Vendredi 12 Avril Hotel de Crillon Auction
Last Friday I went/ran to the first day viewing at the Hotel Crillon of 3,500 auction sale items.
I first ran to the auction house, Artcurial at Rond Point, handling the sale, not noticing the auction was being held on site at the Hotel Crillon at place de la Concorde.
I thought there would be lines round the block. Not so. Mostly serious buyers taking detailed notes. The fun of going to an auction is you get close to objects and even pick them up to examine for your possible future purchases. At the Crillon there were velvet ropes. Small items were safely inside glass cases. But still you could pretend you were staying there.
You start out by going up the stairs 'to see your room'.
On the way up I passed tempting cases of Hotel Crillon breakfast china from Bernardoud and their signature silverware.
It would be nice to have your own Hotel Crillon room service breakfast table.
And why not buy the whole bedroom set while you're bidding?
One of the great joys of viewing the rooms was the lighting
An inherent ambience of another time.
Just exquisite.
The Hotel Crillon was built in 1758 and went through many transformations before becoming a hotel in 1909 with 143 rooms and 44 suites. Many historic signings took place there during WWI and WWII. The front desk receptionist was onhand and much sought after for interviews by all the TV stations present. He must have good stories to tell. Post-auction Hotel Crillon will be completely rennovated and reopen in Spring of 2014.
Long ago I stayed at the Crillon for a week in my shoe designing days. Back then the hotel gave you their signature bathrobe as a souvenir. Wish I still had mine.
April 18 - 22
10AM and 2:30PM
10AM and 2:30PM
10 Place de la Concorde 75008
Room service, please! Helloooo?
ReplyDeleteBrilliant sketch, Carol, and those rooms are so tempting, I want to move right in. The winner is the breakfast on wheels, though. ;-)
The rooms looked simply gorgeous.
DeleteEveryone else was checking price lists and I was admiring the light..
Are you returning to bid on anything? My days of acquiring tchotchkes are over. I like seeing the hotel.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved your drawing of the silverware w/ the strawberry. Was that your composition/idea for the painting? The Crillon should have had it as their branding. It speaks volumes: class, luxury, yet enticing and seductive (the strawberry). I love your work anyway but this one painting seemed to project all about the Crillon.
ReplyDeleteI used to be crazy about painting spoons.
DeleteWould have loved that. Thanks for the peek, hadn't heard about it.
ReplyDeleteYou're so good at showing light....the cutlery is spot on perfect love it..the crown..:) the C..C'est magnifique.
ReplyDeleteOh lala what luxury there Carol!
Love that painting of yours, Carol. Gosh, just the thought of an auction has my nose twitching. Can you imagine making a big bid mistake on the nose in a place like that? Crivens.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't work like that. You have a numbered paddle you raise when you bid.
DeleteI've always had a passion for Hotel Silver (available at Bergdorf)…and of course a deep passion for the Crillon. How I wish I was there in Paris for the auction. Alas, it's impossible. Just a set of teaspoons…or a tray…or anything with their logo. If only someone (you?) will purchase some items and offer them for resale???
ReplyDeleteOf course, I must add that I love/admire your marvelous postings.
Mille mercis,
Helen
I wouldn't have a clue how to do that Helen. It's not my area of expertise at all.
ReplyDeleteWhy are they remodeling..? its fabulous as it is. Yes that is a wonderful little painting you did. You have that C and crown down pretty good. :)
ReplyDeleteSo luxurious, what beautiful furnishings, I'd love to have stayed there, lucky you. Your painting of the spoons would be a lovely souveneer for someone who had stayed there.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your nice comment on my anniversary blog post.
Clearly, I must cancel my trip to Paris tomorrow so that I can arrange to stay at the Crillon! And extend it to at least 3 months so I can soak in the ambience. Till then I will be content looking at that wonderful silverware painting!
ReplyDeleteCarol,that beautiful painting and all those wonderful pictures just gave me the happiest reason to revisit the Crillon and our happy memories there.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it will be gorgeous when they're done with the remodel,but something in the new will definitely be lost from the old. (I join you in your sentiments about the bathrobe!)
Thank you for this great post!
What an amazing place! Great photos & sketch, Carol.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Thank you so much for sharing this, Carol.Too bad I won't be able to see it before it closes. I won't be there until May 2...
ReplyDeleteMary
I'm sure there will be many other wonderful things to see and do in Paris
DeleteSpring is pretty gorgeous on its own.
great pics, what atmosphere. And a remodel to only top that...hope so.
ReplyDeleteThis brings back a flood of memories working at the Crillon as a Pastry Stagiare! Fun times (and I remember that cutlery all too well!) Timeless Beauty and Elegantly French ~ loved seeing this and love your painting! ❤J'adore Paris!
ReplyDeleteI'm soooo jealous! Bet it was hard work though...
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