How much effort would you invest to acquire vintage items like old enamel kitchenware, Israeli ceramic vases from the early days of the state or antique globes? Some people are willing to do whatever it takes and pay a significant amount of money to obtain vintage home decor pieces. As the well-known saying goes, one person's junk is another person's treasure.
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In recent years, the trend of vintage collecting has been accelerating. More and more people are either collecting or seeking second-hand items to decorate their homes with a wealth of historically valuable pieces. This trend may be driven by nostalgia, environmental awareness, or the desire to acquire unique items with fascinating stories behind them.
The ones assisting these collectors and vintage enthusiasts are vintage hunters - owners of physical stores or online businesses who scour antique markets, second-hand shops, warehouses, auctions and even private homes throughout the country and the world. They search for and rescue household utensils, furniture, accessories, artworks, and various artifacts that are at least 30 years old. After finding these items, they clean and refurbish them if necessary, and then resell them.
We spoke with several vintage hunters, exploring their expertise and inquiring about the most challenging items they've acquired, the most expensive piece they've sold, and the one item they couldn't bear to part with and decided to keep for themselves.
Yamei Binyamina
Osnat and Eitan Friedman have been involved in vintage collecting and antiquing for 13 years. "We spent several years on a business relocation abroad, and during every weekend, we explored flea markets, yard sales, vintage fairs and antique auctions," says Osnat.
"When we returned to Israel, we decided to bring the love of antiques here. We established the Yamei Binyamina fair in 2010. It's a large-scale fair held regularly once a month on the first Saturday of each calendar month.
Dozens of quality collectors participate, presenting thousands of items from various categories. You can find items priced at a few shekels to ancient diamond jewelry. The fair started in Binyamina, hence its name, Yamei Binyamina (Days in Binyamina), but nowadays, the fairs take place in the 09 Complex in the Emek Hefer."
Besides the fair, they set up an online vintage shop with unique items that can be ordered and delivered to your doorstep. Additionally, the couple leads antique fair tours worldwide, combining visits to fairs with explorations of quaint towns and hidden shops.
How do you acquire vintage items?
"We buy from antique markets abroad, purchase from collectors both in Israel and around the world, and acquire items from estate sales within the country."
What was the most challenging item for you to acquire?
"A cash register from the late 19th century, made in Ohio, USA. It is adorned with bronze, fully functional, and original. It is extremely difficult to find such items today in their original condition, and it is highly sought after worldwide."
What is considered the most sought-after and hard-to-find item in the field?
"To each collector, there is their own obsession..."
Which item couldn't you part with and decided to keep for yourselves?
"We decided to keep the cash register because it is exceptionally unique and beautiful, and it is extremely hard to find in such excellent condition. We placed it in our home's entrance on the vintage sewing machine table that belonged to Osnat's grandmother."
How popular are vintage items today? What drives people to collect them?
"There are various reasons why people collect vintage items. They evoke nostalgia, offer unique designs not seen elsewhere, and are often handcrafted and of high quality. There are also stories behind these items; for example, we managed to acquire a phonograph that soldiers listened to during WWII. Another consideration for collecting vintage items is to preserve the planet."
What was the most expensive item you sold?
"The most expensive item was a set of antique German blue and white porcelain kitchenware from the late 19th century, featuring the onion pattern. We sold a complete set of such kitchenware on the original wooden stand that used to hang in the kitchens of old. Each piece was signed by the artists. It was sold for several thousand shekels (the couple doesn't remember the exact amount)."
Do you have a story about a special item you managed to acquire?
"On one of our collecting trips to England, we went on a tour with a collector of music boxes and phonographs. He was very enthusiastic about an antique music box he found in a small, unknown town's store. The collector hesitated to buy it, and just as he decided to go back and purchase it, the shop owner went on an extended lunch break.
Unfortunately, the shop was closed, and the music box remained there, much to his disappointment. On our next trip to England with a different group, we found a similar music box in one of the markets. We immediately called the same collector, and they closed the deal over the phone. The music box was on its way to him."
