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About:

Authentic French woodworker’s bench from the Loire Valley, dating to the 19th century with additions into the early 20th century. Made from a mix of regional woods, including Oak and French Pine, this small-format bench features a richly patinated top, original woodworker’s vise, two drawers with artisan-made interior fittings, crafted from repurposed fruit crates with brass pulls, and a lower storage shelf.

One of the drawers bears the mark of its former life: a fruit crate from Hillside Santa Clara Prunes, California — a rare and charming detail reflecting the movement of goods and materials across continents. Breadboard ends and brass handles complete the piece, which was clearly adapted over time by a working artisan. A characterful addition to any creative studio, retail environment, or layered interior. 

Shipping & Delivery:

This item requires freight delivery. After purchase, you will be contacted within 72 hours with a custom shipping quote based on your location and the size of the item. Shipping will be billed separately and will not proceed until the quote is approved.

Condition: 

Good. This workbench is structurally sound and in rustic, well-used condition. The original vise is intact and includes a removable piece, stored on the lower shelf in photos, to secure objects in place. The piece shows historical evidence of woodworm, which has been professionally treated as a preventative measure.

Dimensions:

  • Length: 40.5"
  • Height: 31.5"
  • Depth: 17"
  • Vice Attachment: 28" L x 6.5" W

Loire Valley Workbench

SKU: OTHER102
Regular price $1,600.00
Unit price
per 
French Origin
Secure payment
USA Based
Domestic Shipping

Your order ships carbon neutral

What Sets us apart

At Home in France, Trusted by Dealers

Sourced Slowly, With Intention

Personalized Aftercare & Shipping

Authenticity with Provenance and Care

Sustainably Imported, for People & Planet

About:

Authentic French woodworker’s bench from the Loire Valley, dating to the 19th century with additions into the early 20th century. Made from a mix of regional woods, including Oak and French Pine, this small-format bench features a richly patinated top, original woodworker’s vise, two drawers with artisan-made interior fittings, crafted from repurposed fruit crates with brass pulls, and a lower storage shelf.

One of the drawers bears the mark of its former life: a fruit crate from Hillside Santa Clara Prunes, California — a rare and charming detail reflecting the movement of goods and materials across continents. Breadboard ends and brass handles complete the piece, which was clearly adapted over time by a working artisan. A characterful addition to any creative studio, retail environment, or layered interior. 

Shipping & Delivery:

This item requires freight delivery. After purchase, you will be contacted within 72 hours with a custom shipping quote based on your location and the size of the item. Shipping will be billed separately and will not proceed until the quote is approved.

Condition: 

Good. This workbench is structurally sound and in rustic, well-used condition. The original vise is intact and includes a removable piece, stored on the lower shelf in photos, to secure objects in place. The piece shows historical evidence of woodworm, which has been professionally treated as a preventative measure.

Dimensions:

  • Length: 40.5"
  • Height: 31.5"
  • Depth: 17"
  • Vice Attachment: 28" L x 6.5" W

À la Source

Our ethos is to source with care for people, planet and objects. As a Franco-American team we believe in fair pricing at source, and supporting the French ecosystem as well as bringing beauty and history to the homes of collectors in the U.S. and beyond.

Why French Antiques?

As art dealers first, launching French Art Shop, as an international online destination for French antique paintings in 2017, we look at all our antique furniture and objects through the lens of designing around art and artful living.

French antiques are among the most sought-after in the world — not for their grandeur, but for their restraint. Shaped by regional materials and utilitarian needs, many of the most enduring pieces were made for farms, ateliers, and family homes. Their appeal lies in proportion, practicality, and a deep respect for craft. Patinated woods, hand-forged hardware, timeworn finishes — these details tell a quiet story of use and care. In a world that moves quickly, French antiques offer a slower kind of beauty: one that’s lived-in, considered, and lasting.

The world of Brocante

The French brocante is where the everyday past is preserved. These markets — part cultural ritual, part practical exchange — are where we source many of our pieces. Dealers arrive before dawn, setting out items passed down through trades, homes, and workshops. It’s a world that values utility and age, where a workbench or ceramic jar is appreciated not for perfection, but for what it has endured. We’ve spent years building trust with local vendors and private collectors, allowing us to access pieces rarely seen outside of France — and to share them with context and care. We also run antique buying and brocante tours in France, if you would like to experience this unique universe for yourself!

Antiques and sustainability

We live and work in France, which means our sourcing is grounded in daily life — not short buying trips. Over the past decade, we’ve built trust with regional dealers, restorers, and families who’ve spent generations in the trade. As a Franco-American team, with family in Normandy, we navigate both worlds: combining local relationships and cultural fluency with a Pacific Northwest design perspective. In order for antiques to be a sustainable trade long-term, the entire chain and ecosystem needs to be cared for and understood through principles of sustainability, which revolve around understanding antiques as a finite resource. It is our mission to include an ethos of fairness and education around French culture, which is really about benefitting French people and patrimony through fair pricing and understanding the true source and value of these pieces. We operate our business and interactions with care for antiques dealers, restorers, transporters, tradespeople, and the French families who pass on these heirlooms. Knowing our community of antiques lovers, Francophiles and collectors globally share this ethos is the win-win. Sustainability benefits everyone.