The art of vintage value

Stephanie Saltoglu’s obsession with vintage shopping began when her box of treasures was misplaced while in storage when she moved house.

“Suddenly I found myself without my lifelong keepsakes and mementoes... my toadstool money box, my Dougal toy, my miniature toy cleaning cupboard.... I know it all sounds a bit dramatic, but I was devastated,” says Stephanie.

“These were the ornaments and artefacts of my life, full of memories and meaning and completely irreplaceable. Not surprisingly, I went shopping to try and fill the void.” Stephanie explains that though the new ornaments and items that she bought from regular shops and chain store looked nice; they felt bland and meaningless. Luckily though, a chance encounter with a vintage shop in Harrogate was to be the turning point for Stephanie, opening up a new world of fun, upcycling, nostalgia and creativity.

Stephanie explains that she first got into vintage shopping quite a few years ago, “but I am thrilled that the opportunities for this type of shopping have grown immeasurably since then”. Harrogate alone now boasts five dedicated vintage shops, and has two auction houses that deal weekly, and bi-monthly with the sale of bazaar items.

Nearby Skipton also has a fantastic Antiques Centre which is a treasure trove of reasonably priced vintage items, rather than the more pricey fine antiques the name might suggest. Add to this vintage fairs, car-boot sales and eBay; and the opportunities for exploration and searching out that special something become almost infinite.

According to Stephanie, the best place in the Harrogate area to become inspired by vintage, is Space Vintage, in The Ginnel, just off Harrogate’s Parliament Street. This is the first and biggest of Harrogate’s bespoke vintage shops.

A visit here is guaranteed to plunge you back into your childhood, as you feast your eyes on vintage toys, tea-sets, tables, typewriters, twinsets, and just about anything else you can think of from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Neither cheap, nor expensive; the vintage merchandise is just there in great quantities waiting to be bought, with no finding effort on your behalf.

Stephanie’s delights from this store include a couple of huge original 70s style paintings, Italian ceramics, (in the style and colour of the popular Rimini Blue, but at half the price), and an art deco fire companion set, to name but a few.

They always have a large selection of German pottery, vintage Poole pottery, clothes, scarves, jewellery, and an ever changing array of original retro furniture and homewares. According to Stephanie, if you can visit the store on a regular basis you may spot an opportunity for negotiation if you notice something that hasn’t sold quickly.

Another good place for vintage and retro furniture in Harrogate, is Chris Holmes on Cold Bath Road. He is more expensive, but he sells what one would call bona fide modern antiques. Stephanie bought a huge original and immaculate 1970s ox-Art tile top coffee table from him, which is a work of art in itself.

For more quirky items and artefacts, Stephanie recommends a new shop on Bower Road called Pash which specialises in architectural salvage items such as original print blocks, industrial furniture and fittings.

She has bought quirky print blocks, original vintage tiles, and original photographic plates from here; all of which are a creative way of decorating a home; and are always a talking point for her guests and visitors.

If you have time, you can actually do the hunting yourself, and cut out the finder’s fee that specialist shops add onto their price tag.

Harrogate boasts two auction houses; Thompsons at Hampsthwaite, who hold an auction every Friday, and Morphets on Albert Street, who generally hold bi-monthly Bazaar auctions.

Both deal in an eclectic range of items from furniture to household items, to the downright bizarre and unusual.

Stephanie says: “I once walked into Thompsons to be greeted by the sight of a huge horse-drawn carriage – minus the horses of course. The auctions are a great place to find good quality furniture at a fraction of the high street price, and they always have a great selection of vintage glassware and crockery.”

Stephanie’s imaginative and money saving tip is to build a collection of interesting mismatched vintage china crockery pieces. “You can do this for the same or less than it costs to purchase a box of thick porcelain crockery from a catalogue store. And, in my experience, vintage china works fine through the dishwasher.” Though she adds, please test her theory with one item first.

Another great idea from Stephanie, which breathes creativity into a home, as well as saving money, is to pay a professional to re-cover either your own tired suite or a natty secondhand chair or sofa bought cheaply at auction.

Stephanie recommends Ken Reeves & Son, situated behind Kings Road in Harrogate. “Proper wing-back chairs full of history and quality, but which had lost their charm, have now been re-covered by Ken and his team in beautiful jewel- coloured velvets.

“In other words we got the look and the quality we wanted, but at a price we could actually afford.”

Another tip is to give chipped furniture or picture frames a lick of colourful paint. “If the overall shape and cut of a frame or cupboard is stylish, but the wood is marked and chipped, then consider painting it in a bright or retro colour such as aubergine or lime green. Even just painting one or two doors on a cupboard can give a piece of furniture a stylish new look.”

Stephanie’s home is a testament to her ingenuity and creative imagination, and a walk round her home demonstrates that almost anything can be displayed to artistic effect, from bits of broken toys and china dolls, beautiful shells and stones found in a river bed, vintage bags and hair pins, to vintage medicine or pop bottles.

The golden rule is that a piece must “speak to you”. “Perhaps it’s already an heirloom, or something you’ve kept and treasured from your childhood; so why not get it out, display it, and enjoy it? Equally, a ‘new to you’ vintage item will, in my experience, bring more satisfaction and pleasure than its equivalent bought brand new.”

Right on cue, Stephanie brandishes a huge and extremely impressive vintage candelabra, telling me that it cost £15. Even I know this is a lot less than you would pay for a new silver effect or chrome plated one. More important than the price tag to Stephanie though, is the history and heritage of the piece.

“What I love about this candelabra is that it must have a hundred stories to tell of wonderful celebrations and Christmases in times past. Just imagine these stories gives it meaning and value, and a special place in my home.”