a serene sight -- it relaxes you before you even sit down to enjoy your cafe au lait. Thank you for being you -- for sharing your memories, your words and your pictures.

[susan]

i like those photos corey! so pretty. the best thing in life is not things, it's memories, i keep them close to me.

[shabbyinthecity]

It means you and I are a lot alike!
We don't cast things away because they are faded or cracked...no sir. We store them, display them TRADE them, move them...you get the picture!

[Shannon]

My grandmother has a gold locket that she has worn since her son (my uncle) died in a car accident 34 years ago when he was 22 yrs old. Inside contains a picture of him and a lock of his hair that she cut while he was laying in his casket.

She told me she wanted to be buried wearing that locket.

I wonder what the story is behind the reason for the lock of hair behind the picture in the first photo you posted.

[susanna]

You have such a keen eye for finding interesting things and a very good eye for capturing them on film (or digital file?). I absolutely love the photo of the 19th C. grafitti.

[colleen]

The photos you take have a way of intoxicating me in the same way that poetry can.

I have a very old red box with an embossed top and a snap to shut it that my father gave me. It's full of old family letters.

I dislike the whole "new and improved" thing. I mean I know we humans like novelty and variety but we also like simplicity and trust that somethings won't change.

[Darlene]

Encouraging you is like breathing...easy to do, and very necessary. You don't give yourself enough credit Corey.

Reading your blog makes my mornings!

p.s. gosh what I could do with those turn of the century packets of mini black and white postcards!

[Miz Booshay]

Again, more lovely images.
You have a great eye!

The very best things, like French croissants, should never change.

[joyce]

That croissant had me drooling and I love the white bowl. Simple is often the best.

[T Sheeley]

I love old things too Corey! Each picture I looked at today I just kept saying Ooohhh...I want that chair, I love the bowl and towel, the old lockets, Ooohh just everything is great. I am forever grateful you share these treasures!!

Teresa
xo

[ParisBreakfasts]

What a treasure trove this morning!
Are these all from your collections?
No wait, it can't be -
chains..I don't think so :)

[Kristen R]

I just love starting my day with the incredible images you give us! How I wish I could find french lockets here...perfect additions to any jewlery piece.

Of course I love the cafe au lair bowl as well.

XO
Kristen

[simple me]

I keep my memories in my heart and no good things don't need to change.
Thank you for your blog Corey!

That image of the engraved name on the stone wall looks like roots...and I love the simplicity of the white bowl and towel.

[clarice]

Corey I love how you can take such a small simple detail and make such and beautiful and interesting picture. Thank you Clarice

[constance]

The Croissant. It's perfection. Please don't let anyone change the timeless perfection of a this magnificent wonder!!

Amendment: Chocolate or almonds and almond paste is permissible. ;-)

[Darla]

Like dropping a pebble in a pool, seeing or reading about someone elses memories ripples out as we each tell or recall our own.

You are a memory maker yourself Corey!

Darla

[cruststation]

I am drawn to the graffiti on the stone wall, such a beautiful photo. The postcard packets, I love them (is it because I am graphically inclined?) The walnut chair is amazing!

That croissant mmm delicious, it looks like it's ready to melt in the mouth-why is it that we don't get such beautiful croissants here?

[Alsion Whittington]

Such wonderful photographs, Corey. That chair, doesn't it want to come to Virginia for a while? We have a nice cat to keep it company. And he doesn't scratch the furniture, we promise.

It might sound strange, but I have a terrible memory. I don't mean details but I forget huge portions of my life: important things, people, places, activities and events. The worst is the people, though -- forgetting that you were once close to someone is a terrible thing.

So I store my life in my journals. Shelves and shelves of journals. And a box full of things I keep meaning to put in a scrapbook.

[kim (via Pearl)]

Oh thank YOU for blogging. I love stopping by and seeing what you've imagined, dreamed and remembered.

[kim (via Pearl)]

Oh thank YOU for blogging. I love stopping by and seeing what you've imagined, dreamed and remembered.

[Amy]

I just found your blog recently. To say that I love it is an understatement. Sitting down to read is a few minutes of calm in an otherwise stressful day.

[Amy Shaw]

This post reminds me: the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is having an exhibition this summer of fashion by Paul Poiret, the French designer who virtually invented that gorgeous 1920s Parisian style any Francophile loves. There's a great story in American Vogue about it this month!

[Flights of Fab Fashion Fancy]

Some day our pictures will be among the unnamed, unidentifiable! And, our things will be cast out into the world-history unknown! All we really have is what is in our hearts.

[Françoise]

Ah ! le croissant du matin avec un bon café chaud, assise à la terrasse ensoleillée d'un bistrot et regarder les gens passer ...
c'est un délice bien français !

[Katie]

Wow, I really, really love those lockets. Do you own those or did you just see them at a fleamarket?
_______________________________________

Hi Katie,

Yes they are mine. I usually only photo things that are mine, unless otherwise noted.

[Beachy]

You are a wonder-woman to me, Corey! I am glad I am able to share the world as you so inquisitively see it through your own eyes! You have sold me on France! (I still am trying to track down hubby's ancestral roots there - so far I've gone back to 1890's Quebec. I probably have a LONG way to go!)

[cheeky]

I absolutely love those lockets. I think I'm going to have to get me one. Soo beautiful. I've always loved the idea of a locket.
I'm going to say that lovers of things old have a desire to connect with the past and desire to take wonder in all that came before us.

[Elaine]

My memories are in my heart but I share them with my grandchildren so that the memories of my loved ones will live on after I am gone. I think that they will do the same. Thank you for being here, every day, sharing and caring so much.

[tut-tut]

You have a good eye for what matters.

[ally bean]

My heart is full of happy memories. My head is full of hurtful memories. I like my heart better.

[tommiea]

I have a locket....a gift from my sister in law....I should put my favorite photo in it....

thanks for the reminder to do this!

[Stephanie]

Oh please....thank you more!

The graffiti, fabulous image!!

xo
s

[Freefalling]

Corey, I can see you are really popular and no wonder! Your world is beautiful. I like the way your eyes work! Thanks for the inspiration

[Gypsy Purple-Chamara]

Links and roots amd memories...Stunning post as always Corey

[carlene]

all so beautiful Corey...thank you!

[[a}]

Gorgeous aesthetics post.. esp. love the links pic.

[Paris Parfait]

Lovely photos, Corey! And what a beautiful chair.

[rich]

Nice to see you again. Great stuff as usual.

[Marilyn]

Your croissant photo just made me realize that they sort of resemble sea shells...