So upon closer look, Newtown Old Wares has a smaller sub-shop to its right with more household-type…read moreitems. If you're even on a grand quest for an antique rotary phone, a retro radio, some decorative vases or perhaps a television circa 1950, this is your place! The long corridor through the center of the shop will lead you past nooks and crannies filled with treasures your grandmother once had. From gumball machines to Bakelite dishes, the antique merchandise has been well selected. If I had all the money in the whole world, I would have purchased two things here. First, I would have become the proud owner of a 60s desk with laminated world map covering its surface. However, by far the most interesting item in this whole shop is the 1960's home sauna. This contraption looks like a refrigerator with a head hole cut in the top. I can only guess that one climbs on it and shuts the door trapping oneself inside from the neck down and then.... Bakes? Or steams? Or stews? Either way, pretty ridiculous and therefor, pretty brilliant.

Macrame wall-hangings never died, they were just comatose for a while. Walking in here was like…read morewalking into my aunt and uncle's house when I was a kid. The abovementioned macrame, a cane chair-pod thing that hangs from the wall, dreadful kitsch nudes as art. Specialising in art and antiques from the 40's, 50's and 60's this is an absolute retro timewarp. You don't see pineapple-head money boxes and a green enamel electric stove for sale every day. While I was wandering the aisles, the two gentlemen staff were engaged in a very stern discussion over chair placement. People who take their furniture seriously. While not cheap from a buyer's point of view, the sign claims they hire and buy items as well. I still think macrame looks like an activity forced on 1940's mental patients awaiting their turn at the electroshock table.

You know what's totally cliche? Having a sneezing attack the minute you walk into an antique shop…read more Guess what happened when I walked through the doors of Towers Antiques & Collectables? Yes, I sent myself into a allergenic fit. Despite this, I weathered the snot storm and stuck around for some browsing. This long, narrow shop is full to the point of bursting with anything and everything old. Whoever did the collecting here didn't seem to have an eye for categorizing. There are old rotary phones atop pealing bookcases, aside bowls of tobacco tins, beside fancy lace gloves, near a bucket of butter knifes. Yes, butter knifes. They also have an old plastic pay phone. And some fantastic vintage postcards. And some 1960s political campaign buttons that are damn near hilarious. If you're impatient, don't shop here. Plain and simple. But it does have a charm associated with the unknown. I made it to the way back of Towers and found a box of vintage fabric scraps. I also discovered some extra cool tin containers from the 50s and 60s. For my hobby of making new stuff out of old stuff, these were both good finds.

Down the far end of King Street in Newtown is a whole strip of antique stores dotted between the…read morecafes, hair salons and bars. Walk as far as Towers Antiques & Collectables and meander your way back up to Newtown station, stopping at the bric-à-brac pack. I don't think it is called Towers because of the towering piles of amazing stuff in the store, but it should be. Step inside the beautiful old shop front and you'll find shelves lining every wall, with every surface is covered in objets d'art. Among the collections of curios you'll find vases of coloured glass, porcelain figurines, ashtrays, small wooden boxes and all kinds of other ornaments and trinkets. If you're looking for bigger items, Towers stocks antique furniture and a huge collection of lights and light fittings.

Oh my word, I love antiques and this place has something for everyone. There is a mixture of…read moreEuropean and Asian antique items, furniture and bric a brac. The shop itself is well organised and very clean. I did think the silver could have been polished and my favourites collectibles were not available.. Cuff links! The manager was most helpful and showed me items that I was very tempted to buy. He had a good range of coloured glass, red being irresistible in my case! I think I will be back to this lovely shop. It is well situated in the suburb of Glebe.

An Aladdin's cave of treasures! I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven just walking through the…read moredoor. Quirky and fabulous things aplenty and the best damn service around. This is not your average antique shop and it's not often my expectations are exceeded, but visiting Halchemy Design was one of those times. I will most certainly be a returning customer when in the city. Thankfully too, the funky and friendly owner Jade is only too happy to post smaller items to me once I fall in love with them on Instagram. Let me tell you...once you go in there's no going back. You will want it all!

I love the juxtapositions in an antique store. The window today contained:…read more - a wooden model of the Mayflower - a string of turquoise skull beads - a battered and well-loved Gladstone medical bag suitable for those inconvenient housecalls or to hide the saws needed for that basement anatomy lesson - a bright red telephone with an actual dial - a brass pig with wings. There's a whopping great deer head on the wall inside, as well as a whole bunch of 'Do Not Touch' signs. Apparently the going rate for a Beaver skull is $130 compared to a Mink skull at $80. Who knew.

Beware this guy ripped us off !! Julian Simmons stole and damaged pristine vintage gear because he…read moredidn't know what he was doing; actually smashed / threw 60yr old gear out into the street leaving us to pickup the pieces and because he couldn't handle he was rude / abusive. We're taking things to Fair Trading and Consumer Affairs with video / pictures to prove it ... watch-out for this guy folks !

From the owner: permanently closedread more

If you're looking to add a few unique pieces to your house, you should definitely include That…read moreVintage Shop on your antique shopping rounds. Sitting on Enmore Road (opposite Enmore Park), you'll recognise it by the jumble of antique furniture out the front and you can pull in to the store's carpark on the right. There are heaps of great knick-knacks and collectables, like malt tins, bottles, bird cages and artwork. Last time I was in there I saw an amazing kids' table and chair set in the shape of a cartoon-style red-and-white mushroom. It took serious willpower to walk away from that... From cushions to quilts to kitchenwares and frames, you'll be tempted to buy way more than you can fit in your house. If you're renovating, you've got an even better excuse to spend up big. There are always plenty of great doorknobs, light fittings and an eclectic mix of chairs. It's not all antique, though; you'll also spy some beautiful new products like candles and teacups. The owners have used every last inch of space so be prepared to do some digging!

Lots of fru-fru antique-y bits. The first room is filled with stuff that's just a little too…read moreprecious, and ornate, for me. China and crystal and old vases and nick-knacks. The second room appeals to me a bit more. The stuff here is a bit more rustic, a bit less previous. And there's quite a bit of it; watch where you walk. But a great deal of it doesn't seem to be *actual* antiques, just stuff made to *look* like it is. If that's fine by you, then the prices seem fairly reasonable.