Go back in time this Christmas
PORT Elizabeth has always been a treasure trove for antiques and, though the likes of Amble In, Books and Bygones, and Pandora’s Box have sadly closed shop, the city is still a great hunting ground for unique pieces from years gone by.
For some last-minute Christmas shopping, here’s a roundup of some spots worth exploring:
TONY’S ANTIQUES
Founded in 1954 by Tony van der Merwe, Tony’s is surely one of South Africa’s oldest existing antique shops.
Olaf Haitink bought it in 1996 and, in 2009, moved Tony’s to its current premises at the Haitink family home, a sprawling showpiece built by the esteemed McWilliams firm of architects in the early 1900s.
Haitink, who has collected antiques since his childhood in Holland, stocks high-end pieces, particularly art and sculpture, period furniture and hallmarked silver.
He also has a keen eye for quirky object d’arts, so if you’re looking for a prized piece with a bit of an offbeat quality about it, you might well find it here.
Tony’s Antiques is at 130 Fordyce Road, off Sixth Avenue, Walmer. Call (041) 581-1618 or 083-320-2060.
COLONIAL ANTIQUES
The Bay’s biggest antique shop is owned by Reynier du Preez and Aletta Bouwer, who have been friends and business partners since university.
Colonial Antiques is in a vast old building covering several floors and you could easily spend hours there.
On the antiques and collectibles front, you will find everything under the sun; they also sell Persian carpets old and new which they bring in from Iran.
Colonial Antiques is at 14 Todd Street, North End. Call (041) 484-2617.
SECOND TIME AROUND
Another veteran in the industry, Amanda Fourie, has a large store in Kragga Kamma Road, Colleen Glen, that is filled to the rafters with evocative pieces.
I bought a lovely art deco pressed-glass dressing table set there once and was amazed at how affordable it was, considering it didn’t have a single chip or scratch. Other items might be a bit more battered, but that simply adds to their charm.
Call (041) 372-1763.
JEN JEN’S
This family-run antiques and collectibles business at the corner of Westbourne and Albany roads started life as Freddie’s Antiques in1963, and was later renamed Jen Jen’s when Jenny Jansen took it over in the late 1980s.
Jansen specialises in old coins and bank notes, medals and jewellery, but also has a good eye for porcelain and vintage musical instruments, not to mention wacky items such as her pair of exotic leather-covered camels from “who knows where”!
Call (041) 374-9360.
OLD CURIOSITY SHOP
Lawrence Street in Central was once a phenomenal antiques hub, but now only Sheldon Norris’s Old Curiosity Shop (No 8) is left. It’s a wonderland of china, crockery, cutlery and glass. Norris, who’s had the business for 26 years, also stocks fine furniture and other quality collectibles like vintage and antique light-fittings. Items are in wonderful nick and well priced too.
Call (041) 586-4786.