Antique French Wire Basket with Twin Handles

An antique French wire basket from the courtyard at Chanteduc, part of Patricia Wells’s personal collection. Patricia explains, "I love these and have collected them over the years. Many were originally made for drying salad, and I found them all at brocantes. I fill them with rocks collected in the mountains, choosing lovely flat ones so I can write each guest’s name on them as place cards." Sourced at village flea markets, this simple ritual captures her market sense and welcoming table. The hand-formed metal mesh shows a soft, weathered grey patina, its diamond links reinforced at the rim and base. Twin swing handles meet at a comfortable central grip. The open weave once let greens dry quickly; today it lends a light, airy presence. Generous in scale yet easy in hand, it feels ready for produce or for gathering on the terrace. Set it at the center of a long table with smooth flat stones bearing guests’ names, as Patricia does, or press it into service for market fruit, garden cuttings, or linens by a sunny doorway. Its beauty lies in its practicality and the life it already carries.