It's a busy enough time of year without having to wrack your brains for original Christmas presents but fear not, Homes & Antiques are here to help. As many an antiques hunter will agree, an old piece makes for a truly unique gift whether it's for children or adults (or big children of course). Scroll on to discover our favourite picks from the shops this season, with a mix of old, new and vintage finds. All you need to do is pick an era...
ANTIQUARIAN From cameos to Roman busts, bestow a gift fit for an emperor with this collection of classic finds
Bronze sundial, £550, Appley Hoare Antiques . Stack of marble dishes, from £25, Ines Cole . Profile of a classical figure by Peter Hone, £15.50, Pentreath & Hall . Boxes in ‘Stone Lattice’ wrapping paper, £3 per sheet, Pentreath & Hall . Svend Bayer pitcher, £75, Maud & Mabel. Porcelain fruit stand, £195, John Julian. In fruit stand: small earthenware jug dish by John Derian, £45, Pentreath & Hall . Clam and mussel shell salt and pepper dishes, £58 for the pair, The Shop Floor Project . Julius Caesar bust, £195, Rockett St George . Antique African beaded necklace, £250, Appley Hoare Antiques . French crock pot, £125, The Old Cinema . Marble lens box, £59, The Design Museum Shop . Ocarina whistle, find similar at any music shop. Michelangelo David figurine, £55, The National Gallery . Fornasetti teapot, £325, Liberty . Two stacks of French antique books, £100 per bundle, Appley Hoare Antiques . Fornasetti-style faces jar, £49, Rockett St George . French farmhouse table, £450, Gear Antiques . On wall: Roman emperor ‘Intaglio’ case by Bridie Hall, £455, Pentreath & Hall VICTORIAN EXPLORER Inspire a budding collector with an arresting array of natural treasures and artefacts
Complete clam shell, £60, Decorative Antiques . Victorian amber glass decanter, £550, Guinevere . Boxes in ‘Regency Caning’ and ‘Falling Cubes’ wrapping paper, £3 per sheet, Pentreath & Hall . Butterfly collection, £125 (plus VAT), Retrouvius . Ammonite fossil, find similar at Fossils-UK.com . Leather lidded box, £850, Gordon Watson . ‘Kikapu’ woven vessel, £90, Raj Tent Club . Maps by James Wyld, £20 each, V&A Shop . Wooden magnifying glass, £245, The Old Cinema . Brass safari animals, £75 for set of three, Raj Tent Club . 19th-century oak corner cabinet, £420, Lassco . Inside cabinet: Paris dish by John Derian, £45, Pentreath & Hall ; ‘Gentleman Stag’ glass decoration, £10, Rockett St George ; minerals, find similar at Fossils-UK.com ; ‘Gentleman Hare’ glass decoration, £10, Rockett St George ; Georgian rosewood tea caddy, £275, Pentreath & Hall ; stack of French antique books, £100 per bundle, Appley Hoare Antiques . French farmhouse table, £450, Gear Antiques MID-CENTURY Treat a lover of 20th-century style to a statement piece bursting with colour
Red ‘Anglepoise’ lamp, £295 (plus VAT), Retrouvius . Wooden toy truck, £45, Matt Mitchell London . Vitra ‘Wooden Doll No 11’, £85, The Design Museum Shop . ‘Falling Cubes’ yellow cushion by Fine Cell Work, £95, Pentreath & Hall . Ceramic miniature vases, £23 each, The Old Cinema . ‘Large Monochrome Fat Lava’ vase by Bay Keramik, £55, Homeplace . Breakfast cups and saucers, £29 each; coffee pot in ‘Jet Black’, £99, all Branksome China . Red geometric shape, £30, Mar-den. Boxes in ‘Falling Cubes’ wrapping paper, £3 per sheet, Pentreath & Hall . Brass paperweights, £38 each; brass stationery tray, £35, all Native & Co . Danish black-and-white vase, £25, The Old Cinema . ‘Boulder’ napkin, £20, Dinosaur Designs . Geometric glass vase, £120, The Old Cinema . Farmhouse table, £750, Gear Antiques . On wall: rare vintage botanical chart, £85, Homeplace ART DECO Add a little glamour to your gifts with sinuous accessories in crisp white and burnished gold
