Go Antique Hunting in Cartagena, Colombia

A personal note from the owner of this website-a "gringo". My wife and I have collected antiques for many of our 60 plus years. Our appreciation of things fine and old, continues to this day. As a teenager, I was employed, part time, by the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, in Dearborn, Michigan. My job took me into all the nooks and crannies of this great American Institution. I was entrusted with keys to just about everywhere-what a treat, with memories that have lasted a lifetime!

And now I am living and working in historic Cartagena, Colombia, doing what I can, via this web site, to improve our local tourist economy.

Almost on a daily basis, I see peddlers come in from the countryside with all sorts of things "old". They make their rounds in the small villages and farms, buying antiques for re-sale to private buyers and antique shops here in Cartagena. The Colombia economy is very depressed and "treasures" surface on a daily basis-the former owners selling part of their families history, to maintain food on the table. It is sad, but this is the reason many antiques "surface", and this is a reason that Cartagena is recognized internationally, as a treasure trove for antique collectors.

Many of these artifacts date back to Colonial times. As the galleons returned from the mother country-Spain, they were filled with furniture, china, glassware, tapestries, tools, paintings, jewelry, toys, etc. etc. for use in the growing and prospering cities of the new world-such as Cartagena! The King of Spain ruled that the colonies could only purchase goods from the mother country, and so this famous sailing route called: The Spanish Main, carried, gold, silver, emeralds and treasure one way, and fine household goods, the other. Those "goods" that remain to this day, are now called antiques.

There are many fine and reputable antique shops in Cartagena. All will assist their clients in shipping back purchased items to your home country. Additionally, all the shop owners maintain want lists for their clients. If you are looking for something special, they will be happy to receive your E-Mail.

To look at hundreds of high resolution photos of stuff that's nice and old. Some of these photos are of old doors and door knockers-the largest collection on the Internet!. For those interested in publishing a Coffee Table Book (Colombian coffee, of course!), on doors and door knockers, they need go no further than Cartagena on The Caribbean-only 150 minutes, direct from Miami.

To review nearly 20 different photographic CATAGORIES, click on: www.CartagenaFotos.com

If you have ideas as to how we can make the subject: Go Antique Hunting in Cartagena, Colombia, more fun, or informational, please pass them on to me at: jbone@cartagenainfo.com. Thanks, Jim

LIST OF ANTIQUE SHOPS IN CARTAGENA