Beyond the Tourist Trail

Every serious antiques buyer knows the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen in Paris, the Portobello Road in London, and the Arezzo Antique Fair in Tuscany. These are magnificent markets, and we visit them regularly. But the most exceptional pieces we source for our clients rarely come from these well-publicised destinations.

The real treasures are found in the quieter corners of Europe: the specialist dealers in provincial French towns, the family-run galleries in Italian hill villages, the estate sales in English country houses that never make it to the major auction catalogues. This is the hidden market, and it is where Source Me It has built its reputation over two generations.

Paris: The Marché aux Puces and Beyond

The Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen remains the world's largest antique market, with over 2,500 dealers spread across fifteen individual markets. We know it intimately, having visited regularly for over twenty years. Our favourite sections include Marché Biron for museum-quality furniture, Marché Paul Bert for mid-century design, and Marché Serpette for decorative arts.

But Paris offers far more than the Puces. The specialist dealers along the Left Bank, particularly around the Carré Rive Gauche, hold extraordinary stock that never appears online. These are dealers who have been in business for generations, and they reserve their finest pieces for trusted buyers. Our family relationships with several of these dealers give us access to pieces that most buyers will never see.

L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue: Provence's Antique Capital

This charming Provençal town hosts over 300 antique dealers year-round, making it one of Europe's most important permanent antique centres. Twice a year, at Easter and in August, the town hosts major fairs that attract dealers from across France and beyond. We find exceptional Provençal furniture, garden antiques, and decorative arts here, often at prices significantly below Paris.

TEFAF Maastricht: The World's Premier Art and Antiques Fair

TEFAF Maastricht is widely considered the finest art and antiques fair in the world. Held annually in March, it brings together approximately 270 of the world's leading dealers in fine art, antiques, and design. Every piece is vetted by independent experts before the fair opens, providing an additional layer of authentication that few other events can match. We attend TEFAF annually, both to source for specific client commissions and to maintain relationships with the world's top dealers.

BRAFA Brussels: Belgium's Premier Fair

The Brussels Art Fair, held each January, is an increasingly important destination for serious collectors. With around 130 exhibitors, it is more intimate than TEFAF but equally rigorous in its vetting standards. We have found exceptional Flemish furniture, Art Nouveau pieces, and Belgian decorative arts here.

Arezzo: Tuscany's Monthly Treasure Hunt

The Arezzo Antique Fair takes place on the first Sunday of every month in the Piazza Grande and surrounding streets. It is Italy's largest and most important regular antique fair, with over 500 dealers offering everything from Renaissance furniture to vintage Italian design. We visit Arezzo regularly, particularly when sourcing Italian pieces for our Mediterranean projects.

The Private Market

Perhaps the most important source of exceptional antiques is the private market: pieces that change hands through personal networks, estate sales, and private dealers who never advertise publicly. This is where our family's decades of relationship-building prove most valuable. When a significant collection comes to market privately, the first calls go to trusted buyers with established reputations. We are proud to be among those trusted buyers.

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Planning a sourcing trip or looking for pieces from a specific European market? Contact us to discuss how we can help.