One Day, Two Markets: Ross Cassidy's Guide to Hunting Vintage Treasure in London
VOGUE JAPAN
Interior designer Ross Cassidy has one day to shop in London, a city they describe as having "the best vintage objects that are full of life and character that you can't find anywhere else." The day covers two of the city's biggest markets, Portobello Road in Notting Hill and the indoor Alfie's Antique Market. Along the way Cassidy explains how to find things worth buying, and how to use small vintage pieces that fit in a suitcase to give a home character. The first thing they point out, at Portobello, is a Rolls-Royce hood ornament of Winged Victory. Cassidy jokes that everything seems to be for sale at Portobello, feels sorry for whoever's car it came from, and doesn't buy it.
How Portobello Road Works
Cassidy calls Portobello Road "the most visited market in the world," and it is packed when they arrive. They explain that the market has two parts. Vendors set up small stalls along the street, and those street vendors are only there on Saturdays. On the ground floors of the buildings are arcades where dealers trade through the week, though not all of them are open every day. Cassidy's favorite place to shop on the road is Admiral Vernon, one of these arcade spaces.
Silver Cutlery, Fish Sets, and a Wedding-Gift Idea
One of the things Cassidy likes most about Portobello is that you can find complete sets of cutlery. At most markets, they say, you find a couple of forks or a single knife, and they're blunt. At Portobello you can get a full set, and Cassidy recommends looking for fish sets in particular. Their reasoning is practical: fish is soft, so fish knives don't need to be sharp and you never have to worry about re-sharpening them. All they need is polishing. The set Cassidy picks up has handles they call "exquisite," and they point out that it comes in a box you can carry on the plane and will actually use.
"If you're coming to Portobello, you are buying silver," Cassidy says. They pass on an idea they say they took from someone else and consider "genius": instead of signing up for a wedding registry full of new things, buy a pile of vintage silver at the market and give it to friends as wedding presents.
What to Do With a Single Mug
Markets are full of single cups and mugs, and Cassidy knows the reaction: what do you do with one mug? Their answer is to put a row of pegs in the kitchen and hang a mismatched mug on each one. In the morning you pick which cup to use that day, and Cassidy finds the mix of shapes and colors "very, very pretty." They choose one of the little cups on the stall as their espresso cup for the day.
A Case for Art Nouveau Glass
Cassidy spends some time on Art Nouveau glass, which they admit is underrated, unexpected, "not trendy at all," and maybe even "frowned upon." It is still one of their favorite things, and they think it may be the best thing on offer at Portobello. The piece they show looks a bit flat until light comes through it. Placed with light behind it, Cassidy says, the effect is "sort of mind-blowing," because the craftsmanship and color come alive.
According to Cassidy, the very best pieces are by Émile Gallé, whom they call one of the pioneers of the movement. They describe the method as layering glass, a shell first and then more glass over it, in several colors. Cassidy compares it with Lalique, which they call cleaner, simpler, and one color. Gallé-style glass is "the more maximalist version," and Cassidy prefers it. They admit it isn't for everyone and isn't used much in interiors now, but they note that it only takes one designer to take up something before it becomes a trend.
Walking Sticks With Secrets
Cassidy says the English take their walking sticks very seriously, and a dealer's collection shows why. One looks ordinary but twists open into a working telescope. Another is a doorman's stick with a top that lights up; a hotel doorman would step into the street and wave it to hail a cab, which Cassidy thinks would come in handy in New York City. A third plain-looking stick hides a drill, and Cassidy calls it a "Peeping Tom stick" meant for boring a hole into a neighbor's wall. It is engraved "E.J. Robinson." Cassidy isn't sure whether that is a monogram or the maker's mark, so E.J. Robinson was "either a perv or the maker." They say clearly that they are only showing that it exists, not suggesting anyone buy it. The stall also has a sword stick, which Cassidy says is real and could actually run someone through. They wave it around carefully, joking that they're insured.
Another small find is a set of little salt dishes, each with its own tiny spoon for salting food at the table. "Salt your meal, get some hypertension, but do it in style," Cassidy says.
Bronze, "the MVP of Styling"
In the middle of the crowds, Cassidy calls bronze "the MVP of styling." They say different countries produce different styles. Japanese and Chinese bronze are "amazing," and the Nordic countries also do good bronze. Good Danish bronze, in their description, is very clean, crisp, cool, and edited. They add that an urn like the one they're looking at could easily be made into a lamp, and they think that looks great.
