With Macon at our side, we first plundered Lucullus (3932 Magazine). I found a tin baseball chocolate mold for $25. Nearby, Passages Antiques (3939 Magazine) yielded even better buys. We became enamored with co-owner Helen Wirth's extensive collection of oyster plates. Hundreds of examples of the colorful crockery dotted the walls and tables, ranging in price from $25 to $6,500. We snagged a primo example for $40. After a little haggling, Frame Galleries Ltd. (2023 Magazine) yielded two vintage leather suitcases for $125 and an exquisite five-drawer chest for $1,200.
Next we ventured into Ann Koerner Antiques & Interiors (4021 Magazine). There we spotted authentic and rare Southern-crafted antiques such as four gorgeous caned chairs for $675. Our favorite stop, though, was definitely As You Like It Silver Shop (3033 Magazine), owned by Duncan Cox. Inside we came upon nearly every silver pattern known to cutlery-using man. Baskets of silver forks and knives were on sale starting at $15 per piece.
Undiscovered Territory
Good buys beyond Magazine Street and the French Quarter are to be found in New Orleans' famed architectural-remnant warehouses.
One of the best is Armadillo South Architectural Salvage, Inc., on Washington Avenue. Hundreds of doors, columns, and cavernous
bathtubs are scattered about. Bring your creativity to Kenneth Udin's Architectural Salvage and Collectibles (3965 Tchoupitoulas
Street): Old bathtub claws and balls make dragon-like bookends, iron fences can be crafted into headboards, and schoolhouse
hall lamps beat Pottery Barn's knockoffs--all for less than $100.
If, like most Southerners, you seek treasures to enjoy and pass down, New Orleans' alluring antiques havens are ideal places to spend a weekend.
This article is from the January 2002 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.
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