Where is the Best Antique Store in Adelaide

Where is the Best Antique Store in Adelaide

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Posted 2013-05-18 by Dave Walshfollow
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Visiting an antique and collectable store in Adelaide for the first time can be a journey into the unknown.

At the lower end of the scale many second hand shops are littered with things that you may already have in excess. By contrast some antique stores are packed with exotic antiques in large numbers, but at prices to make your eyes water.

Whichever shop you visit, there is always the possibility of a unique find - a surprise that delights and feeds the fascination to browse even more.



While researching this article I stumbled over a few fascinating finds which I will share with you. If they trigger memories of things that you have discovered during your exploration of exotica, please do tell us in the comments.

On my way to see the Tetratologists Inc Art Exhibition I passed Sueclays Antiques in Unley and decided to stop. There were a good selection of old models and toys which were well priced, an interesting postcard collection, some very unusual ornaments, and quite a few prints.



I asked if there were any old photos of Adelaide, and was told that there were only a couple of part filled family photo albums available. On browsing one of these I discovered a rather remarkable photo. It shows what appears to be a man and a woman from around the 1900 period - but the woman is in fact a man in women's clothing.



The selection of goods for sale at busy Cross Road Collectables was rather more prosaic and practical, and no less colourful. But there were still a few surprises.



A letter written personally by the owner of M.S McLeod Tyre Stores in 1940 to a complaining customer provided an interesting insight into past times. The same complaint probably still happens now, but regarding GST instead.



There was a well preserved NSW Fire Brigade helmet from 1906 on display, perfect if you have a child with ambitions to become a fire fighter. It made me wonder what experiences its owner had been through, and how many times the helmet had saved his life.



My memories were jolted as I browsed the large bottle collection, with long forgotten brand names like Cottees, Loys, Woodroofe's and Halls. All of these household names (some with home delivery) were eventually bought out by larger competitors, and the brands have all but disappeared.

Not far away on Winston Avenue you can find The Upcycling Shop which finds new ways to re-use old goods. I paricularly like the way owner Sue can usually tell the story behind an item on display - she is well acquainted with all her stock.



Back on Goodwood Road you can find Philicia Antiques and Collectables , which also has an online shop through Ebay. Possibly the most remarkable thing at Philicia's is the astonishing size of their collection of photographs.

The photos are grouped into albums with similar content, so there are albums dedicated to Boy Scouts , others to water sports, trams , circuses, Sydney Harbour, Tailem Bend , road accidents, railways , and hundreds of other topics. If you are looking for an old photo in Adelaide then you simply must visit here.



Philicia doesn't stop at collections of photos - there are collections of other things ranging from motoring and sport ephemera to badges and boxes of matches.



It's not all dry collections though - one of my favourites was a 1910 French figure of a boy with his German Shepherd dog, although way beyond my price range at $1295!



Other extraordinary items on display included a trunk once owned by successful Adelaide violin maker Henry James Shrosbree , containing violin templates and a book on how to play the violin.



Back in the city the Antique Market on Grote Street is bursting with things over two floors. This is one of the boutiques stores stocking vintage clothing with a much larger range than Dulcie the Boutique Bus .



On the ground floor you can find jewellery, books and LP's, Wedgewood pottery, and silverware, while upstairs is a toy collection to feed your nostalgia .



In our tour of suburban antique and collectable stores we haven't even touched on Strathalbyn, with it's concentrated collection of stores. It's one of my favourite places in the Adelaide Hills to visit, and the prices there are very reasonable too.

So what do you think? Have I missed your favourite store? Is there somewhere bulging with bargains that I missed? Do you know where to find antiques even cheaper?

Please don't hold back - tell us all!

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139463 - 2023-06-13 15:39:17

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