They then show a solid bronze piece they estimate at about 150 pounds, which they think was an incense burner. Cassidy suggests using it as a fruit bowl or as a planter inside or outside, since in their view bronze is indestructible.
Timing Portobello: Get There Early
Cassidy says plainly that they hate crowds. Saturday is the only vintage day at Portobello, and it stays packed all day, so their advice is to arrive around 9 a.m. and finish by noon. They also mention that their watch and their brain are both still on Los Angeles time and they're jet-lagged. It is raining and cold, the market is overwhelming, and Cassidy decides to go to a nearby indoor market instead.
Alfie's: Little Lamps Everywhere
Cassidy calls Alfie's London's largest indoor vintage market, full of antiques, art, and jewelry, and for them "an absolute must." The first thing they go to is small lamps, which they call an obsession. Their rule is that a room should have as many light sources as possible, and small lamps fit almost anywhere. They especially like them on bookshelves and kitchen countertops, or in any small space that needs light. For the obvious question of how to power a lamp on a bookshelf, they recommend rechargeable bulbs that work with a remote control. Later they notice small lamps on a console table and say, "I'm not wrong about this, I swear."
Don't Be Intimidated by Silver
At Alfie's, Cassidy comes back to silver and speaks to people who find it intimidating. If you didn't grow up with silver, they say, you might assume it's too expensive or too much work to polish, or you might not know what to do with it. Cassidy's advice is to start collecting anyway, because you'll come up with uses once you own it.
Small ice buckets are among their favorite things, and they say they're very versatile. Put a clear glass vase inside one and it holds flowers in a way Cassidy thinks looks "so much more elevated" than a regular vase. Because the buckets are small, they suit a coffee table, a nightstand, or a powder room. Cassidy buys one priced at £25.
They also show an old silver biscuit box. They'd put it on a coffee table to hide remote controls, which they don't like seeing. It is long enough that remotes actually fit inside.
Then Cassidy offers an idea they expect might "lose" some viewers. They think trash cans are generally ugly, so they suggest using a large ice bucket as a wastebasket in a powder room, under a desk, or under the nightstand in a guest room. Filled with paper, they say, it's "so much more civilized" than a plastic bin. The one they're holding is on the expensive side, and they suggest searching for a less extravagant one.
The Bargain Table
Cassidy finds a table where everything costs £10. They pick out a cover for a large box of matches, decorated with a ship and what they call "sad sailors," a subject they say they have a soft spot for. They praise the craftsmanship and buy it.
A Rule About Side Tables
Cassidy has what they call a "hard and fast rule": wherever someone sits in your house, there should be a small side table within reach for a drink. They describe the awkwardness of being handed a drink as a guest with nowhere to put it, so you end up holding a cold, sweating glass. Because side tables are so important to finishing a room, Cassidy says you should look for them every time you shop vintage. The one they find at Alfie's is by Fontana Arte, which they call "magic." They admit you won't always find one that good, but if you do, you should buy it.
Starting an Art Collection Small and Cheap
Cassidy says Alfie's is packed with art and still overwhelms them after years of visits. For someone with no collection who doesn't know where to begin, they suggest starting small and cheap, "where the stakes are low." Pick something you really love and keep it small enough for a suitcase.
Their example is a small painting in a battered, crusty, slightly dirty frame. Cassidy says it isn't important and probably isn't very valuable, but it has a lot of personality, and they like the worn frame. They think that kind of piece is especially good in a newer apartment. They describe the typical modern apartment as white sheetrock walls, white cabinets, and bleached oak floors, where everything is new and nothing has texture or feels like it's been handled. An old piece adds what those spaces lack. Cassidy's advice is to add one piece at a time over the years, and says that's how you end up with an exciting collection.
Soviet Cosmonaut Christmas Ornaments
One dealer has a collection of vintage Christmas ornaments, and Cassidy points to a row with a space-race theme. They say the Americans never made an astronaut ornament but the Soviets did, and this dealer has a whole row of small cosmonauts in different styles, some with painted faces. "Did you know that you needed a Soviet cosmonaut on your Christmas tree? You do now."
