Whether it’s a rustic kitchen table, an Art Deco candelabrum, or a pile of vintage books, metro Detroit is chock-full of places to go when you’re in the mood for something that can’t be found anywhere else. Here’s a start.
1. If you’re looking for something elegant and affordable, be sure to stop by the Antiques Centre of Troy (2830 W. Maple, Troy; 248-649-4399). Judy Frankel’s been in the business for 15 years, and her vast studio features an eclectic mix of handpicked English, Belgian, and French antiques. She carries everything from sofas to candlesticks and doesn’t shy away from bolder pieces, either, like a metal library-card file from France or an industrial leather lounge chair with metal piping.
2. Tooling around Ann Arbor and in the mood for a scavenger hunt? Visit the Treasure Mart (529 Detroit St., Ann Arbor; 734-662-1363) in historic Kerrytown. This consignment shop has three floors packed with miscellaneous household wares, jewelry, pictures, books, and other unique items, as well as an outdoor area for their larger furniture items. Their tableware selection is particularly impressive and, at times, includes china sets from the likes of Rosenthal, Wedgewood, and Royal Selb.
3. Dede & Jim Taylor Antiques (251 Merrill, Birmingham; 248-594-8330). Dede and Jim Taylor are a match made in antique heaven. Their small store in the Merrillwood Collection is host to an impressive selection of accessories — known in the industry as “smalls” — like delicate glass perfume bottles and sterling-silver card cases. They also carry a slew of English porcelain and china called “blue and whites” from Staffordshire and Meissen.
4. Lucky for us, Joe Del Giudice has very particular taste. And his store, Del Giudice Antiques (515 S. Lafayette Ave., Royal Oak; 248-399-2608), is the repository for all the stuff he likes. This is the place to go for handpicked novelty antiques (like the standards used in the Ben-Hur movie or a chandelier from Marilyn Monroe’s estate) or items bought locally from the Dodge, Fisher, and Buell estates. He also has a large collection of costume jewelry, and silver by famed Danish designer Georg Jensen.
5. EuropeDirect Warehouse (927 Hilton Rd., Ferndale; 248-691-9155) is the place for elegant European furniture, and a good buy. Proprietor Chris Pray, and his wife, Tricia, handpick their stock and carry an interesting mix of larger items, such as tables, buffets, Welsh dressers, and bookcases in a variety of styles. Thrown in the mix are some special items, like an actual hourglass and a bench/wine cooler from a conservatory in England.
6. Rare Old Prints (516 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak; 248-548-5588). Robert Logsdon and Jorgen Andersen have been in the print business for more than 35 years. Their Royal Oak shop has thousands of antique lithographs and engravings, some dating back 300 years. They also carry a selection of bird prints by famed ornithologist John Gould, and antique Danish photo frames with convex glass.
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