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Ontario a true treasure trove for antiquers – Metro US

Ontario a true treasure trove for antiquers

As autumn’s brilliant splendour begins to fade, the urge to wander about in the crisp air, appreciating all that nature has to offer, swells in our hearts.

What better way to spend a glorious Sunday afternoon than browsing antique shops in a quaint Ontario town?

Port Hope has long since been known as the “Antique Capital of Ontario.”

And it’s no wonder: OntarioTravel.net extols “its main street, a Heritage Conservation District that forms one of the most significant and complete 19th-century streetscapes in the province” and “the last remaining atmospheric theatre in operation in Canada today.” (And for the fellas, “some of the most diverse year-round fishing in Ontario.”)

Michael Thomas of Michael Thomas Antiques (MichaelThomasAntiques.com, one of the myriad antique shops in Port Hope), explains the allure.

“Port Hope has been an antique destination for a long time,” he enthuses. “It is the perfect day trip from Toronto as it is only 100 km (away). And there are so many great antique and home decor stores.”

Harold Bain, a Whitby-based horologist (expert in time pieces), suggests that a good way to begin your foray into the world of antiques is to start small (especially if you’re taking a road trip).

“Antique clock collecting can be a very enjoyable hobby,” he asserts, though “knowledge is king. You need both a basic mechanical knowledge to assess a clock’s condition and a historical knowledge of clocks to know when it was made and by whom.”

(Of course, he offers his services – at comtrek.ca – to help you out with the care and maintenance of your find and also sells some very interesting antique, Art Deco, and cuckoo clocks.) “If you are just starting out in clock collecting, you should start with some of the very affordable clocks made early in the 20th century.”

Now is the perfect time to get out there and discover everything that autumn has to offer in Ontario—and get some shopping done!

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