Portrait Miniatures: "Before Instagram, This Was the Thirst Trap"
Cassidy explains the history of portrait miniatures, as they tell it, with some humor. From the 16th century, before photography, a person who wanted to marry needed a likeness to show others what they looked like. Cassidy jokes that the rosy-cheeked young Englishwoman in one miniature was sure to catch "a hot, rich lord." They also say miniatures were used for erotic images, though the ones here are all respectable, and to show political loyalty. Their example is that a supporter of Napoleon would want to own a Napoleon miniature.
Cassidy thinks miniatures would look especially good in a contemporary house, bought in quantity and hung together on a wall. Their tip is to look at how museums hang them, because in Cassidy's view they look best in large groups.
A Fish Painting as a "Mood Elevator"
What catches Cassidy's eye next is a painting of fish and fruit. They love fish paintings, and it reminds them of one on their own kitchen counter that they bought on vacation. They like buying small paintings while traveling because they are easy to bring home and remind them of the trip. When they're annoyed, cooking, and don't feel like making dinner, they say, that painting cheers them up. They call it "a mood elevator" and "a little dopamine hit" that takes them back to the vacation.
Cassidy takes the new painting down from the wall and buys it. Later we learn it now hangs in their hallway above a small wicker cabinet they bought in France, and they say they're obsessed with it. They also like the frame.
Why London
Cassidy ends by saying London is their favorite place to shop, because it has the things they love most: pieces with personality, strong craftsmanship, and style. Their advice for anyone with only a day is to visit Portobello Market and Alfie's, and they "guarantee" you'll find something to take home. They finish by struggling with a pair of heavy boots they can't manage to carry.
Rolls-Royce hood ornament. I guess everything is for sale at Portobello. I mean, I'm sorry for the person whose car this was stolen from, but Winged Victory, she's very beautiful. But I'm not going to buy her.
I'm in London, and I'm here looking for treasure. This city has the best vintage objects that are full of life and character that you can't find anywhere else. I have 1 day to shop here, and I'm going to show you how I navigate some of London's biggest markets, and how to style your space with vintage objects that you can take home in your suitcase. First stop, Portobello Market.
We're in Portobello Road in Notting Hill. Yes, that Notting Hill. It's London. It is the most visited market in the world, and as you can see, it's crazy.
So, there are two kind of components to Portobello Road. There are the vendors that set themselves up in these cute little stalls on the street, and then in the buildings on the ground level, there are arcades that have vendors that are here throughout the week. Some are open all week, some are not. Vendors on the street are only here on Saturdays.
This is Admiral Vernon. It's my personal favorite place to shop on Portobello Road. Let's go take a look at what they have. It's so amazing. Damn. That lighter is insane.
One of the things I love about Portobello is you can find full sets of cutlery. Generally, you find like two forks or a knife, and they're blunt. Here, you'll get a full set, and what I really like is you can look for fish sets. That's a fish knife, and the great thing about fish knives, they don't need to be sharp because fish is soft, so you don't have to worry about re-sharpening things. All this needs to do is get polished up. The handles on this are so exquisite. That's a really good buy, and something you'll actually be able to use, and it comes in a box in your carry-on.
There's good stuff back here. I can sense it.
If you're coming to Portobello, you are buying silver. This is an amazing place to come and buy wedding presents. This is not my idea, I stole it from somebody, but I think it's genius. Instead of going and signing up to that annoying registry where everything is new, come here, buy a bunch of stuff, and give your friends vintage silver for their weddings. Amazing idea.
If you're at a market and you see a little teacup or a mug that you like, but there's only one, you're like, "What do I do with one mug?" What I like to do is create a little line of pegs in a kitchen and hang mismatched mugs on every peg, and then when you're making coffee or tea in the morning, you can choose which cup you're going to use that day. The mismatchness of it all and the different colors can be very, very pretty. And check this out. Look how cute this is. It's so fun because everything's a little different. I like that one, so that's going to be my espresso for today.
Amazing stuff. Ooh, jewelry.
Art Nouveau glass. Underrated, yes. Unexpected, yes. But is it amazing? It's one of my favorite things. I think it's so beautiful. It's not trendy at all. In fact, I think it's almost frowned upon. But for me, I think it's one of the most beautiful things you can find in the Portobello Market. It's also probably the best stuff you'll find here.
But if it reads a little flat, look what happens when you get light into it. Incredible. The craftsmanship is extraordinary and the color is so amazing. If you could put that somewhere where there was light behind it, it's sort of mind-blowing.
