At Christmas, my wife, Leesa, gave me a small antique box, a curious piece inlaid with Mother of Pearl and abalone and God-knows-what. On the inside lid, a brass plaque proclaims Mr Mme Vernay. I couldn’t work out why the French Tricolour was atop that lid and why it was “Mr” Vernay and not M for Monsieur. As it happens the provenance of the piece is much more exotic than we realized. Here’s why.
© 2024 John Oliver
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