Studio Beshnaim
Studio Beshnaim, founded by Regina Hanan, was established about five years ago as an interior design and home styling studio, unique for combining vintage items in home decoration. "At the beginning of my journey, I worked in home design and styling in addition to my job as an IT consultant. About three years ago, during the outbreak of the pandemic, a project I was working on with the IDF was canceled," says Hanan.
"Since then, I turned the crisis into an opportunity and decided to expand my business and also offer vintage items for sale. Among the items I sell, you can find Israeli ceramics, nostalgic home accessories, vintage furniture, unique collectibles, original Japanese Kokeshi dolls, and Japanese figurines. I established the business out of true love. I adore design and everything beautiful, enjoy the thrill of hunting for special items, love to combine, design, photograph, and breathe new life into forgotten pieces."
How do you acquire vintage items?
"I travel a lot to markets both in Israel and abroad. Over time, I have built connections with various suppliers, and I also collect items from house clearances and online platforms. Additionally, I have suppliers in Japan from whom I purchase Kokeshi dolls. Acquiring items is a very challenging job that starts early in the morning in the dark and all weather conditions, with intense competition. However, it is also very enjoyable because you never know what item you will find. It's like hunting."
What was the most difficult item for you to acquire?
"One of the most challenging items to acquire was an extremely rare ceramic jar made by a pottery company, and there are very few like it. I managed to obtain it through a swap deal, adding a significant amount from my side. It is now part of our private collection and not intended for sale."
What is considered the most sought-after and hard-to-find item in the field?
"The vintage field is extremely diverse, with various categories and periods, making it difficult to pinpoint a single most sought-after or hard-to-find item. In each category and sub-category, there are rarer and more valuable items.
For example, in the realm of Israeli ceramics, specific pottery pieces are hard to find and highly valuable, as well as certain works of Israeli art and more. In collecting, just like in art, there are trends, and if collectors start seeking a particular item, its price usually goes up, which is reflected in public auctions. It's a highly dynamic field."
Is there an item you can't part with and keep for yourself?
"My principle and secret are to collect only items I love and would keep for myself. The fact that I am first and foremost a collector makes it much more challenging, and in my private collection, I have many items that are not for sale, such as a large collection of Israeli ceramics, Scandinavian glass vases, rare Kokeshi dolls, and more. Often, I fall in love with an item and keep it for myself for at least a certain period until I feel I can let it go."
How popular are vintage items today? What drives people to collect them?
"Vintage items have been popular for many years, and this trend has also reached Israel. Since Israel is a young country, it took time for original Israeli vintage to develop. Today, more and more people appreciate the unique items from their grandparents' homes, often made of higher-quality materials than those available today.
In our fast-paced modern era, there is a nostalgic longing for items from the past. Vintage pieces bring warmth to homes, so they are often used in interior design, even in places with a modern overall style. People come across vintage items from various sources. Some connect to the nostalgic aspect, searching for items they had in the past or that were present in their childhood homes.
Others are drawn to the unique aesthetics of items created and designed in past eras, and there are those who are driven by the passion and appreciation for rare and extraordinary collectibles that others may not have."
What was the most expensive item you sold?
"I had a pair of very special Kokeshi dolls by a famous Japanese artist that I obtained through my supplier in Tokyo. Luckily, after some time, the supplier managed to find a similar pair of dolls.
Of course, I seized the opportunity and sold them to a customer who is a collector of unique Kokeshi dolls. Rare Kokeshi dolls can reach very high prices, with some selling for around $6,800 each. They can also be found at lower prices, around $100 or $1,000, depending on the artist and the rarity."
Do you have a story about acquiring a special item?
"Yes, there is a quite rare and unique item called TWIGGY HEAD - a tall doll's head used for display in hat shops in the 1960s or even earlier. I came across this head in several places abroad, but it was never for sale.
Recently, I visited a designer store in Copenhagen, and they had a few of these heads used for their original purpose, decorating the shop, but they were not for sale either.
Eventually, I found my TWIGGY HEAD at a collector's place, who decided to let it go. The price was quite high, but I fulfilled my dream. I immediately purchased it before she could change her mind. Today, it decorates my bedroom, and I enjoy it every day."