Antiques - what has happened?

In the new austerity of 2009 you expect some businesses to do badly - car manufacturers, sofa shops, people selling lavish holidays in foreign places - and some to do well.
I had assumed when we began the credit crunch that one of the businesses that would do well would be the small antique shop - the type of antiques that are affordable, one off, retro, recycled.

And yet I am wrong.  I know of three antique shops locally that have closed in the last 6 months and heard of another near to my parents today.

I grew up "in the trade" and therefore I automatically look in antique shops rather than rushing to IKEA but it is clear that I am in a minority.  Another daughter of antique dealers, - Kirsty Allsop :)- has been busy on tv and in print trying to encourage people to venture into antique shops, to second hand markets, to anywhere but the identikit home stores.
I often pop into the antique outlets at Doune and Abernyte and 9 times out of 10 I am the only person there.
It isn't the price - for mostly, as long as you are not looking for something specifically collectible, the prices are way under what you would pay elsewhere.  Perhaps people are just not confident, it seems difficult to see what you are looking for.
I took these photos while visiting my Mum & brother for lunch today - I am borrowing 50 teacups for a village fete influenced wedding.  The photo above is of my Mum's shop window - in Gullane Main Street in East Lothian if anyone is looking  - she colour themes her windows every fortnight - this time it was black and white.  Stunning.
It is great having antique dealers in the family - last time I visited I mentioned that I was looking for something to make a garden table with - and Stephen came up with this great lump of marble which had been sitting in his shop (Lindsey Antiques in North Berwick if anyone is looking!) for a couple of years.
A frame of left over wood, some spare paint (Farrow and Ball down pipe Gigi!) and there you go.  A table that no-one else has, that looks stunning, that is 100% recycled and which didn't cost a fortune.

Comments

[ArtShades]

I love your mum's cut glass dome on silver plate. I too am a daughter of parents 'in the trade' - now retired. I have lots of old pieces about the house and like to mix them with contemporary craft pieces. I hope Kirsty has encouraged a renewed interest in second hand treasures AND craftsman-made items, of course!

[Alison]

I love antiques - I'm just a wimp about/rubbish at haggling and if I don't haggle I feel like I've been a mug so I often don't buy. So silly really, I must make the effort.

[blackbird]

I love the pitcher and glasses, and the pink lustre ware.

Our antique stores in Seattle are suffering because of the sharp increase in rents. Some shops need a lot of space to show their wares. Others in popular parts of town raise their prices quite a bit, making things too expensive to consider. And, I too am not good at haggling. But, if I want it and the price is fair- I'm happy.

I can't imagine being in the business- I wouldn't want to let anything go.

[Alexis Johnston]

I loved Kirsty's comment on the antique table linen, patchwork quilts old tea towels etc being 'like drugs' , I really know where she's at on that one! there's nothing quite like the delicate beauty of a pastel eiderdown or a subtle shade of pink linen napkin , it would just not be possible to recreate it today.
Old things have 'soul' oozing out of them, they make you instinctively run your hand over the grain , feel the drape or squish the feather cushion... oh I could go ON AND ON AND ON .....
dreamily dreaming of antiques,
Alexis.

[Pipany]

My entire house is made up of antique/junk shop/ car boot and cast offs. Love it and wouldn't have it any other way. x

[Foxtail Lilly]

Im surprised and sad these shops have closed . We have been selling more vintage than ever over the last few months. I carnt seem to put enough out!! The ulitimate recycle and things of beauty and quality . Without all the endless plastic/cardboard packaging too!!

[snapdragonjane]

Hi Tracey
I was talking to a friend about this only yesterday - she has a pretty lifestyle/gift shop with a bit of vintage thrown into the mix and she sells that fine. Her explanation is that she basically sells what is in the Cath Kidston shop - enamel coffee pots, baskets, vintage eiderdowns and so on and that people are used to seeing those in magazines.
Personally I think it is confidence - but that doesn't help the nearly 40% antique shops that have folded in the last 5 years.
I hope that Kirsty's campaign is successful.
I am rather biased but I just think that having old and hand made things in a home really makes a difference to the atmosphere -
J
x

[caireen]

I love your old bench there too - I am looking for something for the garden, like this -just something to breakfast off, and I wince at the cheap massproduced benches in Homebase, as would much rather get something that looks as if it has been outside for a while... if you see anything on your antiquey travels?? 2 colleagues at work had picked up old pews for £15 each, but sadly by the time I thought about it, they'd been bought up by another shop who were selling them at £50 each! Cx

[Alice C]

As someone who has spent rather more than she should have on antique china in the past month I am panicked at the thought of antique shops disappearing. On the upside some of the trade now goes via EBay and the traders are more likely to move stock which might have hung around in a small shop.

[frances]

Hello Jane,

I love the antiques in each of the pictures you've posted, and wish that I could see every shop.

Over here in New York, it is really difficult to find undiscovered treasures, because clever dealers are always there first.

I have a little collection of antique china, and even wrote a blog a while back about a dear lady I met at Portobello who taught me lots.

It is also distressing to read about so many quality china manufacturers ceasing production. Wonder what folks will collect in the future.

xo