“From a very young age, I was already deeply curious about objects and their history,” says Damien Tison. “My father was a general antiques dealer in the Sarthe region. His shop, filled with rustic furniture, stood alongside a main road. I loved going with him: I enjoyed meeting customers and other antiques dealers. I was fascinated by the knowledge and ability some of these professionals had to identify furniture and objects. True connoisseurs are as rare as they are fascinating. I wanted to be like them!”
The young man naturally chose to pursue his studies in this field. He trained in art appraisal in Paris and took his first steps as a dealer at major general antiques fairs such as the Foire de Chatou and the Rouen flea market, as well as at events specialising in design.
Twenty years ago, he opened his own shop in Paris. There was no single guiding theme to his selection, only pieces he genuinely fell for. “I buy what I like,” he sums up. “In that first shop, I was already mixing an 18th-century chest of drawers with a 1970s lamp and a contemporary painting. I quickly realised that the chest of drawers was not selling very fast, even if people liked it!”
His choices gradually shifted more towards 20th-century design. Nevertheless, he has always kept an eye on older pieces, particularly paintings.
For the past few years, he has also been part of Affaire conclue, the popular French television programme, and is delighted to share his passion with a wider audience. “The France 2 programme gets people talking about the profession,” he explains. “It gives antiques dealing a fresher image and encourages people to walk through the door. For me, it is also an opportunity to meet people I would never have encountered without television.”
Damien has taken the opportunity to experiment with eclectic combinations once again. And this time, he notes, “it works really well!”
His world brings together signed and anonymous pieces from different periods, with a particular emphasis on lighting. “Today, people prefer to use several sources of light in their interiors to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The design or sculptural quality of lamps adds the finishing touch to a room.”
He is also particularly fond of ceramics, which reflect “the renewed taste for collections of objects, almost like a cabinet of curiosities. Collectors are especially interested in the golden age of the 1950s. Georges Jouve is the great master of this period. His works, like those by Capron or the Ruellands, sell very well. But there is such a wide variety of models and styles that you can also find great pleasure in works by lesser-known designers. They are more affordable and can have just as much decorative impact.”
Far from being blasé about the world of antiques and collecting, Damien remains enthusiastic. “We are incredibly lucky in France, because we have always had some of the finest production in the world. When you are fortunate enough to discover a great piece, it becomes a day you remember.”
Cécile Ybert