Beyond running his eponymous art gallery, Philip Slein is a self-described “broad-base collector” of clocks, stereos, antique weaponry…
Hi-Fi Stereos
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“I came of age in the 1980s, the era of big hair and even bigger stereos. Before cellphones and personal computers pumped out MP3s, what kind of stereo you had mattered. I spent a lot of time at two of St. Louis’ best stereo stores, Antech Labs and Hi-Fi-Fo-Fum. They carried the classic names that I run in my
vintage system today. While you can’t go to Antech Labs and Hi-Fi-Fo-Fum anymore, you can still acquire wonderful vintage equipment from stores like Alpha Tech and at estate sales.”
Victorian Taxidermy
“First, I love animals, and I’m anti-hunting. I’m not interested in contemporary mounts. The animals I collect are hundreds of years old. The Victorians had a very different worldview, and taxidermy was incredibly popular back then. I think to own these examples today is a way of honoring and celebrating the creatures.”
Peacock
“No bird in my collection gets people more excited than a full peacock mount. I bought this majestic antique bird from Davis Place Antiques on Clayton Road. It closed a few years back, but now the former owners run Davis Place Antiques’ estate sales.”
Chandelier
It’s a 1965 Gino Vistosi piece made of Murano glass.
Estate-Sale Finds
“Estate-saling is a world unto itself. My tips: Make friends with your fellow pickers and the folks that run the sales. Get up early—really early. When in doubt, buy it; you only regret the stuff you don’t buy.”
