Vintage French Wire Dish Rack

A vintage French wire dish rack strainer, the second of two from the kitchen sink at Chanteduc, Patricia and Walter Wells’s home in Provence. Formed from sturdy steel wire, its edges are gently worn from years of service. Low and broad, it features upright slots that cradle plates and a tighter side bay that corrals saucers or utensils. Openwork lines encourage quick drainage, so it sits naturally in a deep basin or on a counter. From Patricia’s personal collection. As she smiles, “I never see them for sale anymore. I’m a stupid romantic, and a dish strainer like this belongs in an old sink.” Patricia recalls the kitchen’s making with their dear friend Viviani, the longtime plumber and close companion who worked at Chanteduc before they bought it. They found two sinks in the Luberon near Apt, one marble, one stone. During the renovation, Viviani took the weighty marble sink to the marbrier (marble worker) to drill the drainage holes. Returning at the last minute to install, he joked, “It almost broke in half!” The rack carries that Provençal story and the everyday rhythm of washing up after lessons, markets, and shared tables.