Faux gold palm branch, £12, Rockett St George . 1930s cocktail shaker, £245, Goldsmith & Perris at Alfies Antique Market . Gold wing bookends, £38 for both, The National Gallery . ‘Nixon’ cake stand, £228, Jonathan Adler . On cake stand: small 1930s bathroom cabinet, £95, Attic ; small art deco glasses, £480, sold as part of a set with decanter, The Old Cinema ; art deco figure, £440, The Old Cinema . ‘Clear Dot Bauble’, £6, The Conran Shop. Porcelain flower vases, £30 each, Native & Co . Art deco ‘Bronze-effect Lady Lamp’, £87, Rockett St George . Glass art deco decanter, £480 (sold as a set with glasses), The Old Cinema . ‘Century Hotel’, £195, Chisel & Mouse . ‘Jewel’ vase by Louise Roe, £45, Couverture & The Garbstore . Art deco silver pendant, find similar at Connie Speight at Alfies Antique Market . Boxes in ‘Falling Cubes’ wrapping paper, £3 per sheet, Pentreath & Hall . French farmhouse table, £450, Gear Antiques ARTS AND CRAFTS Take your cue from nature – choose wares old and new enriched with a rustic, handcrafted vibe
William Morris ‘Cray’ silk scarf, £48, V&A Shop . Plaster cast of a flower and stem, £80, Lassco . Wooden jewellery box, £100, The Old Cinema . In jewellery box: ‘Tilda’ flower egg cups, £10 each, Rowen & Wren ; ‘English Rose’ locket, £895, The Shop Floor Project . Decorative jug, £32, Phoenix on Golborne. In jug: antique artist’s brushes, £85 for both, Decorative Antiques . Bird candlestick, £295 for a pair, The Shop Floor Project . Diary illustrated by Eric Ravilious, £10, V&A Shop . Fabric swatch notebook, £12.50 for three, The Shop Floor Project . V&A ‘Kilburn’ coral enamel mug, £9.95, Wild & Wolf . Medium resin ‘Pebble’ vase, £175, Dinosaur Designs . Wooden milking stool, £75, The Peanut Vendor . On stool: ‘Treasure Tree’ cushion; ‘Varx’ cushion, both Cameron Short, £140 each, The New Craftsmen . Boxes in ‘Stone Lattice’ wrapping paper, £3 per sheet, Pentreath & Hall. Farmhouse table, £750, Gear Antiques 1970s LUXE Pieces that shine are the order of the day in this tactile, decadent display
‘Travertine’ bowl, £1,500, Gordon Watson . ‘Krakatoa’ vase, £138, Jonathan Adler . Brass pineapple, £225, Louise Verber Antiques at Alfies Antique Market . Medium ‘Cloud’ brass bowl, £145, Dinosaur Designs . Italian goblets, £150 for six; Italian ice bucket, £450, all Sambataro at Alfies Antique Market . Boxes in ‘Regency Caning’ wrapping paper, £3 per sheet, Pentreath & Hall . Palm tree table lamp, £149.99, Rockett St George . Hammered brass fruit bowl, £400, Matt Mitchell London . ‘Medium Liquid’ silver vase, £115, Dinosaur Designs . ‘Honeycomb’ tealight holders, £12.50 and £18, Rockett St George . Silvered pear, £900, Gordon Watson . French farmhouse table, £450, Gear Antiques MINI VINTAGE Enthral little minds with folk-style finds heaped in heritage
‘H’ alphabet pot by Bridie Hall, £40, Pentreath & Hall . Wooden bird whistle, from £6.50, V&A Shop . ‘Mr Red’ tin wind up toy, £24, Rockett St George . Numbered antique stoneware bottles, from £4 each, Homeplace . Oxo tin, £15, Attic . ‘Wooden Mother Fish & Child’, £104, The Design Museum Shop . Stack of small vintage French notebooks, £4.99 each, Attic . 1970s brass globe, £150, Present & Correct . Boxes in ‘New Pavement’ wrapping paper, £3 per sheet, Pentreath & Hall . ‘Grandma Fox’ by Anne-Claire Petit, £195, The Conran Shop . Gold glitter party crowns, £10 for eight, Rockett St George . 1960s ‘Suitcase & Flag’ money box, £30, Present & Correct . 1950s child’s table and chair, £65, Mar-den . On chair: ‘Teixidor’ merino wool throw, £240, Maud & Mabel ; ‘Superstar’ notebook, £25, Rockett St George ; Italian notebook, £30, Maud & Mabel . Under chair: 1960s snap cards, £6.50, Present & Correct . Blackboard world map, £5, Sunbury Antiques Market . Vintage Rupert book, £6.50, Pitfield London . ‘Classic Teddy Bear’, £125, Steiff . On wall: vintage German school map, £245, Chase & Sorensen Photography: Carolyn Barber
