Artifacts

I’ve found some real gems here! Prices are pretty decent (depending on the piece) and you never really know what you might find. Lots of local treasures and handmade/​one-​of-​a-​kind pieces. Very friendly staff! Check it out when you have a chance!

Artifacts is a great shop, stocked with wonderful items and staffed by friendly people. I was visiting Iowa City for the first time and I always try to find an antique store or two to visit. Glad I found Artifacts! I enjoyed it so much that I went two days in a row.
I found the selection at Artifacts to be great with a mix of vintage, antique and collectible items. The majority of items were priced very fairly and the two gents working there were both extremely friendly.
They really do have a bit of everything, including: clothing, glassware, photos, kitchen/​household items, ephemera, jewelry, military items, small furniture and more.
Great for collectors, decorators and hipsters. A+

Excellent selection lots of interesting well selected stuff and friendly, delightful proprietors made for a highlight of our antiquing trip!

This place is a wonderful Iowa City store to explore. They have some hidden treasures and you can find some very cool things in there if you are willing to look.
Their prices are not ridiculously high either and their customer service is wonderful. Usually if you ask about a piece they can provide some interesting history behind it.
I will say that it is cramped and if you are the type to get overwhelmed, then this place isn’t for you. There is sooo much to look at and it is just packed with stuff. Hoarders would love this place.
Overall, I love this place and it is so fun to go through. Definitely worth going in to check out.

Artifacts is my favorite antique/​thrift/​junk store.
Artifacts carries a lot of mid-​century inventory. I love mid-​century modern design, so it’s always fun to see what’s «new» at Artifacts. Inventory is constantly changing. Packed to the rafters, there’s always something interesting to look at, if not purchase. Last time I was in there they had an old wood phone booth.
TIP: Don’t go home to «mull it over» if you see something you may want. I’ve been disappointed myself, when I returned with cash in hand to find «my precious» has been sold out from under my indecisive nose.
My kids love going to Artifacts. Tons of stuff for them to dig through, and the owner/​employees could choose to get uptight about it, but do not. My kids are pretty well behaved, though. My daughter usually finds some old beads or tiny decorative pill box or something with a «magical» quality.
I usually find a few very unique Christmas gifts at Artifacts. They carry a lot of interesting ceramics and other artwork. Stocking stuffers, fun weird unique items, and my kids like picking up presents for mom there.
The guy who runs the place has always been super-​friendly and chatty, as well as the gals behind the counter.

Great place to find awesome and unique items to decorate your dorm or apartment. Stop in you won’t regret it. I wish I would have known about this place when I went to school here. My place would have looked AMAZING and very stylish for my budget. Great place, wish I lived closer so I could go back again and again.

Wandered into Artifacts this past weekend and LOVED the place. For me, looking for/​at antiques can either be a pleasant or a totally mind-​numbing experience. When stuff is all over the place with no real organization or categorizing attempt made, I can only stomach about 15 minutes before I’m practically dizzy with all these little trinkets and piles of postcards and depression glass staring at me from a massive heap. Artifacts seems to totally have it together. Even though the place is somewhat small, things are organized here. I didn’t feel overwhelmed at all and found some great items! I left with less than I wanted… but at least I know where to go back to :) The prices are VERY reasonable. I got a 100% leather and brass saddle style purse for 20 bucks.
Check them out!

Great little spot to find your next treasure. At our last stop in, we found some great hats, some lovely stained glass windows from a church, a spartan-​esk helmet and that mother of all items… a stuffed bear!
The prices are reasonable and they seem to be buying stuff all the time. Whether you’re a collector or just looking to kill some time, this place is a must see for those in the area!

I love going on treasure hunts in Artifacts. My husband and I were on a quest to find that perfect mid-​century modern credenza for our record player after moving here from Los Angeles. We had seen solid wood pieces start at over $ 500 out west. We were shocked to see a solid maple record cabinet at Artifacts for 175. Every time we go there, we find something that seems just perfect and have learned our lesson that if you find that one piece you have been looking for, you should get it then and there because it might get purchased by the next customer if you wait.
Beyond furniture, they have a lot of kitschy nicknacks, some vintage clothing both high and low end– i did see one beautiful burgendy silk Valentino or Gucci dress from the late 70’s early 80’s there this past winter.

This is a great shop. Fun, not boring, and even somewhat organized. I think they probably have a good turn-​over of stuff because this was the first time I have had to stand in line to purchase something from an antique store.
I got a red cashmere scarf for $ 8.

This is the coolest store in town in my opinion. You cannot find this cool stuff anywhere else in town. Good job artifacts. I’ll keep giving you my business as long as I live in this city.

I visited Artifacts yesterday for the first time. It’s an incredible little space with a lot of amazing vintage items for super-​reasonable prices. The owner also is fun to talk to and really knows his stuff.
I know that I’ll be back as soon as I have some money to spend.

I’m not a big antique person but for some reason I like stopping by this place every other month or so. He has a lot of turnover on the big items so I guess I get a feeling that one day I’ll stumble upon the thing I didn’t know I was looking for. It is crowded and difficult to maneuver in some areas if there are other people browsing. The owner has always said hello to me and has been very helpful (I almost pulled the trigger on a coffee table once). I’m not an expert, but I’d say the prices are probably steeper than others… though the high item turnover says «IC is willing to pay it.»

SO MUCH to look at here; I barely scratched the surface!
I’ve been looking for a new lamp for eons, and I’m really picky and didn’t want the usual bland lamp with a white shade. I have a great ‘50s lamp that I got years ago, and Artifacts had several similar ones for less than half the price I paid back then. I was floored!
The clothing’s packed in a pretty tight space, but I did manage to locate a cool plaid pleated skirt (and it doesn’t really look like my old Catholic school uniform, thankfully). But, I wish I still needed salt & pepper shakers; they had a whole wall of them for $ 6/​pair.
Saw lots of reasonably priced furniture for another day. I will return!

Artifacts is an adorable little shop, jam-​packed with odds and ends, old furniture and fun houseware items. I found the prices to be quite reasonable (especially compared to Boston!) and once we get settled in Iowa City I fully intend on shopping for some housewares and antique furniture! The shopkeepers were friendly and I rather enjoyed the cluttered nature of the space. Will definitely be back again soon!

Though I hate ‘hipster flytraps’ as much as the next guy, I wouldn’t describe Artifacts as such a place. This tiny but awesomely overstuffed vintage store attracts all types and features everything from inexpensive vintage tchotchkes to larger mid-​century modern furniture. I’ve always found prices to be completely reasonable and the quality of the selection to be quite good. Definitely worth a visit.

Mexican feather bird pictures (2) in white wood frames: $ 15
Oak chair with carving of the north wind on the back $ 30
Original and incredibly beautiful etching $ 35
Large area shag rug $ 30
This is just the best pricing I’ve seen for a store with such incredible selection. The owner is incredibly helpful and friendly and the store is in a ivy covered Victorian house.

My mother has been collecting antiques and odds and ends since I was a kid and has been pulling me into shops like Artifacts for as long as I can remember. As many as I have been in, this is still one of the greats. Every time I wander in here there is something new and awesome. I’ve walked out having purchased a stereo receiver, jewelry, antique political buttons, and all sorts of odds and ends. The people who work here are fantastic and always helpful. I can spend — literally — hours in here.

I spend waaaaay too much time in this store. My boyfriend and I make it a regular stop every weekend, because the owner often adds new things every week. True, there’s not always something to buy, but there are so many nostalgic items in here that it’s a treat just to browse. The staff are really nice and helpful, as well.