George and Dodie, proprietors of Rue de France and Ophelia Fine Arts, have been dealing in remarkable antiques for over 35 years. Their business started in an antique centre in Woollahra, where they bought, restored and sold fine artworks sourced both here in Australia and in the cultural hubs of Europe.

With a degree in Fine Arts and another in Journalism, Dodie is well placed in the industry and armed with the knowledge she and George gained through the completion of an art restoration course in North Wales, the pair have skills and experience that are unparalleled in the Australian market.

Antique paintings from across Europe capture humanity and history in unexpected and raw ways. Often recreated, they can never be replicated. Whether from a master or an unnamed student, the detail in the pieces is rediscovered by Dodie’s painstaking restoration process.

Pieces like this 18th Century Dutch still life oil painting below capture style and expression often unseen in modern styles.

Highly collectible and romantic, this Antique oil painting titled ‘Portrait of a Boy is suspected to be of French origin of the mid-19th Century. Framed in a period French gilt it makes for a whimsical addition to any room.

From lustrous shine to a naturally aged, vintage aesthetic, the diverse selection of champagne buckets the Rue de France showroom houses cannot be found anywhere else. These hard-to-find champagne buckets are highly sought after, and the impressive collection George and Dodie have amassed provides you with endless option to showcase your favourite in classic, sophisticated style.

Browse the champagne bucket collection at Rue de France.

In the late 1980’s George and Dodie began dealing and specialising in Victorian majolica pottery, which at the time was highly collectible in the USA and UK. Over 50 years on, the collectibles are older, rarer and more widely known. Dodie has written many articles on the subject, the pieces are available through the Rue de France website and displayed in the Botany showroom.

Browse the antique majolica collection at Rue de France

The last 15 years have seen the business branch out into French antiques and high-quality vintage designer pieces. Specialising in Louis Vuitton luggage and champagne buckets. Sourced directly from France and the European continent, their collections include stunning provincial furniture, Italian baroque interiors, exciting collectibles and remarkable artworks restored with precise care.

The authenticity of the pieces brings a plethora of stories and the dramatisation of journeys abroad. This early 20th Century steamer trunk by Louis Vuitton retains its original interior, and the signs of usage adds the context of stylish voyages and expeditions.

Browse the extraordinary collection of antiques and collectables at www.ruedefrance.com.au 

The Rue De France showroom is open by appointment only at: 39a Sir Joseph Banks Street, Botany