#flashbackfind

  For the modern day treasure hunter, The Pickering Wharf Antiques Gallery is a place to explore and find something of interest, like a pair of glasses or a Willie Nelson album. The store hoards hundreds of items for anyone who is looking for a special piece for their newly renovated house, an addition to their button collection, an unknown book from the past, or just a hobby of sifting through history.

In this quaint and nestled in shop overlooking the harbor, the Salem store is the “oldest surviving business on the wharf,” said the manager Jacquie Satin. The shop offers antiques and vintage goods for $2 to $1,000, from 25 private dealers.  The exclusive collection of furniture isn’t the largest attraction, but the “smalls’’ are. Including nautical items, jewelry, political buttons, books, textiles, lighting, pottery, music, glass, sports memorabilia, postcards, vintage military toys, and cast-iron kitchenware. With inventory frequently changing, new things can be found at each visit.

 Some of my favorite things found in the shop aren’t historically fascinating and prized possessions but caught my eye. Especially, this fleur-de-lis metal sculpture. Fleur-de-lis, literally translated from French as “flower of the lily”. I have always been interested in the symbol after seeing it while visiting New Orleans several years ago.

The metal sculpture was hand welded by a local craftsman and is now on sale at the gallery. This piece would be a great stand out item in a living room, bedroom or office to bring the space more character. The hand-made, rusted, beaten up structure is a unique find that would be the statement to any area.

Another strong theme throughout the shop is The Beatles. Having been formed in the 1960s, The Beatles have become widely regarded as the greatest and most influential act of the rock era. The owner seems to be a fan, due to the amount of memorabilia displayed and for sale. 

A Beatles fan can easily find numerous artifacts from the band here. Whether it’s a poster from a concert, a Life magazine about Paul McCartney, a book about the band’s career, or a pin showing some love towards them in 1967. I was surprised that every corner I turned in the store, I was sure to find some sort of memorabilia for the band.

What also caught my eye was finding money and coins in the shop. I was able to see some currency I had never seen before, and frankly didn’t know existed. I had never seen such old and rare looking bills of orange and red tinted hues.

My mom has always had a two-dollar bill saved in a dresser; people rarely ever see or use them. They usually end up being tucked away in old cases and other stored places, such as my mom, as souvenirs or maybe gifts. There were also some Morgan dollar coins in the glass case on display. This United States dollar coin was minted from 1878 to 1904, and can range from 24 dollars to 1,000 dollars depending on the year and condition.

 Lastly, one of the items to catch my eye is the Prince Charles and Lady Diana Royal Tea Party china, made to commemorate the marriage between them.  This 1981 English Royal Tudor China ware was a surprising find and would be very important to a collector of the royal couple.