Fall in collectors bad for business

"There is no such thing as a collector any more. The business ain't what it used to be."

So says one antiques specialist working in Francis Street. It is not a malaise specifically related to Dublin's antiques headquarters in Francis Street, it is happening in the UK and further afield as well, the commentator maintains.

"The whole antiques business has changed. It is a very different business," the person says. To an extent activity is depressed due to the smaller numbers of people coming into the city as people head to the shopping centres that ring Dublin and other large cities.

Living styles have also changed. Younger buyers are into the "minimalist" look with less furniture and fewer curios and artefacts.

They are more likely to spend their extra money on holidays, sports activities and the outside of their homes on decks and gardens rather than on the interiors.

And while in the past genuine collectors of anything from antique dolls to 18th century Irish furniture were plentiful, they don't seem to be there today, or at least not in the same numbers. Regular clients looking for specific pieces meant that when these items arose, the dealer had a ready market for them.

Another trader on the street suggests that younger buyers were now satisfied to buy reproduction furniture rather than the real thing. There is less demand for the real article if a reproduction provides a similar look and service.

This person also suggests that a reduction in auction activity has meant there is less turnover of pieces and fewer nice pieces coming to market.

In particular this commentator believes that lifestyle changes have put a dent, at least temporarily, in the antiques trade.

"People are so rushed now. They have the money but don't seem to have the time."