Antique dealer in Yvelines (78), for family houses and attics

Houses that keep everything

In Yvelines, west of Paris, people often stay a long time in the same house. In Versailles, Saint-Germain-en-Laye or Le Vésinet, these are sometimes large residences. Around Rambouillet, Montfort-l'Amaury or in the Chevreuse valley, they are more often village houses and properties with outbuildings. An old stable, a garage or a workshop can hold furniture put aside long ago.

When a house like this has to be sold or shared out, everything has to be gone through, from the living room to the attic. It takes time, and it is full of emotion. Our role is to help you see clearly: what has value, what can be sold, what can go.

The attic, the room opened last

The attic is often left until the end. Yet that is where trunks, frames, albums of old postcards, the crockery for special occasions and souvenirs brought back from travels are stored. Do not throw away anything up there before we have seen it. A dusty box can hold a nice surprise. If the attic does not have flooring everywhere, tell us: we then move around it with care.

Clocks and wall clocks: even stopped, they count

Old houses often have a clock on the mantelpiece or a cartel clock on the wall. Many stopped working long ago. That is no reason to set them aside: a stopped clock can keep real value.

A few simple tips:

• do not have it repaired before the valuation;
• look for the winding key and the pendulum, often kept separately;
• if you have to move it, take off the pendulum first;
• keep the base or the glass dome that goes with it.

We explain what we look at on a clock on our antique clock valuation page, and in more detail in the article how to value an antique clock.

An estate with several heirs

In a family property, there are often several heirs, and not always living nearby. A valuation item by item lets everyone know what there is, before deciding who keeps what. For the sharing out and tax questions, your notaire remains your point of contact. We describe our role on our page about estates in Île-de-France. For the tax return, the notaire can apply to the furniture the 5% flat rate set by article 764 of the French General Tax Code (CGI). We talk about it in an article on this furniture allowance.

When the house then has to be emptied, we can take care of the clearance. What we buy is deducted from its price.

We travel, even far from Paris

Whether the house is in Chatou or near Houdan, the journey costs you nothing. You do not pay for the valuation, and nothing obliges you to sell. If the house is closed most of the time, send us photos first. We then choose a date when a family member can be there. For an isolated property, also tell us how to get through the gate or into the courtyard.

Towns and villages in Yvelines

Versailles, Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, Viroflay, Vélizy-Villacoublay, Saint-Cyr-l'École, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Le Pecq, Le Vésinet, Chatou, Croissy-sur-Seine, Maisons-Laffitte, Sartrouville, Houilles, Marly-le-Roi, Louveciennes, Poissy, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Les Mureaux, Mantes-la-Jolie, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, Guyancourt, Voisins-le-Bretonneux, Élancourt, Plaisir, Chevreuse, Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse, Rambouillet, Montfort-l'Amaury and Houdan.

We are also at the Puces de Vanves flea market at weekends: you can come and talk to us there before arranging a visit.

For a family house in Yvelines, call us on 06 24 56 38 58 (+33 6 24 56 38 58 from abroad). You can also email us at murierantiquites@gmail.com, with a few photos of the attic and the main rooms.