Having been around since Roman times, London has seen many artistic styles and designs, and almost all of it eventually finds its way into the shops and markets. Considering that, antique shoppers could find a city as old as London, a treasure trove of vintage furniture, clothing, and bric-a-brac. If you find yourself in the city looking for some old classic piece to take home with you, you should try one of the five places below. Each of them represents a fantastic opportunity to find memento or keepsake with a great history to it.
Alfies Antique Market
The first place you should stop is Alfies Antique Market. Featuring well between 75 and 100 specialty dealers in everything from furniture to collectibles. You can find just about anything here from the most high-end items to some unusual cheap gifts to bring home to friends and family. The building certainly has plenty of room for them all since it was converted from an old department store, and the art deco design adds to the vintage atmosphere while you shop for deals. What’s more, if you find yourself feeling a bit puckish as you shop, there’s a rooftop restaurant where you can grab a bite before continuing.
Portobello Road Market
While Alfies is one of the best-covered markets for antiques, you should also peruse the open-air Portobello Road Market. It is one of the most famous markets in the world for good reason. In addition to the lovely atmosphere created by the posh Notting Hill neighborhood and the stalls, you can find just about anything in the market from the late-19th Century to the present. Of course, antiques, records, and vintage clothing aren’t the only items sold here as flowers, food, and more awaits in the stalls and shops that line Portobello Road.
London Silver Vaults
For a taste of the finer things, you’ll want to visit the London Silver Vaults, which features thirty shops focused on silver goods from cufflinks to dining ware. Not only that, but the shops don’t just sell contemporary silverware but also a number of vintage items that are decades if not hundreds of years old. The prices range from quite affordable to the ridiculously expensive, so you shouldn’t worry about how much you spend unless you feel like dropping some big money. The London Silver Vaults also have a very unique ambiance, given that each store is actually its own vault, a layout that’s certainly necessary given the value of the items inside.
Paper Dress Vintage
Those who want to go shopping for some retro clothing items need to look no further than Paper Dress Vintage. You can find clothing items dating as far back as the 1920s here, so if you need a Beatles-esque suit, a flapper gown, or some 70s polyester, the is a store that has it all. And if the perfect item doesn’t fit just right, Paper Dress Vintage also offers alteration services to help get it down to the right size. Be sure to find out what’s going on while you’re there, as the shop’s event space gets used by everything from yoga classes to burlesque shows.
LASSCO
LASSCO is the London Architectural Salvage and Supply Company is the top architectural items retailer in London. Their store near Vauxhall has managed to salvage any number of unique pieces from across London and beyond, including doors, urns, lights, ironwork, textiles, and more. There’s no shortage of great antiques here that will help give your home an old, custom look that can’t be replicated. Interestingly enough, there’s also a nautical section if you want to add a steering wheel or a ship’s bell.
Author: John Rabon
John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.