The Art of Finding Curious Things

There’s a question I get asked more than any other: “How do you find this stuff?”

The honest answer is: mostly by looking. But there’s a bit more to it than that.

The Knack (Or Lack Thereof)

I don’t have a system. I don’t have a checklist or a specialism or a strict budget. What I have is a willingness to pick things up, turn them over, and ask “What’s your story?”

Some of the best things I’ve found have been sitting in plain sight — the brass compass that was buried in a box of rusty tools at a car boot sale, the phrenology head that a house clearance company had priced at £5 because they thought it was “a bit weird.”

Trust the Spark

The way I see it, the best objects are the ones that make you stop. Not because they’re expensive or rare, but because something about them — the patina, the craftsmanship, the sheer oddness — grabs you. I call it the spark.

If you feel the spark, pick it up. Worry about where to put it later.

Where to Look

My usual hunting grounds, in no particular order:

• Car boot sales — arrive early, bring cash, lower your expectations and you’ll be pleasantly surprised
• Charity shops — the ones in wealthy areas are goldmines
• Antique fairs and fleamarkets — more expensive, but the density of interesting things is unbeatable
• House clearances and estate sales — often sad, always fascinating
• Online auctions — eBay, Catawiki, local auction houses with online bidding

The real secret? Go often. The stock rotates constantly. The perfect object might arrive the day after your last visit.

It’s Not About the Money

I won’t pretend I don’t enjoy finding something valuable for a small price — that thrill is real. But the objects I love most aren’t necessarily the most expensive ones. They’re the ones with presence. The ones that make visitors pick them up and say “Where did you get this?”

That’s the art. That’s the thing. Happy hunting.