Our Patch march 2017
Step this way : French furniture and artefacts dealer Janet Peters is a mine of information
COVER STORY
Tim Harrison spends a happy hour rummaging
in the Aladdin ’ s cave
which was Chiswick ’ s former picture palace
So where do you go when you want to buy your special one something truly original and different for a landmark birthday ? One option is to stroll down to Max Inc , the Shepherds Bush vintage furniture and
8 / 9 lighting shop at 106 Askew Road , where the oversized ‘ anglepoise ’ lamp is the speciality .
But for sheer quantity of choice and stimulating variety , the place to spend a happy , browsing half day is undoubtedly The Old Cinema in Chiswick High Road . The building ’ s history is as fascinating as its stock , and its system of operation is equally intriguing . What can you get in The Old Cinema ? In a way , it ’ s easier to list what you can ’ t find . The range is boggling , from retro to antique , vintage to eccentric , kitsch to collectable .
One chap sells furniture made from the dismantled parts of old aircraft , so you could pick up a drinks cabinet made from a converted airline food trolley , or a clock made from the flywheel of an old Airbus A320 , a coffee table (£ 245 ) from part of the fuselage of an Airbus , or a table from the leading edge of a Boeing 757 .
How about a writing desk , an apothecary ’ s cabinet , an Art Deco scroll calendar , screenprints , oil paintings , vintage photographic contact sheets , 1970s computer art ( it used to be the big thing , kids ), framed posters , signed prints , ancient etchings and photographic prints , framed butterflies , glass ornaments , glass dishes , vases , sculptures , cocktail shakes and drinks trolleys ? This temple to antiques and retro items is , in a way , the local answer to Grace Bros ; it runs along the lines of a slightly dotty department store .
Manager Will Hanness explained : “ Most of the showroom space is rented