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Art Nouveau never really caught on in North America, which explains why you see so little of it in antique and vintage shops here in Toronto. So imagine my delight at stumbling upon Cool and Unusual Antiques & Curios (105 Danforth Avenue at Broadview), a secret vault of Art Nouveau, Jungendstil and genuine English Arts and Crafts treasures. I call it a secret vault because Cool & Unusual is tucked into a basement beneath a record shop (Mike’s Music) and is only open Saturdays and Sundays from 12 - 5 pm.

There’s not much that owner Mike Waite doesn’t know about these fin de siècle styles. He got hooked on the era after buying what was left of an Arts & Crafts home in the Broadview area; much of the house’s character had been stripped away in earlier renovations so Mike set about restoring its grandeur with salvaged mantles and moldings, fixtures and fittings. In the process, he became an expert and collector who’s knack for acquisition soon required another outlet, hence Cool & Unusual.

Mike takes a broad view of his inventory and describes it simply as 20th century decorative art and furnishings. Right now, he’s got a pair of original condition 1940s Jens Risom chairs, above left ($375 each) and a Mario Bellini Chiara lamp, above right ($1,800). If the price of the lamp makes your eyes water you should know that Architonic values the piece at $5,000 - $7,000 USD.

And this is an important thing to know about Cool & Unusual; even prices that seem high represent good value. The genuine Stickley Mission chairs, below, are priced at $650 each — you’d pay as much or more for reproductions.

My favorite piece in Mike’s shop is the mahogany étagère, below, priced at $1,250. It looks like Art Nouveau but Mike suspects it’s actually English Arts & Crafts, the two movements were closely related.

I’m also crazy about the lidded sardine server with glass insert, below, for $750. The piece is Austrian and is signed, a real work of art that exemplifies the Jungendstil style, Germany’s take on Art Nouveau.

Cool & Unusual is as much a quirky museum as it is an antique and curio shop and I couldn’t recommend it more highly whether you’re in the market for a period piece or just want to oogle some truly beautiful things and talk to a man who really knows his stuff.