GALLERY of CURIOSITIES

ARTIST THOMAS BOOG FASHIONS AN IMAGINATIVE WEEKEND HAVEN IN THE LOIRE VALLEY, MINGLING RARITIES OF LAND AND SEA WITH ANTIQUES AND CONTEMPORARY CRAFT.

- CAROLINE DONALD

THOMAS BOOG marvels at a little 19th-century porcelain mustard pot he bought the previous day from a shop near his weekend home in France's Touraine region. "It is so cute," he gushes. "The monogram with a B! And just 10 euros! It's as if nobody wants this sort of thing nowadays; they want to put everything in the dishwasher." Lucky for the antiques dealer, he has a regular client in Boog, who in a previous life was a shoe designer for Bally and Charles Jourdan. "I have always admired the craftsmanship of antique finds such as monogrammed crockery, carved cabinets, and embroidered linen. I see the beauty of every piece, but through the eyes of a craftsman. My own work is very much the same," says the Swiss-born designer, who channels his artistry into joyful, intricate coquillage-or shellwork-that ranges from graphic arrangements for mirrors and lighting to original portraiture, drawing inspiration from pieces found in 18th-century follies.