The top, top, top of the line stuff is stuff by Émile Gallé, who's one of the pioneers of the movement. It's made by layering glass, first a shell and then something over the top, and they're multiple colors. It's not for everybody, and you don't really see it used that much, but it just takes one designer to get into something, and then it becomes a trend. And just think about it as an alternative to Lalique, which is cleaner, simpler, one color. This is the more maximalist version and my favorite.
There's lots of good art in Portobello.
So, the English take their walking sticks very seriously. You would think this is just an ordinary walking stick, but with a simple twist, you have a telescope that actually works. It's so exquisite.
It seems pretty ordinary. So, it's a doorman stick. Top lights up. So, the doorman from the hotel would walk out into the street and wave the stick. Top lights up to hail a cab. Very useful in New York City.
So, this one looks pretty nondescript, but look at that. Peeping Tom stick. You use that to drill a hole into your neighbor's wall so you can check them out. The owner of this one, it looks like he's had it monogrammed, or is it the maker's mark? E.J. Robinson. So, E.J. Robinson was either a perv or the maker. I hope you didn't know E.J. Robinson in 1911 because he was drilling holes in your wall. To be clear, I'm not telling you to buy this, I'm just showing you that it exists.
Well, look at that. You see these in movies, but— Yep. Be careful. They are actually real. You can run someone through with that. 'Cause somebody walks past. It's all right, I'm insured.
There's good stuff to be found everywhere. These cute? These are for salt on the table. Comes with this little spoon. Pick it for salt. Salt your meal, get some hypertension, but do it in style.
Overwhelming. Take a breath. Very loud and very busy, but I want to talk about the MVP of styling, which is bronze. Different styles from different countries. Japanese bronze is amazing. Same thing with Chinese. The Nordic countries do pretty good bronze as well. If you can find good Danish bronze, very clean, very crisp, super cold and edited. Also, you could turn an urn like that into a lamp pretty easily, and it's a great look.
This is another incredible bronze. Weighs like 150 lb. It's absolutely beautiful. I believe it would have been used as an incense burner. It's solid and weighs a ton. Great little fruit bowl or incredible as a planter indoors or outdoors because bronze is indestructible. It's very pretty.
I hate crowds. It's so annoying. This is why you have to get here early, because it's like this all day on Saturday, and Saturday is the only vintage day. Get here early, like start at 9:00, so by noon you can be done. My watch is on LA time. By the way, so is my brain. I'm a little jet lagged. Let's keep moving.
Okay, this is overwhelming. There are too many people. It's raining. It's cold. But I got another trick up my sleeve. There's a market nearby that we have to go and check out. It's called Alfie's, and it's indoors.
This is Alfie's market. It's London's largest indoor vintage market. It's packed with incredible antiques, art, and jewelry. And for me, it's an absolute must. Let's go see what we can find.
Little lamps. These guys are my obsession. Why? Because you can use them absolutely everywhere, and I do. I think you've got to have as many light sources in a room as possible. So, these guys are kind of essential. They're small enough to go anywhere. They're particularly good on a bookshelf. But how do you light a lamp on a bookshelf? It's pretty easy. You can buy rechargeable light bulbs that work on a remote. They're fantastic. So, you can put these guys anywhere, and I particularly like them on bookshelves and on kitchen countertops or anywhere that there's a small space that you need to light.
Okay, don't be intimidated by silver. I know it's intimidating because if you didn't grow up with it, you think you can't afford it, it needs to be polished, it's a lot, I don't know what to do with the stuff. Just start collecting it, and even if you don't know what to do with it, you'll start inventing ideas. Little ice buckets are one of my absolute favorite things. I think they're so versatile. There's so many good ones here, it's insane. But that's a gorgeous little thing.
You can use silver in unexpected ways, really get creative. This is an old biscuit box, which is super civilized in and of itself, but I would use it on my coffee table to store remote controls. It's long enough that it'll actually fit them, and I don't like looking at remote controls, so this is the perfect canister to hide a remote. It's so beautiful. I have to breathe, okay. I have to breathe.
This is great instead of a vase because it's so much more elevated. You could put just a clear glass vase on the inside of that and then pop your little flowers in it. It'll look so good. Great on a coffee table, great on a nightstand 'cause it's smaller, good in a powder room. But yeah, little ice buckets, buy them. Look how cute this one is. That one's 25 pounds. This is coming home with me.
