Antiques and Antique Markets

Antiques

Istanbul is a paradise for antique collectors. The choice is almost limitless from traditional Turkish crafts to fine European furniture. Browsing is also great treat. Shop owners are always ready to elaborate on the history of their goods. However you may need to have a keen eye to be able to determine if they are real antiques, copies, or just old items.
Well known antique dealers such as Portakal, de Péra and Antik Palace organize auctions from time to time, which are worth attending even if you don't have any intention to buy.
Please note that: Explicit authorization is needed for the purchase and/or removal of Turkish antiquities and other cultural artifacts. A receipt and the official "museum export certificate" are needed to legally export such an item.

Antique shops at Çukurcuma Square
Çukurcuma Square is a favorite destination for antique lovers, in Istanbul. There are loads of shops in the nooks and crannies of the narrow streets feeding into the square. You can find old and new furniture, accessories, paintings, carpets, and all kinds of fascinating little artifacts.

Sophisticated shops lie side by side with the delightful chaos of flea markets. As you wander in an out of the shops take time to look up at the beautiful architecture of the old-fashioned İstanbul houses in the neighborhood. It is near Galatasaray in the back streets of Beyoğlu. This is a special area of the city that is meant to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace.

Horhor Bit Pazarı (Flea Market)
 It is very difficult to find this market, but the reward is well worth the effort. This is a flea market with seven stories and two hundred twenty shops filled to bursting with furniture and collectibles.
 It is a place for making victorious and interesting finds, but be forewarned, “not everything that seems old is an antique.”

Kırık Tulumba Sokak 13, Aksaray

Mecidiyeköy Antikacılar Çarşısı
This immense building in the heart of Mecidiyeköy is packed with refined antique shops that sell old and new decorative accessories and furniture.

Üsküdar Antikacılar Çarşısı
It is located just behind the Municipality Building in Üsküdar. There are about forty stores offering antiques 80-160 years old and antique pieces from Europe and the Ottoman Empire. You can also find old but not antique pieces at reasonable prices.

Kadıköy Antikacılar Çarşısı
Kadıköy Antikacılar Çarşısı is located at a multiple story building at the beginning of Moda Caddesi. However many antique dealers have shops at both Moda and Dr. Esat Işık Caddesi and the narrow streets opening to those avenues, such as Tellalzade, Sakız. Many old objects besides antique pieces are available. You may be pleasantly surprised by the wide range of attractive goods!

Exporting Antiques

• An antique is defined as any object—whether copper, silver, carpet, kilim, ceramic, or curiosity—more than 100 years old.
• To take an antique out of the country you need a museum certificate—sometimes known as an eksperti in Turkish, because it is prepared by an expert.
• Any reputable merchant should be willing to get this certificate for you. The time required is normally a couple of days.
• Antique marble pieces and coins always draw the attention of customs inspectors, even if you have an eksperti. So be prepared for a delay.
• Pass up antiquities—that is, archaeological finds such as small statuary from the Greek, Roman, or Byzantine periods and even certain Ottoman antiques, such as daggers and knives. They're considered museum pieces and will probably be confiscated.
• Never try to obtain an eksperti yourself. It's a Turkish Catch-22: Any item brought to a museum by an outsider is suspect (and therefore might be confiscated).
• It might be wise to get an eksperti for items that are old but not antique, lest they be confiscated at passport control.