We have been in business over forty years starting on London's Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill. Our next showroom was at Church Street NW8 just down the road from Alfies market. We have recently moved to a new premises - a larger warehouse and showroom - in Hertfordshire.
From our travels up and down the country and around the world we source a wide range of items; English antique furniture, continental furniture, Empire, Boulle, Victorian and Regency dining tables, Chippendale chairs, Windsor chairs, ladderbacks and spindlebacks, art deco bronzes, sofas, architectural items, silverplate, porcelain, majolica and everything in between!
History
Canonbury Antiques was founded by Martin Worster senior in 1964 at the world famous Friday morning market in Bermondsey. He started with one stall selling bric a brac objects and small items. This market was known as the New Caledonian Market which succeeded the "Old" Caledonian market which started in Islington in the 19th century. Martin Worster's grandmother May Worster sold items of clothing and bric a brac there for 30 years until its closure in the 1950's - this is where Martin learned about buying and selling and developed his eye for a good bargain!
In 1966 the stall progressed to a shop - the very first Canonbury Antiques was at 94 Highbury Park next to the Arsenal football ground. At the same time several other antique shops opened in the area and a group of 10 shops formed, making this area and Blackstock Road a mecca for dealers from all over the world. The traditional dealers day would be Wednesday when all the traders trucks would return from buying trips all over the UK. Dealers would queue from first thing in the morning to get the best pick of the goodies!
In 1968 a gentleman from Houston, Texas called Bill Peyton visited Canonbury Antiques and purchased a large volume of items for his auction house. It was at that this point that Martin offered to fill 20ft containers with his purchases and complete the remainder of the space (12ft) with antiques on consignment to be auctioned in Houston. This then led to four 40 ft containers a week being packed and shipped to Mr Peyton and other customers in the USA throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Sadly in the mid-1970s the demand for British goods in the USA diminished as the fashions changed and goods in the UK became less plentiful.
Westbourne Grove Days...
Martin Worster then purchased a larger shop at 174 Westbourne Grove near the famous Portobello Market. Everybody told him that he was mad and that it was not a good area. Within three years the site had become a thriving antiques centre with 20 or more antiques shops. It's here that he started doing retail trade and joined forces with several interior designers. Canonbury Antiques traded here for more than 30 years where his youngest son David worked for 6 years and his daughter Angela joined the family business in 1994. In the late 90s the 'Notting Hill' area became very trendy and antique dealers began to disappear as it was realised that they could get more money renting out there shops than they ever could selling antiques!.
Church Street NW8 Days...
In 2002, Number 1 Church Street near Baker Street became the new premises for Canonury Antiques with his daughter Angela. Church street is famous for Alfie Market and has a large selection of antique shops. Six months later the online arm of the business was started and Martin Jnr joined Canonbury Antiques to take us into the 'internet world', and we first started trading on eBay. As customers buying habits changed, it was realised that to reach a global audience the internet was the perfect medium as an outlet for the funky and eclectic goods we sourced from all over the world.
Ridge Farm Hertfordshire Days...Internet and beyond...
In 2008 we acquired a warehouse in Hertfordshire to stock our items and also to pack the 40ft containers that we send to an auction Housee in South Carolina 4 times a year - it looks like we have come full circle. The showroom is just outside of the town of Potters Bar which is only 18 minutes by train from Kings Cross in Central London. It is also very close to Heathrow, Luton and Stanstead airports for all our international clients.
Please browse are website for an idea of our range of stock. Please email if there is something you are looking for and we will do our best to locate it - martin@canonburyantiques.com
Canonbury Antiques HD Showroom Video Tour
Bill Mohrmann, NYC, NY
We have received our table and chairs and we are thrilled! The packing was superb and everything arrived without any transit damage whats oever.
And the set is spectacular! Susan and I are really happy with the entire collection.
Marlene and Roberto Guerrero, Wellington, Fla
Thank you very much for the table. It is the most beautiful table we have ever seen. It was just what we saw on the internet. We are very happy with this purchase. We will enjoy this table for many years. Sincerely,
Angela Fontana, Brisbane, Australia
We received the mirror in PERFECT condition!!! IT IS FABULOUS!!!!!! The delivery company was superb, and very professional. You know we were a little skeptical of the overseas delivery and not having seen the piece, all that went right out the window when we received it.
Thank you so much, thanks for your patience, thanks for your help, it was worth the wait!!!
Donald Beebe, Los Angeles, CA
Dear Martin:
It arrived! I am absolutely delighted. It is a remarkably beautiful desk. Thank you for selling it to me. I know that it will give me hours of enjoyment.
Your shipping company is superior. The movers who received it at customs commented on the quality of the packing job. Your company's efforts insured that it arrived in perfect condition. I am amazed.
Greg Stevens, London, UK
Well, Martin, it's arrived! And, oh gosh!, it's SPECTACULAR. I am so excited. It is, honestly, the most beautiful bronze I have seen. It arrived in fine condition. The packaging alone took me a while to remove. The floor was a mess. But it was worth it. I almost strained myself lifting it, too