Ooh La La: French antiques aplenty on Ruby Lane

Search for "French" on RubyLane.com and before you pops up more than 5,000 different selections of French antiques from the half million items available through the online marketplace.

Antiques & Uncommon Treasure of San Marcos, California, offers a unique early 19th century mother-of-pearl Palais Royal tazza (currently sale priced at $447). Half shells mounted in ormolu form the legs and a large half shell forms the bowl. The bowl measures more than 6 1/4 inches long across the top. Overall, it is nearly 5 inches tall and 4 1/2 inches wide (across the feet).

Antiques & Uncommon Treasure also offer an attractive forest green enamel jewelry casket with pink enamel decor, set in an ormolu framework. Also currently offered at the sale price of $447, the jewelry box measures 4 1/2 by 3 1/4 by 2 1/2 inches. It still has its original velvet lining.

Ruby Lane's Olivier Fleury, Inc. of Winter Park, Florida, specializes in French antiques and Continental antiques. The firm offers a statement piece in the form of a 19th century French Restoration bookcase for $2,500. The exquisite bookcase measures 15 1/2 inches deep (at the top and bottom) by 55 inches wide by 35 1/2 inches tall. The shelves are 11 inches deep. The bookcase is made of bookmatched veneer of burled walnut with bronze decorations on the beveled corners. It's a utilitarian yet beautiful piece.

The Old Light Warehouse of Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, offers a pair of 19th century French andirons for $2,895. The cast bronze andirons feature flame finials, and hairy claw-on-ball feet. The description explains, "They may have originally been silver plated, which is nearly all gone now after years of use and cleaning."

The workmanship and condition are truly impressive.

Paris Chateau of Linville, North Carolina, offers a charming 19th century French gilded brass and lace wedding crown. In part, the seller describes the wedding crown: "The gilded brass frame is 1/4" wide. It is wrapped with very fine creme colored lace. The flowers and birds are of gilded brass. They were cast in molds and have lovely detailing. The two birds (symbolizing the bride and groom) each hold a wreath of roses in their beaks. Each of the ten large flowers have detailing of leaves and center stems. Each individual leaf and bird are attached to the brass ring by a wire."

This unique piece that once adorned a Victorian bride's head is currently available for $275.

Watch antiquetrader.com for more Ruby Lane highlights, or take a virtual global antiquing excursion yourself at RubyLane.com ... you'll be glad you did. (And while you're there, you might as well enter to win their generous giveaways in celebration of the platform's 20th anniversary.)