Alfies Nostalgia Saturdays

In the upcoming months Alfies Antique Market will be holding a selection of Nostalgia Saturdays specialising in different eras. Recently it was the 1940s and 1950s, so I set off with a friend to spend the day lost in a time warp.

For the uninitiated, finding Alfies Antique Market in the first place is quite a challenge. Set in an 1880s department store on the bustling Church Street of Marylebone it is easy to miss, as we discovered, after walking up and down the street twice before giving in and calling for help. However, as with much in life, the best things are worth a little effort. Alfies is a veritable treasure chest of period finds that puts the recent trend for selling any second hand tat as ‘vintage’ to shame.

Our first stop was The Girl Can’t Help It, a specialist store selling American pin-up and mid-20th century glamour. We certainly couldn’t help ourselves but drool over gorgeous finds such as a nautical body circa 1950 which almost made me cry when I saw the price tag. This leads me to the only downside of real vintage clothing – there is little in the store for less than £100. But, if you are looking for true vintage and have saved your pennies, the clothes are all beautifully unique and definitely worth the trip.

The rest of Alfies is almost like a treasure trail and suitably we were given a map to help us on our way. We found gorgeous and very expensive Italian lighting and furniture, leather trunks that recalled glamorous 1950s train travel and even a vintage hair and make-up parlour.

The best thing about Alfies is that you never know what you will find or who you will meet. Our favourite stall-holder by far is Lord Robert of Peran Dachinger’s Fine Art stand. He entertained us with tales of his old friends Dickens and Thackeray and left us wondering if we had in fact just met a 19th-century time lord.

Another highlight is Robinson Antiques which sells an eclectic collection of glass and tablewares. Owner Geoffrey Robinson very kindly took us through the different eras and styles on sale and gave me a bit of a history lesson along the way. When asked about the best thing about the 1950s, he replied, ‘It was pure rock and roll.’

Alfies Antique Market
13-25 Church Street
Marylebone
NW8 8DT

The next Nostalgia Saturday is on 19 June, 10am until 6pm.