France Sources for uniforms?

[TS Allen]

Hello everyone,

I've been involved in collecting US and British uniforms from the pre-WWI period for some time. I've enjoyed it immensely, but, I often come across French uniforms that strike me as historic, beautiful, and generally well priced. Because of this, I'd like to get more involved in collecting pre-WWI and WWI French militaria.

So, I'm asking everyone if they'd be willing to share a few of their sources for militaria from this period with me. I speak a very little bit of French, but, I can usually smash my way through translating website (God forbid I have to send an inquiring email, of course!). I'm looking for any militaria companies, on the web or off, French, American, British, or anywhere else, that specialize in French militaria from about the Second Empire to the end of WWI. All I need is a URL, an address, a phone number, or any other way to contact them and start asking questions about what they have in stock.

Any help is greatly appreciated,

~TS

[Paul L Murphy]

If you can get your hands on the French magazine "Militaria" you should be able to find some dealers adverts that will help. The French ebay site (ebay.fr) is also actually quite good for this as long as you know what you are buying.

[PKeating]

There are various militaria dealers in Paris and the provinces. Some, of course, are more honest than others. Fred Finel sometimes has nice French uniforms amongst the Allied and Axis stuff, and he speaks fluent English, being married to an English lady.

Overlord

96 Rue Folie Méricourt

75011 Paris

Phone: 011 33 1 43 55 21 19

I think Fred has a website and I will come back to you on that but if memory serves me correctly, it's really for the part of his business that supplies private purchase gear to modern French soldiers.

Another place worth looking at is Le Poilu, which can also be found on the web at: http://www.techmili.com/Magasins/Lepoilu/Le_poilu.htm They have someone who speaks English.

PK

[Paul L Murphy]

If you are interested in early French medals, rather than uniforms, then Soldats d'Antans on Quai de la Tournelle (near Notre Dame) is one place I would recommend. However they do not speak English.