Thionville. The 8th Antiques Fair served on a platter

“It feels good to be back. Patrick Paintendre, the man behind the revival of the Thionville Antiques Fair a decade ago, does not hide his enthusiasm. Last year, the organizer had to resolve to give up on the event against the backdrop of Covid. A short-term absence perceived as “an eternity” for this enthusiast of objects steeped in history.

So here he is back with his faithful departmental coordinator, Alain Thomas, the trailer filled with period treasures. And what does it matter if the tradition, usually so important in the eyes of an antique dealer, is not fully respected. For the first time, the gathering will not color the walls of the Jean-Burger room, a site undergoing urban change. The constraint of relocating it to the Espace Veymerange would not be one for this specialist in lighting from the 1930s-1960s: “We will adapt. The room is very beautiful and above all, what matters is how you fill it. »

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Counterfeit Hunt

We come to it: like the last formula, around thirty exhibitors, from its address book, are invited to Thionville. Earthenware, crystal from Saint-Louis and Baccarat, the eternal enamels of Longwy, stamps, “superb posters from the 19th century” or even silk carpets from the famous Dumas family of merchants… To give away in a place common, there will be something for all tastes and all budgets this Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 February: “From €5 to €10,000, even more”, certifies Alain Thomas. The Thionvillois salon has always housed extraordinary pieces such as this barrel organ displayed at a sale price of €22,000 or even an armchair in polar bear skin, “virtually priceless. »

For this eighth edition, the organization will not compromise on the authenticity of the goods presented to the public. A hunt for counterfeits that can take various forms: “We will be vigilant about the enamels, some of which may be certified from Longwy when they actually come from Bohemia, in the Czech Republic”, warns Patrick Paintendre. Pale copies of Alsatian fir wood furniture would also be the subject of organized trafficking in Eastern Europe: “Don’t worry, however: this kind of misadventure has never happened in Thionville. »

Of course, the living room will have to submit to the whims of the current era. Visitors will be subject to a strict health protocol: “Freezing at the entrance, presentation of the health pass and one direction of traffic. No offense to antique dealers, the Covid is not yet ancient history…

Opening hours: Saturday (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Espace Veymerange – admission: €3

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