Antique Hunting
by Jenny Coon Peterson | photo by Shannon Cornman
Oklahoma Gazette July 22, 2009

I love the look of antiques mixed with modern lines, of things with a history next to simple, utilitarian pieces. This would all be wonderful if I had some cool granny whose attic I could rifle through, pulling old dress mannequins and solid wood armoires.

Unfortunately, my grandparents' style is more "Liberace moves to Boca Raton." Seriously, think chandeliers, brocade couches that take cues from Versailles, and marble busts lining the fireplace. These aren't exactly things that fit my idea of fabulous antiques. They even took that aesthetic to their Steinway baby grand, painting it white. White! At least they stopped short of covering it with rhinestones, I guess, but to think of that lovely piano slathered in paint ... that cuts deep.

Let's move on to a less painful topic (and not the piano of my dreams, which I covet so very, very much): antiques. I obviously don't have relatives to go to for heirloom pieces, but I can scour the local antique malls for amazing finds.

The 23rd Street Antique Mall (3023 N.W. 23rd; 947-3800) is 11,000 square feet of carefully chosen antiques (pieces more than 100 years old), vintage pieces (generally, pre-dating the 1960's) and collectibles from more than 70 vendors.

The store's owners, who began with the May Antique Mall, are celebrating 20 years in business this July, and their longevity in the antique dealer world is pretty apparent. To mark the occasion, many of the store's vendors are running sales through the end of July.

The offerings at 23rd Street are really first-rate, with rare finds (like real Tiffany glass pieces or a pump organ) to oddities (antique glass eyes, anyone?) crowding the large store. My favorite pieces were the stained glass, many pieces from the late 1800's and the vintage art deco jewelry - boasting lovely filigree - from the '20s. There's also a great selection of furniture and lighting, all restored and in pristine condition.

On the south side, Red Rooster Antique Mall (305 S.W. 89th; 635-1441) is set up as little rooms, each with a theme. The owners said they specialize in "everything." The store was originally in Moore, but moved to the current location about six months ago, with near-future plans for expansion.

My knowledge of antiques and collectibles runs from "ooh, pretty" to "ugh, gross." So, I'm not exactly going all "Antiques Roadshow" on these pieces and deftly identifying from the small mark in the bottom right corner that this is, in fact, a porcelain vase from Watercolor McGee's famous "flowers and stuff" period ($700-$1,000). But, I uttered a lot more "ooh, pretty's" than "ugh, gross's" while wandering through the labyrinthine Red Rooster.

I loved the kitchen room, where old medicine bottles and tins lined the walls. Farther down, a great selection of pottery, such as offerings from Frankoma, is on display. My favorite were the vintage hats and hat boxes which reminded me of those glamorous shots of my Nana from the '40s (pre-Liberace home improvement phase).