Wow, that's loud. This is where I'm probably going to lose you, but I don't like trash cans. I think they're generally pretty ugly. I like the idea of using a big ice bucket and considering that as your powder room trash can, or in your office under your desk. I know, it's crazy. But that with paper in it instead of just a plastic vessel, so much more civilized. This one's a little expensive. I think you can dig around and find one that's not quite as extravagant. But if you have a guest bedroom, that tucked under a nightstand as the trash can, so civilized.
Oh, hello. Bargain table. 10-lb items. This is insane. This is a cover for a large box of matches. It's got a ship on it and some sad sailors. You know my feelings on sad sailors. 10 pounds, it's coming home with me. Look at the craftsmanship on that. All righty, moving on. Moving on.
There's plenty to see. That's a monster.
Side tables. I've got a hard and fast rule that wherever you sit in your house, you have to have a small side table so you can put your drink down. It's essential. There's nothing worse than if you're a guest in someone's house and they hand you a drink and you have that sort of awkward moment where you're like, "I don't know." So you just end up holding a cold, sweating glass. It's the worst.
Always look for small side tables. You should be on the hunt for them every time you go vintage shopping because they are really essential to finishing a room. This is a particularly good one. It's Fontana Arte, so it's magic. You're not necessarily always going to find one as good as this, but if you can, get it. And look, small lamps on a console. I'm not wrong about this, I swear.
Alfie's is absolutely packed with art. It's totally overwhelming. I still get overwhelmed, and I've been coming here for years. If you don't have an art collection and you don't know where to start, I suggest you start small and cheap, where the stakes are low. Look for something that you really, really love, but keep it small enough to pop it in a suitcase.
This is a great little painting in a very beaten-up frame. It's not important. It's not going to be super valuable, but it's got a lot of personality. I think something like that is a great way to start. I'm super into the fact that this frame is all beaten up and crusty and a little dirty. I think that in an apartment that's super new, it's an amazing way to start.
We live in apartments where it's white sheetrock walls, white cabinetry, bleached oak floors. Everything is new. Nothing has any sort of texture. Nothing feels like it's been touched or handled. Something like this, it'll look amazing, and when you start to collect and you add piece by piece slowly over time, you're going to build a really exciting, fun collection.
Place just never ends.
All of these Christmas ornaments are vintage, and they are spectacular. Second row from the top is space race. The Americans never made an astronaut Christmas decoration, but the Soviets did. So, he has a whole row of little cosmonauts, all kinds of different styles. Some are pretty ornate, with the little faces painted on them. Did you know that you needed a Soviet cosmonaut on your Christmas tree? You do now.
Miniatures, they're amazing. Before Instagram, this was the thirst trap. Bear with me. 16th century, you want to bag a man? This is how you do it. Photos didn't exist, so if you wanted to get married, you had to have your likeness made, so you could show people what you looked like. This polite, sweet, little rosy-cheeked English lass is definitely going to get herself a hot, rich lord because she was so cute.
And they were also used for porn. They don't have any porny ones here. They're pretty polite. They were also hot for political affiliations, so if you were part of the Napoleon party, you better make sure you carry your Napoleon miniature. If he's coming over for dinner and he's not in your cabinet, you— I mean.
I think they would be amazing, especially in a contemporary house. Buy a bunch of them and create a very pleasing arrangement on a wall. The trick is to look at how they hang these in museums to get a good idea of a pretty way to arrange them, 'cause they look incredible en masse.
Wow, and there's more great art. What caught my eye in this space is that painting of the fish and the fruit. I love fish paintings, and it makes me think of a painting that I have on my kitchen counter. I bought it on vacation, and I like buying paintings on vacation, smaller things that you can take with you, because they're a great memento of your trip. It's so nice when I'm annoyed and cooking at home and don't feel like making dinner, that little painting makes me so happy. It's like, "Okay, it's a mood elevator. It's like a little dopamine hit. Takes you back on vacation."
And this one is going to be my new dopamine hit for the day. I'm literally just going to take it off the wall. Yeah, that's too good. That's coming home with me.
This painting ended up in my hallway. It looks amazing over a little wicker cabinet that I bought in France, and I'm absolutely obsessed with it. By the way, frame is amazing. Anybody? Do I just steal it?
London is my favorite place to shop. It really has the kinds of things that I love most, and everything that you find has a lot of personality, great craftsmanship, and tons of style. If you've only got a day, check out Portobello Market and Alfie's. I guarantee you'll find something great to take home with you.
I can't, I can't do it. These boots are heavy.
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