Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Open House at our local firehall

 All through May this year John and I passed the seemingly closed Rue de Sévigné firehouse on our way to the Saint-Paul metro station. A poster advertised a June open-house.
Then on June 9th the door was open and we were treated to a knot of sapeur-pompiers gathered outside.
Rue de Sévigné runs north from rue Saint-Antoine with the Église Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis at its foot. 
On June 17th we found a fire vehicle parked by the firehall and the open house underway.
A young fireman was helping kids  climb into the cab of the fire truck and and try out the seat and steering wheel.
This little visitor, in his own fireman suit, was thrilled to find himself behind the steering wheel.
Inside huge fire hoses snaked through the courtyard,
and firemen helped the kids hold and point them. 
This lad was being shown how to adjust the nozzle, changing the water from a jet to a spray.
This fireman in his waterproof trousers was having as much fun as the young visitors.
A favourite activity was to climb, in the company of a real fireman, the ladder extending from the roof of a fire truck to a high window across the courtyard.
This young lady was eager to try.
This little boy climbed while his mom watched from below.
Just after I took this shot the fireman drew the son's attention to the sight of the mother far below and they waved in greeting from on high! What a treat for all.
In the next courtyard of the station excited young visitors had room to run wild. We too were thrilled to visit the open house again. An unusual Paris must-see.

Sunday, October 29, 2023

The best photobook store in Paris

Tucked behind Saint-Germain-de-Prés and around the corner from Deux Magots you will find Delpire & Company.
Bill and I think it is the best photo book store in Paris.
The window caught our attention right away. It looked fresh and had books we hadn't seen elsewhere.
Théophile Calot, the shop's directeur, made us welcome. He speaks perfect english and he knows his books.
We visited in spring 2023. We liked their exhibition Wolfgang Tillmans: Books Are Liquids: first editions, posters, postcards and other ephemera.
This table was covered in treasures. I liked the polite sign.
Here is the Tillmans table from another angle. That's Calot being interviewed at the back of the shop.
Tillmans table again with his posters on the wall behind.
The table in front of the posters had some interesting books.
I take pictures of books so I can look them up online. Didn't notice there were no words on the cover of this book of Turkish wrestlers.
On our next visit I found the photographer's name, Zoran Shekerov. I now follow him on Instagram.
Do you know Jack Pierson? This monograph covers his whole career. Nice book.
On the opposite wall some Tillmans vinyl LPs with his photos on the cover. Collectable.
We returned to Delpire & Co. a half dozen times in our two month stay in Paris. 
We came away with only one book but it is a good book and it fit in our carry-on.

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Our Paris Bookstores

When Bill and I need new books to read in Paris we take the Metro to San Francisco Books, on the Left Bank, for paperbacks and the odd collectable.
We also drop into the Abbey Bookshop, a narrow store crammed floor to ceiling with used books.
Bill wishes he had bought this sweet little Ronald Searle, but we only have so much room in our carry-on.
La Chambre Claire, our fave photo bookstore from our last trip, has a new Left Bank location, 
near the campus of the Sorbonne. For lovers of photo books it is a destination.
A strong collection of new books and older titles.
The best art book store in Paris has to be Yvon Lambert in the Haut Marais. We dropped in several times a week.
We always found books we didn't see anywhere else.
Galignani, on the rue Rivoli is our big bookstore.
An Aladdin's cave of great books.
I wanted to buy by this new book on Joan Mitchell for the cover portrait alone.
You will find their books in English in the back of the shop.
We were intrigued by Livres et Jeux Anciens Vente.
This collection of books and vintage games was closed when we went by and we didn't get back.
Next time we'll set aside a morning for an extended browse.
Le Livre Penseur was also closed. Such a charming window! I'm particularly intrigued by that painting on the left of a fox talking to a nightingale.

Monday, October 23, 2023

Christie's Auction Preview

 Last June, John and I were lucky enough to see great art on view at an auction preview at Christie's showrooms at the bottom of Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. 
We recorded Christie's estimates for works that we liked and then checked the prices that were realized later on-line. Our idea of fun!
 Robert Mapplethorpe, Self portrait, 1985.
Estimate 60,000-80,000 euros. Realized 75,000 euros.
Adrian Ghenie, Untitled (Self-portrait), 2007. 
Estimate 20,000-30,000. Realized 18,900 euros.
Alighiero Boetti, Talvolta sole talvolta luna (Sometimes sun, Sometimes moon). Estimate 25,000-35,000. Realized 63,000 euros.
Detail of the above fabric work.
Walter  Swennen, Sans  Titre, 1957.
 Estimate 2,000-3,000 euros. Realized 1,260 euros.
Meret Oppenheim, Agate (top, green and yellow with reddish edge), 1975. Estimate 4,000-6,000 euros. Realized 27,720 euros.
Adam Fuss Untitled (Sunflower), 1993.
Estimate 4,000-6,000 euros. Realized 18,900 euros.
Sam Francis, Sans Titre, 1982. Estimate 12,000-18,000 euros. Realized 22,680 euros.
Cindy Sherman Untitled (Lucile Ball), 1975.
Estimate 7000-9,000 euros. Realized 12,600 euros.
Irving Penn, Two Men Fishing from a Boat (The Marne), 1966. Estimate 10,000-15,000 euros. Realized 11,340 euros.
George Hoyningen-Huene, Portrait of Horst, Paris, Vogue, 1931. Estimate 5000-7,000 euros. Realized 9,450 euros.
Duane Michals, Constantine's Dream, 2003. 
Estimate 6,000-8,000 euros. Realized 6,300 euros.
Duane Michals, Constantine's Dream (detail).
Peter Beard, Loliondo Lion Charge (for 'The End of the Game'), 1964. Estimate 18,000-25,000 euros. Realized 21,420 euros
Wilfredo Lam (1902-1982), Damballah. Estimate 800,000-1,200,000 euros. Realized 856,800 euros. 
* * *
Paris tip: do look for auction previews. They make for fun and unusual art viewing.