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Antiques in Alaska

© Barbara Nicholson Bell

As soon as I arrived in Anchorage, Alaska a few months ago, I headed for the first antiques shop I saw. This happened to be Alice's Antiques, on Old Seward Highway. I was delighted to find a fine array of pottery, silver, furniture, and other items not very different from the things I'd find in a shop in New England, Atlanta, or California. Why did I imagine that moving to Alaska would deprive me of my favorite form of shopping?

There are some differences, to be sure. Generally, objects designated as "antique" are 100 years or older. In Alaska, one doesn't find a lot of ANYTHING that is earlier than late 19th century. The oldest wood-frame building in Anchorage was built in 1915. However, the Native Americans in Alaska comprise many tribes with cultures that are several thousand years old. Their crafts and artwork certainly qualify as fine antiques. When the territory that is now Alaska belonged to Russia, many religious articles and objects of great beauty were brought here by settlers. These are now very collectible. And the pioneering settlers and the gold-rush adventurers left behind their belongings as testimony to the hardships they endured, a legacy which enriches our antiques-hunting experience.

I will be writing an article at a later point about the rich heritage left behind by the Russians, as well as an article about Native American artifacts in Alaska. This article will serve as a tantalizing introduction to Alaska's flourishing antique shops and businesses.

The Antique Gallery is also located in Anchorage. The handsome web site carries pictures and descriptions of fine art, Russian icons, antique firearms, Oriental, and Native American art and crafts. There is also a link to auction items.

Located within that same store is The Roosevelt Room, which, as you might suspect, carries those items Teddy himself would have collected: antique hunting and fishing collectibles, weapons such as Colt revolvers and long arms, big game artwork, and military memorabilia. This web site is still partially unfinished, but promises to be bully!

The web site for Béjean Collectibles is colorful and informative. The specialty here is vintage jewelry, and the proprietor offers a great resource to collectors, with a glossary of terms, tips on cleaning and caring for jewelry, and holiday items. Unfortunately, ''Betty" doesn't give her address or her last name, so I haven't figured out how to get to her shop in Alaska.

The copyright of the article Antiques in Alaska in Antiques & Collectibles is owned by Barbara Nicholson Bell. Permission to republish Antiques in Alaska in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.