Shop snoop around Pauls Emporium. This antique shop North London is on York Way, London N7. It’s an excellent place for a rummage, where you’ll find an array of vintage and second-hand goods. It’s an eclectic offering from antique furniture to a mixture of vintage wooden shoe lasts, industrial lights, religious statues, tribal artefacts and taxidermy. If you’re searching for second-hand furniture shops London and objects of curiosity do pop in for a rummage around Pauls Emporium. The shop is also known as Islington Antiques and Pauls Antiques Emporium.
Assortment of Goods
Favourite Five Pieces from Pauls Emporium
I’ve taken pictures of five of my favourite pieces to give you an idea of the vintage gems you’re likely to discover at Paul’s. However, do remember that this is an antique shop, so if you spot something desirable, you need to buy it immediately; otherwise, it will be gone forever. There are likely to be a few religious statues available which are very kitsch. I think that these types of ornaments look even better with a few knocks and scratches. Depending on the size and quality, these are priced around £40-60. Many are brightly painted, which will undoubtedly add a splash of colour to your living room.
Vintage Religious Statues
I loved this coffee pot with a mottled blue and white pattern. It was quite worn and a bit rusty, but I thought it would look adorable as a flower vase if you lifted the lid. It was only £18, which was very reasonable.
Blue and White Mottled Coffee Pot
The vintage wooden shoe lasts make perfect ornaments or for a curiosity cabinet. These were in quite good condition and only £12 for the pair. They also had hooks so you could hang them for display purposes.
Hanging Vintage Wooden Shoe Lasts
You might love these mini wooden filing drawers if you’re a neat freak. They are ideal for placing on your home office desk if you want to keep all your sundries in order, and you can even write out a card to place in the front holder. If you’d prefer something more substantial, there were a few bigger filing drawers. The prices ranged from £25-30, which is excellent.
Vintage Industrial Wooden Filing Drawers
This small antique wooden chest of drawers was adorable. It would be ideal for any room in the house and would be great in a child’s bedroom. It oozed character, and I just loved the colour of the worn wood. For £100 it was worth it.
Antique Wooden Chest of Drawers
Pauls Emporium Shop and Stock
I had a brief chat with the owner, who was lovely and super helpful. He told me that most of his stock comes from his contacts in the house clearance business. So these gems are likely to have been pre-loved by a grandma somewhere in London or the UK. Most items will have a priced sticker; otherwise, ask Paul, and he’ll tell you how much it costs. There is such a diverse selection of stock inside and some placed out on the street.
Vintage Petrol Cans
In terms of furniture, I spotted a few chests of drawers, fifties kitchen units, wooden chairs, storage trunks and melamine-covered tables. There were also some mirrors and suitcases. Lights included vintage standard lamps and industrial-style lamps. Curiosity objects ranged from religious statues to tribal artefacts, taxidermy ducks and animal trophy heads. Other pieces included paintings, vintage petrol cans, old handles and some jewellery. It’s a real treasure trove, so do take your time to inspect everything properly.
Shop Interior
The shop interior is piled high with merchandise and has a small walkway through the middle. Some objects are grouped together, but you should have a good snoop if you are after something specific. I get the feeling that Paul probably knows where everything is located. The haphazard display is how antiques and a second-hand shop should be – very disorderly! It’s a charming place to spend a Saturday afternoon sifting through the assortment of gems. I noticed that Pete Doherty was outside looking at the merchandise while I was taking pictures.
Pauls Emporium Shop Information
Shop Exterior
This store is situated at 386 York Way, London N7 9LW, which is close to Caledonian Road tube on the Piccadilly Line. Or you can travel to Camden Road or Caledonian Road and Barnsbury on the Overground Line. Take a look at the Islington Antiques Website for more information. The shop isn’t that far from Camden Town, so next time you are visiting Camden Market on a Saturday, perhaps you can pop in. The opening times are Tuesday to Friday from 12 pm until 6 pm, and Saturday from 10.30 am until 5 pm. Make sure you check the side of the shop where you’ll find a beautiful street art picture of Amy Winehouse by Pegasus; let’s hope it doesn’t get painted over.
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Homegirl London. Thanks: Paul, the owner, for his time and for letting me take pictures and to Homeboy and Richy for waiting for me while I had a good rummage!
