Mantiques in Hawaii

Forget the frou-frou lampshades, we found five great places to shop for manly antiques.

August 10, 2011

Laura Berbusse, Photography by David Croxford,

Military HQ

Functionality defines the items in this 13,000-square-foot warehouse. Look for collectibles, like a 1951 U.S. Army hospital blanket or a Vietnam-era jungle hammock, as well as surplus items. “Cargo pants are the No. 1 seller,” says general manager Sandii Kamaunu, who suspects their popularity is due to the wardrobe of Hawaii Five-0’s main characters. Outdoorsmen also appreciate the selection of wide-brimmed, canvas “boonie” hats. 5 Sand Island Access Road., Bldg 914, 843-0189, militaryhq.com.

Antique Alley

With its collection of old Kodaks, Leicas, Hasselblads and Nikons, among others, this place is a must for camera buffs. Old souls looking to embody the styles of the 1920s and ’30s can rummage through boxes of wire-rim eyeglass frames, easily customized for prescription-lens wearers at any optometrist’s office. Prefer to sport your love for this time period on your car? Check out the rare Territory of Hawaii automobile registration tags, dating from 1917 to 1921. 1347 Kapiolani Blvd., 941-8551.

A late-19th century Japanese knife, shown with a jizai okimoto, an articulated sculpture, of a snake.

Robyn Buntin of Honolulu

This gallery is an art aficionado’s dream. John William Hill lithographs of ocean creatures are sure to impress. “Men gravitate to the Old World maps we have, and, of course, toward weapons, especially samurai-related stuff,” says gallery manager Aisha Buntin, daughter of artist Robyn Buntin. The show stealers here are the realistic, jizai okimono—articulated figures, made of iron or bronze by sword or armor makers as a way of showing off their skills (circa 1900). 848 S. Beretania St., 523-5913, robynbuntin.com.

More Manly Antiques

Vintage pin-ups: Tin Can Mailman, 1026 Nuuanu Ave., 524-3009.

Collectibles: keep an eye on ukulele.com, which posts information on the year-round collectibles shows, such as the Hawaii All-Collectors Show and Wiki-Wiki One-Day Sales.

Bailey’s Antiques and Aloha Shirts

Sure, this place is famous for its exceptionally large collection of aloha shirts—15,000 shirts, according to owner David Bailey. And it’s been a favorite shopping spot of celebrities like Anthony Bourdain, in search of the right vintage shirt. But don’t miss the other offerings, such as the vintage denim hanging in the back room, including a pair of original James Dean-owned denim jeans. Additional finds include antique lighters and shaving kits. 517 Kapahulu Ave., 734-7628, alohashirts.com.

Hawaiian Islands Stamp & Coin

This specialty shop in the heart of downtown specializes in stamps, coins and paper money from across the globe and has a thoroughly knowledgeable staff. One of the hot-ticket items here is Hawaiian money, since it was in circulation for a very limited time. You’ll also find vintage photos and other Hawaiiana. 1111 Bishop St., 531-6251.

This article appears in the August 2011 issue of HONOLULU Magazine.