Gift Guides: The Antique Edit
Shopping for the perfect Christmas gift can be a challenge. Hunting down a one-of-a-kind present to show how much you care – or how great you are at gift-giving – is getting harder in our mass-produced world. That’s why we’ve put together our antique gift guide to help you in your search for characterful Christmas gifts.
It might not be your first thought, but pre-owned and antique furniture are great ideas when it comes to giving a unique gift. Whether you’re searching for a unique secret Santa present for a work colleague or you’re searching for Christmas gift ideas for an antiques lover, let us guide you through some of our favourite antique gifts.
Secret Santa antique gift ideas
It can be easy to slip into the same old gift-giving habits when it comes to secret Santa. Instead, why not make it an opportunity to give a unique antique gift and become known as the best gift-giver in the office?
Our under £50 gift guide is perfect for staying on budget and we’ve picked out a couple of super special small antique gifts to get you started.
Who doesn’t love a candlestick? Especially as the days get cold and the nights draw in. This twisted copper candlestick from the 19th century makes for a wonderful secret Santa gift.
Image: Antique Aged Copper Candlestick. Vinterior Seller: Zebra Homeware
Cabbageware is everywhere these days, from your favourite high-street shops to car boot sales. Give an extra-special antique secret Santa gift with this original Bardallo Pinheiro plate.
Image: Antique Bordallo Pinheiro Cabbage Plate. Vinterior Seller: Lolapalooza
Antique gifts for friends and family
When it comes to buying gifts for friends and family, you’ll probably be thinking about slightly bigger ticket pieces. If a friend has just moved into their first home or a family member is an interiors fanatic, antique-style gifts might be just what they never knew they needed – an unexpected treat!
From our under £100 gift guide, we’ve pulled a couple of antique Christmas gift ideas to help you on your way to finding that perfect pre-owned present.
If your intended giftee loves getting in the kitchen, a characterful antique French chopping board might be just what they’d love.
Image: Antique French Chopping Board. Vinterior Seller: The Textured Room
A must-have for any antique interiors buff, a classic pair of Staffordshire pottery dogs would make the ideal antique gift this Christmas.
Image: Antique pair of Staffordshire pottery dogs. Vinterior Seller: Zebra Homeware
Antique gifts for the one you love
For that special person in your life, whether you’re building a home together yet or not, go all out and invest in a one-of-a-kind antique gift for them this year. When shopping for pre-owned gifts, you can shun the antique gifts for her and antique gifts for him lists, as our antique collection has something for every furniture fanatic.
Since you’re spoiling someone extra special, we’ve pulled a couple of pieces from The Grand Gesture gift guide – that’s antique gift ideas under £500.
If you love nothing more than curling up with the person you love in front of the fire, why not make it a little more special and gift them this characterful Victorian brass peacock fire guard?
Image: Victorian Brass Peacock Fireguard. Vinterior Seller: Fernyhough Antiques
For the adventurous and well-travelled, an antique globe from the 1800s makes a unique antique gift for your intrepid love.
Image: Felkl & Son 1800s Terrestial Globe. Vinterior Seller: Modants
Gifts for the antique lover
Coming up with gift ideas for antique lovers can be tricky. These are the people in your life who know a thing or two about shopping for the best antique pieces. So you’ll be conscious of finding something to suit their discerning eye.
Once you’ve found some pieces you think they’ll like, we recommend reaching out to dealers and sellers when shopping for antique gifts online. Remember to ask questions about the history and provenance of the piece, how it’s been crafted, where it was sourced, and how to take care of it. That way you can ensure you buy a high-quality, characterful antique gift.
We’ve picked out a couple of our favourite gifts for antique collectors from our under £250 gift guide.
A Napoleon III mirror would wow any Francophile antique collector. Its carved frame and undeniable provenance will set their heart aflutter.
Image: Napoleon III Oval Wall Mirror. Vinterior Seller: Modants
Looking for an antique gift for a crafty collector, a pair of Arts & Crafts Movement wall sconces, with their pretty organic details, might be just the piece they’re missing.
Image: Arts & Crafts Candle Wall Sconces. Vinterior Seller: Nick Brewster Art and Antiques
Explore our antique textiles, lighting, and art collections to find the best antique gifts to give this Christmas. Or reach out in the comments below and let us know the best antique present you’ve been given.