Publisher Assouline unveils a curated selection of antiques for sale in its stores.
If the name Assouline rings a bell, it’s probably because you’ve had one of their books on your wish list at some point in your life. The beautiful publications of Assouline find their homes on the impeccably curated coffee tables and bookshelves of collectors and designers alike. This month, the company is venturing into another world that curators and collectors frequent—the world of antiques.
Founder of Assouline, Prosper Assouline established the eponymous company with his wife, Martine, in 1994. Born in Morocco and raised in Paris, Assouline studied the decorative arts and worked in the world of fashion magazines as an artistic director, consequently launching multiple publications such as La Mode en Peinture, Palace, Air France Madame (now EnVols), and Les Aventures de l’Art. In the late 1980s, he jumpstarted a creative agency specializing in branding. This was the seed from which the Assouline publishing company grew.
The earliest stirrings of the publishing house began in 1993 at La Colombe d’Or hotel in southern France, one of the couple’s favorite global destinations. To commemorate their time there, they created the book La Colombe D’Or (1995), with Prosper’s photography and Martine’s words—a true marriage of passion, a perfect partnership that came to life in the pages of a book. Its publication snowballed into multiple other books on a variety of subjects centered mainly around travel and ultimately culminating into the Assouline publishing house that we know today.
The next step for the company is a curated selection of antiques which will be available for sale in their brick-and-mortar stores worldwide. The idea is to create a space that evokes the feeling of a “cabinet of curiosities,” bringing a personal touch to the practice of collecting beautiful objects with powerful histories.
To Prosper Assouline, every vintage object is a collection of stories shaped by its past owners, giving it a unique character in its own right. A collector by nature, he is personally drawn to vintage musical instruments from the eighteenth century to present day, including some “strange” examples made by members of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, also known as the Shakers. Each piece he adds to his own collection is unique, though tends to hone in on handmade pieces. Fondly discussing significant antiques Assouline has acquired over the years, such as a pair of Japanese lamps found in a temple in Kyoto—showstoppers at two meters tall composed of parchment and red wood. Prosper offered them for sale in Assouline’s London boutique, and they quickly sold, but they still stand out in his memory among his most noteworthy acquisitions. Visitors at the Assouline stores have the opportunity to purchase objects procured in line with Prosper Assouline’s collecting vision – often by the publisher himself.
The hope for Assouline’s stores is to welcome the customer into a room that feels more like someone’s home than as a traditional bookstore. Each store will have its own unique array of vintage objects, specifically chosen for their rarity, exquisite design, and unique story—and compellingly integrated with related books. Objects offered for sale include classical busts, Chinese lacquer, and Murano glass—and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
This is an exciting next step for the Assouline brand, which offers the audience a range of evocative items to covet. Having yet another addition to your wish list might not be the worst thing—if it is an object of beauty that is looking for your story to add to its repertoire.
