Monsieur Stephane Fodor and his business partner, Donna, revel in vintage and eclectic items. In their micro store, named DUST, on the corner of Hardie Street and 381 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst, shoppers will find an Aladdin’s cave of treasures. Stephane is originally from Nice in the south of France and has been in his Darlinghurst shop for 21 years. He has lost none of his Francophile mannerisms and oozes Gallic charm.

The shop had to move from Bondi during the 2000 Olympic Games.

His range is encyclopaedic, like his knowledge, as is his claim that buyers can find items ranging from $5-00 to $3,000-00.

“Everybody can find something to purchase”, he says defiantly.

The shop takes its name given to it by Donna who once remarked that items arrived which always needed a dust. Items are collected from their trips to Europe and various local travel excursions. Stephane likes to tell fibs to school children that items are purloined from little old ladies, although it is doubtful they actually believe him.

” Don’t tell Donna I said that,” says Stephane, “or she’ll kill me.”

Consider these unique and eccentric items for starters: a sculpture of miniature buttocks in a glass dome; a New Guinean mask of a water spirit; a Himalayan dorje (a ritual object associated with Tibetan Buddhism); a 19^th century oil painting of a 17^th century Dutch official; a 1960s Rimini blue Bitossi lamp; a Chinese red lacquered cabinet; Italian silk ties; various large 1960 and 70s sunglasses; second-hand silver jewellery; a delicate white-feathered hand fan; a set of 1960s Seguso “handkerchief” glasses, manufactured on the Island of Murano, Venice, by the Seguso family since 1397; a gilt engrailed mirror; a 1970s Italian chandelier, a teak sculpture of cranes or a wild wig such as the one he’s wearing (see photo above).

Or how about something really unusual? Try these on for size: a large fake plastic pink lobster, an Indonesian Buffalo horn ammunition holder (without bullets); hand-tinted religious statuettes of Jesus or a rattan giraffe, perfect for starting a fake zoo in your own loungeroom!

The shop is small, so items are layered. They create an initial impression of organised clutter but for those who love the thrill of the chase, this is nirvana.

DUST VINTAGE STORE

Corner Hardie and Liverpool Streets, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Hours:  11:00 am to 4:30 pm Tuesday to Sunday, closed Monday

Phone:  0414 493 346

Email:   Fodor_dust@hotmail.com

by Andrew Woodhouse

Heritage Solutions