Today is an exciting day! Circa has been unpacking our latest antiques
shipment and transforming the shop floor with treasures from abroad. Come tomorrow, the shop will re-open and
these pieces will be out for all to see and enjoy.
Every year, Circa’s owner Cindy Smith travels to France for
multiple buying trips to curate a collection of special finds and antiques to
bring back home to our retail shop. The
buying process is a complex and involved endeavor that Cindy has fine-tuned
through the years. She started her
buying trips back in 1981 and has gone back every year since in the pursuit of the
best. During a trip, she travels to numerous cities and countless vendors daily
which she relishes every minute of. “After
over 30 years of buying trips to France and beyond, I have formed precious
relationships with vendors and locals of the places I visit,” Cindy says. “They
are always keeping me up to date on new finds and resources, which I am so
grateful for and allows me to pursue the most exceptional pieces. The buying process is a never ending one but an
indelible one that I love and enjoy so much.”
The result is a culmination of timeless and invaluable selections that are
each handpicked by Cindy. This philosophy
extends to all items selected for the retail floor including upholstery,
lighting, and accessories. Each is hand-picked,
personal, and contributes to a collection that is, for lack of a better word, Circa.
Cindy shares with us below a
peak of her buying trip and a few items from this shipment that can be found in
our shop starting tomorrow!
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| French cartoons |
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| French cartoon |
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| French cartoons |
“These 18th century French cartoons were hand
drawn samples on canvas that would have later gone to needlepoint to be made
into tapestries. It is a great example
of the painstaking detail and craftsmanship of that time. Now, I see these drawings framed and hung as
a gorgeous group of art.”
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| Venetian wedding trunks and a cat friend who made the picture! |
“These Venetian wedding trunks are from the 17th
century and would have been owned by a family with great wealth. I can picture these on stands at the end of a
hall or used alone as pieces of art.”
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| Crystal chandelier |
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| Antique leather and nailhead mirror |
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| Marielle, left, and Cindy Smith, right Photo credit: MILIEU magazine |
We want to give a special mention and BIG thank you to Marielle, an antiques courier who
has helped and guided Cindy through the years and sees all of our shipments through. “One of the greatest parts of the buying process that I take pleasure in is talking with and visiting Marielle. She has become the dearest friend and confidante who I cherish so much. Together we have the biggest time and I cannot thank her enough for her friendship and guidance."
