French enamelware kitchen canisters

Merry Christmas! The big day isn't even here yet and I've already bought myself a present. I feel a little guilty, but here's the story. As you know, I love eBay. Truly, if you need it, it's there somewhere. As you also may know, I'm remodeling my kitchen and I'm trying to spruce up my countertop accessories. And when I found these babies, I knew I had to act.

Aren't they dreamy? And since they are in relatively good condition, I plan on using them for their intended purpose. Sucre is sugar, farine is flour, cafe is coffee, pates is pasta, chickoree is chickory and poivre is pepper. I'm not really sure what I'll use chickoree for since I don't keep chickory around (although I do love French Market Coffee). My total cost was about $250 when you factor in shipping from France, but I just couldn't let such a great set get away.

If you are searching eBay for something, remember to keep a few basics in mind. Search under alternate names for your item. In this case search "French enamelware" and "French enamel ware". The seller might not know which way is standard. Factor in misspellings also, perhaps "enamelwear." By searching for misspellings, you might find a gem that others might not be bidding on because they couldn't find it. Also beware that sellers are not necessarily experts and might not name their items correctly. For example, people commonly refer to wall brackets as sconces even though they are not lights at all. It's just a mistake that's crept into the lexicon, but use it to your advantage.