Antiques

Soho's antiques shops reward a slow browse. You'll come across vintage furniture, old silverware, clocks and lamps, alongside antique jewellery whose designs simply aren't made any more. There are paintings and pottery for those who follow particular periods, plus books, coins, maps and the odd photograph that opens a window onto how the city used to look.

Look a little harder and you'll turn up patterned rugs, fine china, and the occasional musical instrument. For serious collectors and casual rummagers alike, the antique shops here tend to have a story behind each piece, and staff who enjoy telling it.