Antiques and intrigue

Vintage pieces from the famous Les Puces Parisian flea market, unusual finds from the souks of Dubai, shawls from Marrakech and handmade jewelry from Turkey are among the interesting things you’ll find at Laurier Blanc, a home décor shop on Bissonnet. Suzanne Coppola opened the store in fall 2015 after having already found success as an online dealer. The stylish Houstonian fell in love with antiques and broadened her view of international décor after she married Paul Coppola and they moved to London for two and a half years. She’d tag along on business trips, and while he was working, she’d go shopping. She still travels the world, making six or seven buying trips a year and finding exciting new things on each trip. Last year, she discovered artisan clutch handbags in Bhutan, jewelry in Istanbul and more clutches and brass cuffs in Kenya. In addition to the unique and new, Laurier Blanc is full of older things, from vintage barware to antique chandeliers and furniture. One of her most unusual collections is what remains of the European Hunt Collection, originally 465 mounted antlers once owned by European royalty and rediscovered by the famed “Monuments Men” sent out to recover hidden art and artifacts during World War II. These are no ordinary deer antlers you’d scavenge from South Texas ranches. They’re historic pieces — works of art, really — that come with a provenance. They are the by the trophies Hohenzollern from hunt and trips Hapsburg made dynasties and once belonged to Emperor Hans Josef (he was emperor of Austria and king of Hungary) and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. Their audience is a niche market, for sure, but one that’s bigger than you might think. Designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard used one in Tommy Hilfiger’s Connecticut estate, and when artist Hunt Slonem was visiting Houston, he stopped in and bought one for his own Brooklyn home. Coppola’s finely curated collection of goods has not only found an eager audience among the local design community, but she’s found her spot in the philanthropic world. A portion of every sale goes to some charity — many of them local — including Kids’ Meals, Lucky Lab Rescue and Adoption, the Joshua Fund and her newest passion, Dwell with Dignity, which finished its first project in July. Laurier Blanc: 1926 Bissonnet; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday

HUNTING TROPHIES FROM THE EUROPEAN HUNT COLLECTION — ANTIQUES CREATED AND ONCE OWNED BY EUROPEAN ROYALTY — CAN BE FOUND IN THE LAURIER BLANC ANTIQUES AND DÉCOR STORE ON BISSONET IN HOUSTON.