Pretty Antique French Wire Basket with Arched Handle

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 Many were originally made for drying salad, and I found them all at flea markets. 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." It is an easy expression of her generous hospitality and intelligent simplicity, shaped by life between Paris and Provence. Hand-formed iron wire in a time-softened charcoal tone curves into an oval bowl with a graceful arched handle. A ringed base and taut horizontal strands lend strength, while a frieze of looped wire and small scrolls adds a discreet Provençal note. The open lattice breathes, ideal for leaves in the kitchen or fruit on a table. Its scale is pleasing in the hand yet ample enough for a clutch of lemons, a bundle of herbs, or a nest of river stones. The surface shows honest age with a stable structure, consistent with garden and household use at Chanteduc and sourcing from French flea markets. Let it anchor a table with seasonal produce, hold name stones for a dinner, or corral garden cuttings on a terrace. A useful, well-loved tool that brings the spirit of Patricia’s market days and shared tables into everyday life.