Formerly 'Linen and Lace' this treasurebox of vintage gorgeousness has recently had a major revamp…read more Run as a charity by the Presbyterian Social Services, Frippery puts your average op shop to shame in terms of style. Decked out with tremendous flair, the vintage and secondhand clothes, linens, laces, crockery and sewing patterns on sale vividly demonstrate the life old and loved things can still have in them, given half a chance. They also stock a bunch of locally made beautiful things, including some great kids' clothes made from recycled vintage fabric. When I popped in the other day, they had a basket out front overflowing with lace placemats and doilies - you could fill a paper bag for $10. You can use them in all sorts of ways - be creative! With all profits going to charity, it's hard to fault such a worthwhile shop, and there's some lovely things to discover, with new stock added often. You could walk out with a handful of vintage buttons to jazz up a plain jacket, a chiffon dress, or a gift for a friend. Check out the website for details on the shop philosophy of reuse and recycling.

A sign on the rise of the steps says 'Welcome. It costs nothing to look'…read more And there's plenty to see in this tiny shop. The other day I spied: - A brass bell in the shape of Queen Bess. - Decorative plates featuring Lord Beaconsfield and Mrs Gladstone (?!). - An art deco cocktail trolley (squeal). - Porcelain invalid cups. - The obligatory Norman Lindsay print. - Creepy 'Rape of Europe' pastel. It always amazes me how the word 'rape' is taken by some artists as a euphemism. Staff and lovely and kind, and unlike many antique stores, you're encouraged to just browse. Lovely.

Out of the various antique shops this is our favourite! They just have stuff that I would buy if I…read moreowned a bigger place! They even sell Chinese DVDs! How can you beat that lol

Ditch the mobile. I want the creaky wall phone on the left as you come in the doors. It's the turn…read moreof the century kind with a separate ear- and mouthpiece. I'm sure phone conversations were more interesting back then. None of this 'I'm on a train' rubbish. Clocks. Gorgeous antique furniture. Tiny little rooms filled with vintage clothes. Glass cases with bakelite bracelets and bizarre porcelain bric-a-brac. A lovely place to wander and gaze. The prices vary - I spotted an amazing, great big, blue kitchen table for what seemed like a very reasonable $220, and a hideous French knight on a steed brass sculpture thingy for $6600. Mmm, I'll take the table methinks. When I asked the man behind the counter when the store was open he replied in a booming French accent 'Eight days a week, young lady! We are slaves!' All with a great big smile.

Full black, drowning-in-black, Victorian era mourning regalia I spied here once. Never seen the…read morelike. No way you could forget you're in mourning swathed neck to ankle in suffocating black crepe. There are often wonders lurking in here. While their opening hours can be a bit flexible (consider the above an approximation) it's always worth dropping off the highway and going in to see this store. Linens and books, tools and kitchenalia, they've a great range of antiques and collectables in store. Best of all, and for which I love and bless antiques centres, are the stories that come with the objects. Once, in purchasing a 1950's kid's book called 'Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars' and a very brown, very battered, I couldn't believe it antique sampler, I was given the piece's history. Bought out at Windsor, it was sewn by the daughter of the Dean of Surgery at Sydney Uni in the early days. A student myself there at the time (the uni, not the surgery) I smiled at the coincidence, and wondered if the name-lost daughter wanted to go to University herself rather than sit at home in hot Windsor and stitch. I treasure her work, in her memory. And the spinster in space story? Who could go past that?

I do appreciate treasure troves that would make Ariel herself jealous. Two floors overflowing with…read moreantique upon antique was fun, only slightly overwhelming and provided plenty of Annie Hall moments, awkward "racist: yes or no" banter, fingers, necks and lapels full of gorgeous jewellery, some seriously amazing senior photo/Glam Shots By Deb opportunities, and a stunning decanter. (Seriously. It's beautiful.) I too was asking myself "how many wonders can one cavern hold?" and I'd only seen the first floor at that point. I also appreciate affordability. I did a fair bit of antique snagging, but was only hit with a $55 bill. Prices are more than reasonable here. I don't appreciate rude staff. From the second we walked in we felt it - even the barristas at the attached coffeeshop were brusk. It wasn't blatant rudeness, but it was quite obvious the folks behind the counter (of both the antique palace and the aforementioned attached coffeeshop) were eager to get us out after what I have to imagine was a busy Saturday session. Or at least I hope this was the reason, because I really can't imagine the reason otherwise. It just wasn't the fairy tale ending I was hoping for. That said, you're not here for the customer service, you're here for the amazing antiques, so you won't be disappointed.

Great two story antiques and vintage mart. You'll find books, jewellery, artwork, plates,…read morefigurines, clothes and hats. Saw a lot of milk glass and wood furniture. Opens at 10am and closes at 5pm.

I think if someone set a video camera up in the back rooms, they might find proof that antique…read morewooden chairs breed together in quiet moments. Right by the front door is a swanky bronze antique shop till, on top of a dark and lovely printers' cabinet - all tiny, flat drawers - with type still intact. Sigh. A great place to rummage for art deco light fittings, Mickey Mouse napkin rings and taxidermied pheasants. I love antique stores...

From the owner: Antiques, Collectables, Old Wares, Furniture, Period Lighting, Art and restoration.read more

More of a gift shop than an antiques shop, this has a lot of mass produced stuff masquerading as an…read moreantique. Be careful what you buy, they sell a lot of reproductions. They do have some real antiques but on the whole they are more of a gift store. A long and narrow shop, they have everything from dinner ware (real) to hat boxes (modern day replicas). They have some nice furniture but I am not sure whether it's real or not. A nice place to browse if you're looking for a present.

Lovely little his and hers antique shops hidden off the highway in Lawson. The couple who run them…read moreseem to play tag with who's open. When we got there, his (trains, old toys, kitchenalia) was opening up, hers firmly shut. 10 minutes later, he had disappeared, hers was wide open. So for his, we'll have to go back, the sputnik salt cellars in the window had my name all over them. Hers, the littler one, is a tiny treasure box, filled with antique and vintage jewellery, linens, bric-a-brac, and the odd gorgeous bit of furniture. There's buttons, laces and jewels in little drawers you can ask to look through, and a stunning flapper dress up on the wall that you never see the like of anywhere. I bought a 1950's lead crystal necklace here many years ago which I treasure, as well as lots of little gifts I've given to others. A real pleasure.