Merchant storage crate
Merchant storage crate
A brilliant old French wooden merchant crate from Daburon Frères, a Paris food merchant specialising in truffles and foie gras in the early 20th century. The original faded red branding remains across the front, including the Daburon Frères name and illustrations from their Marie brand. Even better, an original Daburon Frères merchant and Amien transport label are still attached, advertising truffles, foie gras and charcuterie from their premises at Les Halles in Paris. A proper piece of French commercial history that also happens to make incredibly useful storage – fill it with logs beside the fire, shoes in a hallway, toys in a playroom or blankets in the sitting room.
H:35cm W:75cm D:45cm
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More About This Piece
Daburon Frères were based at 12 Rue Vauvilliers in the Halles Centrales area of Paris and specialised in the wholesale trade of truffles and foie gras. Surviving company advertising from the early 1900s promotes their “Marie” brand of truffled foie gras, the same branding that can still be seen faded across this crate. The company also operated from Périgueux, right in the heart of one of France’s best-known truffle-producing regions.
The original paper label inside is particularly good. It advertises “Truffes, Foies Gras” alongside the Marie brand and gives the Paris Halles Centrales address. Rather than removing or restoring any of this, we’ve left the old printing, marks and labels exactly as they are.
Condition
Good used condition for an old working merchant crate. There is plenty of wear, fading, knocks, marks and old holes to the timber from its previous life. The original red printing is faded but remains visible, while the paper merchant label inside has staining, fading, tears and losses. All of this is part of the crate as found and has been retained.
Why We Love It
The original paper label did it for us. Finding an old French crate is one thing, but being able to trace it back to a truffle and foie gras merchant trading from Les Halles in Paris makes this far more interesting. And it hasn’t become something you’re frightened to use – chuck logs, shoes or toys in it and let it carry on doing a job.
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INTERIORS FOR LIVING
Home should be somewhere to gather, create memories and enjoy life's simple moments. That's why we thoughtfully source one-of-a-kind antiques and design handcrafted homewares to help you create a home that's full of character and designed around the way you live