...when I lived in France, I was out walking one day and came across a very old ruin - a chateau. The chateau walls were still intact but the interior, roof and any decorative elements had long since disappeared. I went home and asked about the chateau, and was told it once belonged to the family of Talaru. On further research I found that this family existed in France right back to Medieval times, and possibly before. The name always stuck in my mind, and when it came time to open my shop on Etsy, it seemed fitting to choose the name 'Talaru' for this online repository of antique French treasures.

Why antique jewelry?

I am sure that at some time in the past, a person was holding a piece of jewelry that I now own, and they were wondering what would become of this piece. Maybe they asked themselves would it last through the decades and centuries, would someone love and appreciate it as much as they did, what would the person (and indeed, the world) be like at that future point in time?

I write this because I often imagine the reverse - who once owned this brooch, this necklace, this pendant? Where did they get it, what did it mean to them. Who is that person in the photo, whose lock of hair has been carefully encased in this sentimental treasure? What was their home like, was it warm outside, did the air smell different? What did they eat and were they happy?

The items of jewelry I sell evoke many questions, and it is for the new owner to create some answers - to add another chapter to the story, so to speak.

I only offer for sale items which I would be happy to own myself. Indeed, there is a lot that does not make it to my shop, and some of these pieces can be seen in the designs I offer at L'Atelier de Talaru, my antique assemblage jewelry shop.

I mainly sell French antique items - I find that the market for French antique jewelry (mainly costume or everyday jewelry) is strong and emerging, so there is an opportunity to make an impact on others through bringing these beautiful adornments to market.

I love France and have a long history of association with the country, from my first visit there in the early 1990s, to living there in the late 1990s. I still manage to get back there every 2nd year or so, and I have many good contacts who offer me their delightful finds to sell in my shop.

So...sit back, think of the past and browse through the online bijouterie of La Comtesse de Talaru.

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