If you’re the sort of person who loves going on a treasure hunt, antiquing is probably not unfamiliar to you.
In your (first edition) book, trawling through dusty shops, jostling at auction houses, and braving the great British weather in hot pursuit of your next thrilling find is the only way to spend the weekend.
Now there’s a new way to shop antiques from the comfort of your own home: online, of course. The internet has come for secondhand and antique shops in a big way: there’s never been such wealth at our fingertips.
A must-needed antidote in our flatpack-everything mass-made world, genuine antiques have an intriguing story to tell. They lend a unique character to a space, help to preserve intricate and fast-vanishing crafts and divert priceless objects from winding up on the scrap heap. When it comes to interiors, old is most certainly gold.
But antiques can span everything from fashion and jewellery to classic cars and decommissioned military gear - if that’s your bag. Art is something that instantly springs to mind when discussing antiques, but look online and you’ll soon see it’s not all oil landscapes and portraits of long-dead aristos.
Then there are reproductions: sure, not the genuine article, but inspiring all the same. Helpful if you’re on a budget but still long for the elegant styles of yesteryear, they prove you can have great style if you don’t have wads of cash to splash.
From established antique stores that have made the jump online to new peer-to-peer platforms like Narchie, there is a world of antique shopping to discover. To help, we’ve put together a guide of the best ones, suitable for every budget.
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1stDibs
Price: £££
For original, retro and authentic mid-century finds, head to 1stDibs. The preloved marketplace is a treasure trove of 1940s, 50s and 60s items to cherish. Browse the never-ending display of sideboards, bookshelves and chairs that harken back to the stylish 20th century. You’ll even find a few rarities such as the iconic Eames Chair thrown into the mix. Come with a full wallet and leave with a one-of-a-kind stunning focal piece to proudly display in the home.
Buy now, 1stDibs
Oxfam Shop Home Antiques
The great thing about shopping for antiques at a charity shop is that you get something cool for the house while raising funds for a good cause, and if that doesn’t add a glow to retail therapy, nothing will. As you’d expect, there’s a revolving door of goods posted on Oxfam’s site, which makes it feel a bit like riffling through a warehouse-sized version of its store.
Right now, the selection includes chintzy ceramic poodle statues, beautiful brass candlesticks, more silver teapots than you can wave a PG Tips pyramid at, and intricate perfume bottles.
Buy now, Oxfam
Etsy
Etsy is probably best known as the place to find handcrafted items from small sellers and sole traders, but it’s also a great place to go antique-hunting. There are millions of items up for sale, with jewellery and furniture two fruitful sections to trawl through for gifts or finishing touches to add character to your home.
Buy now, Etsy
The Saleroom
There’s nothing like the thrill of an auction house: finding something you love, going head-to-head with other contenders before the hammer comes down, and styling your new accessories at home. But with piddling things like work getting in the way, we can’t spend as much time there as we like.
Enter The Saleroom, which broadcasts live auctions from all over the UK and through which you can do your bidding on millions of items. More than 700 auction houses use the site, so you’re bound to stumble across something you love if you’re just window shopping - but you can also set alerts for pieces you’re hunting. Sections include fine art, watches and jewellery, furniture, military curios, fashion and even classic cars.
Buy now, The Saleroom
Facebook Marketplace
It’s a bit hit-and-miss over at FB Marketplace, the selling platform of the social media website. But peppered in amongst the secondhand flatpack, used toys and amateur ‘artwork’ are some real treasures.
What you’ll see depends on your search radius - naturally, London has the best listings; zone in on well-heeled pockets of the capital for more bargains - but house clearances will normally throw up a few delights. It’s a giant digital car boot sale.
Make sure you haggle with the sellers and inspect your new purchase carefully before parting with any money.
Buy now, Facebook Marketplace
Pure White Lines
Established in 2012 by former antiques dealer Matt Goss and partner Jules, Pure White Lines offers arresting homewares and fixtures that will make visitors do a second take.
The offering spans homewares, furniture and lighting and while many are not genuinely vintage, many are inspired by iconic styles of times past - to such an extent that Pure White Lines pieces are used in commercial as well as residential projects. Think custom-made Murano chandeliers in Manhattan, vintage Czech railway station mirrors in Los Angeles, and reproduction Parisian pendants in Paris.
Buy now, Pure White Lines
Narchie
It may not be a bonafide antique shop, but Narchie is a cool new social platform where you can sell secondhand homeware peer-to-peer. You’ll find modestly-priced pieces here, from vintage beer glasses crafted in Italy to an Art Deco perpetual calendar, made from Bakelite. Whether you’re searching for a small piece of decor or a supersized framed oil painting, trawling through Narchie’s wares is bound to throw up a few gems.
Buy now, Narchie
The Old Cinema
Specialising in antique and vintage homeware since 1978, The Old Cinema began life as a Chiswick department store. It still calls West London home, and if you’re in the area, you can browse the 10,000 sqft showroom arranged over three floors and admire the treasures inside.
But if you can’t make it down there in person, its website is just as much of a pleasure to peruse. Right now, the spotlight is on Midcentury pieces, which is great if you, like me, cannot shake your Mad Men addiction. There are also Art Deco and general vintage pieces to check out, while the dedicated Antique section includes exquisite travel trunks, desks and, rather resplendently, an early 19th Century Gothic oak reliquary cabinet. Divine.
Buy now, The Old Cinema
Vinterior
Ever on the rise, Vinterior is an incredibly popular place to shop for verifiably vintage pieces of furniture and home accessories at a reasonable price.
Founded by Chinese French entrepreneur Sandrine Zhang Ferron after she taught herself to code in 2016, the online marketplace is a safe space for independent sellers to list their vintage treasures. Renowned for their vast collection of mid-century modern furniture, browse over 100,000 verified items from across the globe that will stand the test of time.
Buy now, Vinterior
TK Maxx and Homesense
You're not going to find genuine antiques here, but if your budget is only going to cover a reproduction, there's plenty to discover on its shelves.
While TK Maxx has a modest homewares section available to shop for home delivery, you can only add items from sister company Homesense to your basket if you're shopping in person. That does mean schlepping out to retail parks where branches are typically found but go after payday with an empty car boot - there's lots there to fill it.
Buy now, TK Maxx
