Inquiring about salvaging interiors

In response to a reader’s inquiry, I stopped in at my local café and found out about salvaging items from Paris buildings undergoing either renovation or demolition.

If the demolition man finds something of value, he keeps it, sells it later or gives it away.

When there is a quantity of items from an apartment building, salvagers, antique dealers and second-hand shop/“brocante” dealers find out about the demolition and come to look over everything.

Mirrors over the chimneys are one of the hardest to find in buildings; they almost never stay in a building being demolished.

The owner of Café de l’Industrie told me that marble chimneys do not grab a high price – the marble is a façade and there is either brick or stone behind, Decorative stone chimneys fetch a higher price than marble. In fact, the marble chimneys are generally left in the building when it is demolished.

I found a book Paris récup' (details under my link Guide Books) that is absolutely fabulous! On its second page of text it gives examples of the "first links in the chain" of salvagers.

Two of the four addresses given are: Beaumarié, 227, route de Versailles, 92410 Ville-d'Avray, tel: 01 47 09 68 02; and Mazeau. Aux Vieux Métaux, 28, rue Jules-Vallés, 93400 Saint-Ouen, tel: 01 40 11 63 92; Métro Porte-de-Clignancourt.

In the Paris yellow pages (les pages jaunes - available in English) Your best bet though is to use the French yellow pages (French flag) and type in different words from the companies below, e.g., cheminees ancienne. For the department or région type in the area of France where you want to begin looking. This will be quite an adventure for you.

Let me know if you need help.

• In the box for "Activité" type in one of the headings that has been suggested on this page.

• In the box for "Département ou région" type in 75. (This is the simplest method to find something. The department number for Paris is 75;, however, you will be provided with companies in other parts of France.)

• Next, you are sometimes given choices to narrow down your search. Check one of the boxes.

• Click on "Valider"

• Voilà

• Some of the companies have a web site.

In the old-fashioned, hard-copy yellow pages are ads for three companies:

 L’Antiquaire du Batiment, describes their company as Matériaux anciens, cheminées, carrelages, tuiles (old materials, chimneys, tile floors and walls) - 58 rue Hale aux Vaches-Saint Hubert, 78690 les Essarts-le-Roi, tel: 01 34 84 98 83. L’Antiquare is located in les Essarts-le-Roi (southwest of Versailles),

Arts et Techniques is located on the Ile St. Louis. Cheminée ancienne, porte, boiserie - 9 rue Deux Ponts, 75004 Paris, tel: 01 43 25 67 15.