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Marie-Madeleine Remoleur
Published on
Nov. 24, 2024 at 6:40 p.m.
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Every day, Sophie Legrand takes the roads of Auge country pour unearthfrom house to house, the nuggets hiding in attics, cellars or at the bottom of drawers. “It’s a bit of a way of treasure finder », smiles the one who made the Côte Fleurie her playground.
Auctioneer et justice commissioner (read box below), this 37-year-old from Normandy has been putting her expertise at the service of individualsaround Deauville (Calvados), to value their property. Objects that often hide real family or emotional wealthand which sometimes contain even more value.
“We learn from each meeting”
Passionate about the history of Art objects, Sophie Legrand returned to live in the heart of her Native flowery coast after working between Lyon and Paris. Four years ago, the woman who followed a double course in cultural heritage law and art history launched herself as correspondent in Normandy for the Parisian auction house Millon.
Although she sometimes organizes free estimate daysSophie Legrand spends most of her time on the roadsbetween Caen and Le Havre, to meet the residents who contact her to make value their objects sometimes forgotten or hidden in attics. “I really enjoy unearthing treasures and helping people get rid of their items at the best price,” she sums up. Objects which can then be sold in specialized sales in Honfleur, Paris, Brussels, or even Milan, if the owner wishes.
Jewelry, watches, silverware, drawings, paintings, sculptures, ceramics, furniture, art books, Asian art, Art Deco, Art Nouveau or even stamps and old toys: sound expertise covers a wide field. “The auctioneer is a good general practitioner », she admits when we ask her how she knows, at first glance, what is valuable and what is not.
I have an eye for things that might be of interest. There is also the conversation around the family’s history which helps, knowing if they have traveled… Afterwards, sometimes, it takes more time, or to turn to specialized experts who are very responsive.
A journey that fascinates her, as she loves this contact with each of these art objects, its aesthetics, its history, its details and the very particular techniques specific to each artist or craftsman. “I meet lots of people, I see lots of different things. And that’s also what’s exciting about this job, we learn from each encounter and each objectand this, all his life,” she insists.
Commissioner of Justice in Honfleur
In addition to being an auctioneer, Sophie Legrand was also recently appointed commissioner of justice at the Honfleur residence. “I am taking over the position of Me Dupuy which has been vacant for seven years,” she says.
Since 2022, the justice commissioners are the public and ministerial officers who replace the bailiffs and the judicial auctioneers. A role which carries out the execution of court decisions and enforceable titles as well as judicial sales. “These are the sales required by the judge,” she adds. This concerns, for example, seizures, judicial liquidations or even for tax inventories or in the context of guardianship of protected adults.” A “complementary cap” for Normandy which thus “perpetuates this historical charge in Honfleur”.
“There is a story behind every object”
If Sophie Legrand is a great enthusiast of art objects, she is also encounters and stories that are hidden behind objects. “I am quite touched by people’s stories, that’s also why I did this job. There is the part valuation of art objectsbut also the side human which is exciting,” she considers.
At the heart of houses and farms, she examines objects that sometimes hide much more. “ There is a family story behind each object. The people I meet talk a lot, they need it. Sometimes, they reluctantly free themselves from a family heirloom, these are memories from which they separate.” Listening to the stories of families and objects, Sophie Legrand recognizes that her job also requires “ a lot of psychology » and to strike a balance between the sentimental value of objects and their real value. She insists:
There are lives happening, we enter into people’s lives and trust is very important.
A whole human aspect which comforts her in this “passionate profession” which she has embraced, allowing her to fully integrate into the life of her territory, in the intimacy of the cottages, but not only that. Last year, for example, Sophie Legrand and the Millon auction house allowed the exhibition devoted to the artist Pierre Soulages, at the Franciscaines. “The exhibition presented works loaned by our collectors,” smiles the art enthusiast, before concluding: “I come from here, I am based here, my desire is really to be an actor in the territory, also in the cultural field.
Expertise day
Sophie Legrand sometimes organizes expertise days. The next one will take place on Thursday, December 4, at Villa Augeval, 15 avenue Hoquart de Turtot, in Deauville. A “special School of Paris” day in the presence of Maurice Mielniczuk, expert in the field. “This movement encompasses artists of all nationalities, mainly from Central Europe, working in the capital at the beginning of the 20th century,” recalls the Millon auction house on its website. The expressions are varied: drawing, sculpture, paintings, prints.”
For more information and to make an appointment, contact Sophie Legrand on 07 82 85 58 92.
To contact Sophie Legrand: [email protected]07 82 85 58 92, on Facebook and on Instagram “sophielegrandcp”. More information: www.millon.com.
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