Antique French Shop Counter with Timeworn Gray Paint - 38¼" x 32"

This charming late 19th- or early 20th-century French shop counter is made from painted softwood, with a paneled front articulated by fluted pilasters and carved scrolling brackets. A gallery of turned wooden balusters frames the sides of the top, providing a decorative border that helped keep merchandise and small objects from falling off, while leaving the front open for exchanges between shopkeeper and customers. One baluster has been mounted upside down at one corner, an amusing detail that adds to its individuality. The soft gray paint has developed a beautifully worn patina from years of use, with rubbed edges, scratches and scattered losses that add to its antique charm. The reverse has two small drawers with metal cup handles and generous open storage, where an additional shelf could easily be fitted, as may originally have been the case.

With its handsome paneled front and decorative gallery, it would work beautifully as a boutique counter, an informal bar or a characterful addition to a French country kitchen. Baskets or bottles could be stored behind, while the top offers an attractive surface for displaying ceramics and collected objects. The drawers are a little temperamental and the keys are no longer present, but these signs of use are part of the piece's authentic, timeworn charm.