Not all the Good Treasure was Stolen

Each piece is a love letter to Paris, with a dose of satire for collectors of literary oddities. The Bibliothèque Bizarre transforms forgotten fiction into wearable treasures — equal parts conversation starter, collectible, and keepsake.

This week’s 13 Things is dedicated to the art of embroidery…

In a vast warehouse at the edge of Paris, artisans are working around the clock on a clandestine operation entrusted to them by the Louvre: recreating France’s most iconic sculptures and prints for mysterious clients the world over. And unbeknownst to most of Paris, its doors are open to anyone curious enough to come knocking.

Conques was never supposed to be found. Or at least, not easily. The sleepy village had been presiding over the French Midi-Pyrénées mountains since the 7th century, when a monk named Dadon decided it would make the perfect place for sacred hermitage. Not only was the valley close to a legendary Roman spring, but it was nearly impossible to reach without a lot of grit and motivation, making it the perfect resting place for one of Europe’s grandest treasures…

When German forces took Athens in April 1941, they expected to find thousands of centuries-old artifacts in the National Archaeological Museum, Greece’s largest museum. Instead, the neo-classical building was totally empty, besides the archaeologists and guardians still on duty. Officers asked them where the relics were hidden and “they answered enigmatically that antiquities are where everybody knows they are: under the ground.” Little did the Germans realise that the museum staff had literally buried all statues and artifacts underground in concrete fortified trenches right under their feet.

One of the world's most prestigious wine cellars isn't where you think it might be. It isn't nestled beneath a grand chateau or presidential palace, but buried in the backyard of an average Joe, a retiree of humble background who has been collecting the rarest wines, bottle by bo

Imagine gathering around a dinner table with the guy who stole the Mona Lisa, an heiress who stole a Vermeer, the "gentleman thief" responsible for some of the most sensational art thefts in Europe, and let's throw an invite to Pablo Picasso for good measure…

Pearls have always been in a league of their own. As souvenirs from the depths of New World waters in the 15th century, they were simply something diamonds, emeralds, and rubies could never be: alive.

Step inside the Bibliothèque Bizarre, where forgotten titles and imaginary authors find new life as coveted objets d’art.