Antique furniture

If you wade through a lot of junk, you can get cheap antiques at Todd Farm in Rowley... if you're lucky, but get there early. I've bought a few reasonably priced mahogany pieces on craigslist. The largest selection I've seen around here is the multi-dealer antiques place in an old mills building at 58 Pulaski St. in Peabody. You could spend hours there and still not see everything. Southie had a place, cash only, that was replaced by a tshirt shop -- sorry can't recall the name -- hopefully it relocated because that place had great deals on furniture.

Wait a couple of weeks, I'm sure you can find some fine pieces along the sidewalks of Allston and Brighton. It'll be an Allston Christmas miracle.

North Shore near Ipswich, get there early.

There are plenty of busineses that sell "vintage furniture." That is not the same as bona fide antiques. I would stick with antique store. But keep in mind that the prices are not what would be paid in what amount to just used goods shops.

Antique also depends on what style you want. Colonial Revival is the perpetual antique; so much so that Colonial Revival is a permanent current style. But if you're looking for Deco or Nouveau, Ewardian or Victorian, a revival, or my favorite, Eastlake style, then go to a bona fide antique store. The one I shop at is Cobwebs on Centre Street in JP. The owners are friendly and personable. One is an appraiser. It's classic shop chock a block with lots of beautiful furnishings.

Plus their antiques often come from estate sales in Mass which means that not only do the furniture have provenance (good for investment concerns) but are locally owned and so are a great form of recycling.

I've bought farm house cabinets, a fancy china cabinet, a fancy china set (which has opened me to finding other pieces that enhance the overall value significantly) beautiful landscapes and seascape paintins, antique jewelry, secretaries and Eastake furnishings and Federalist furnishings. Their store is much like a museum where you can buy the art.

Their prices are far from Goodwill but you are getting the real deal of bona fide antique furniture. It's easy to look at the furniture and get a sense of how they have serviced familes and the past and now service families in the present.

Dark Horse Antiques in Lower Mills, Dorchester

Check out the Winsmith Mill at 61 Endicott Street in Norwood, MA. There are more than 20 shops and dozens of dealers selling antique/vintage goods. They are open Friday and Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 12-5. There is even little cafe where you can get a delicious lunch!

Oldie's in Newburyport... if they still exist?

There's also a sweet mid-century vintage furniture dealer in Ipswich: http://danskmoderne.com/index.html (but it's certainly not cheap!) They show at Todd's Farm sometimes also.

Also there are some good multi-dealer shops in Haverhill: http://www.eagletribune.com/news/haverhill/haverhill-s-own-antique-alley...

I been buying old furniture and antiques for 20 years, best deals are the farther away from the city, yard and estate sales in any of the high end towns, but most the fun is the hunt and the adventure and the stories. So take your time and have fun