As trite and expected as these little figurines may be, I had to do a post over my Eiffel Tower collection. What makes this collection meaningful to me is that the majority of them have been gifts from friends and family. These little figurines are little treasures not only because they remind me of Paris, but also because the giver thought of me when she found it and bought it for me. My collection is very diverse- some are old Avon perfume bottles (thanks Sissy for the PINK one- it is so fun and definitely me); the small metal one I purchased from an individual vendor at the Trocadero; and the largest two of the collection are from a precious former French student of mine (merci Kim). Notice the one on the far left she made out of popsicle sticks! I could paint it brown or black or gray, but for now I am going to leave it in its charming original state!
So the question to ponder is, does this collection look like something one would find in a Parisienne's home in Paris? I can't even begin to answer yes or no. However, I do know from looking at Paris interiors books that Parisians, especially prestigious artistic Parisians, have very unique collections from their foreign travels. Although the Eiffel tower may be just a quartier (block) or two from their apartment and may seem ordinary to them, it is foreign and special to me and thus a wonderful souvenir from Paris. Sigh!