Bergerac. Octave Fournel, modern treasure hunter

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At the age of 28, Octave Fournel is living proof that you don't necessarily have to wait the weight of years to appreciate things from the past. Without any nostalgia, with meticulousness and love of beauty, the young man looks every day at the history of objects that have passed through the ages only to end up in an attic, an abandoned barn or the stall of a garage sale. amateur.

He is professional. For almost four years, he opened Anticador, his boutique selling antiques, vintage objects and decoration, in the center of Bergerac. For those who know how to look at the quantity of trinkets, pieces of wood, porcelain, paintings, sabers, stone busts and jewelry and read the eras that pile up or overlap, Anticator is obviously an Ali Baba's cave, a room filled with unique nuggets that tell the story of eras.

In this disorder which is not one, it is not uncommon to find pieces, sculptures, rings or cameos with an Asian appearance or an Italian design. Octave Fournel, although calling himself a general antiques dealer, readily confesses an immoderate love for 18th century Asian Art.^e until the end of the 19th century^e century, ” especially Chinese art », as well as a passion for European arts, particularly Italian, for the period from the 17th to the 20th century. “ I'm a generalist, so I buy a little bit of everything. But these are my two specialties and I am also interested in antique jewelry. I started there. I was an assessor for the auction rooms, so I did their appraisals for jewelry. And little by little, I wanted to broaden my horizons.»

Among his most important sales, Octave Fournel counts an Italian Renaissance jewel and an 18th century Chinese vase.^ecentury, “both having reached several thousand euros».

Unsellable favorite

The thirty-year-old has always known about antiques. “My parents were already in this specific area of ​​antiquity. I always had one foot in it. I've had the eye since I was little. I have always hunted and always loved it. »

For him, the world of antiques is a wonderful combination of what drives him: the love of art and the commercial spirit. The two are inseparable even if they do not always go well together regarding an object. “You shouldn't just look at the monetary side of a coin. We also work with sensitivity. Just as artists have their own style, antique dealers have a particular sensitivity depending on the objects and periods. And it very often happens that we fall in love with a piece of furniture or a piece of jewelry that will ultimately be unsellable. »

The young man likes the challenge that each object represents. “It's risky, but it's also fun. It's a bit like playing at the casino. There is a treasure hunting side, but there is also a risk taking side.»

Window on New York

In addition to his store, Octave Fournel also sells a lot on the internet. “Having a physical store reassures people. But everything works a lot with social networks and on specialized and secure platforms. That’s almost 50% of the market. It’s a window open to buyers who are now in Paris, London or New York. It wouldn't have worked 20 years ago because people were more wary of the internet.» Reimbursements and certified provenance reassure the customer, who is no longer just a specialized collector.
Increasingly, Octave Fournel counts among his team interior decorators who will remodel and modernize old furniture, or individuals wishing to have furniture that lasts. “There is this awareness of the object which is 300 or 400 years old.»

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