Gigi's Collectables

Gigi's Collectables is a long-standing Maltese dealer in antiques, vintage and retro items, trading from a showroom in Birkirkara and through an online shop. The business has been open since 2012 and buys pieces it likes for their style, design and history, which gives the stock a personal, curated feel rather than the look of a clearance warehouse.

It is listed in our directory of antique shops in Malta. For UK visitors, it is an excellent place to look for something distinctly Maltese that you will not find in a souvenir stall.

What the shop sells

The online catalogue is arranged by category: art, advertising memorabilia, antiques, automobile items, Maltese and international books, ceramics and glass, coins and stamps, electronics, furniture, jewellery, Maltese political memorabilia, military items, music and LPs, oddities, posters and prints, radios, religious pieces, silver and gold, toys and models, and watches and clocks. A separate collection covers sealed alcohol.

Examples of the stock include a 1930s cameo brooch at €170, a 1940 Pye valve radio at €110, a 1920s Wilmot-Breeden Calormeter at €85 and a 1930s Maltese silver pendant at €100. Books on Maltese history include a life of Grand Master Pinto at €300 and a study of Gozo at €60. Among the toys and models is a 1970s Polistil tractor at €30.

Pieces connected to Malta's own story are a speciality: football, politics, military history, ephemera and signage. If you are interested in the island's past, our Knights of Malta guide and Three Cities guide give useful background before you start collecting.

For newcomers, the terms are worth a quick explanation. Antiques are generally older pieces valued for age and craftsmanship, vintage items come from earlier decades, and retro goods imitate or recall a past style. The shop sells all three, so a shopper can spend a few euros on a small keepsake or invest in something rarer. Whatever you choose, ask about condition and provenance, and compare similar pieces before you buy.

Visiting the showroom

The online shop shows most of the new stock, but because the items are rare the dealer recommends visiting the Birkirkara showroom to see the collection in person. Opening hours are Monday to Thursday from 10am to 6pm, Friday from 9am to 4pm and Saturday from 9:30am to 12:30pm. The showroom is closed on Sundays.

Birkirkara is a central town and easy to reach from most parts of the island, so the showroom fits neatly between visits to the Valletta guide sights, the Mdina guide and St John's Co-Cathedral. Nearby, Alistair Floral Design is listed in our directory, and book lovers may also enjoy Agenda Bookshop.

Selling to the shop

Gigi's is always looking to buy collectables that relate to Malta's history, including football memorabilia, political items, military pieces, ephemera and signage. Anyone clearing a house, or holding an interesting family find such as an old poster, medal, radio or book, can offer it for sale. A short description of the item, its age and its condition makes a first message much more useful to the dealer. Use the enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the business.

Planning your trip

Collectors flying home with fragile finds such as glass, ceramics or framed prints should check airline baggage rules, wrap each piece carefully, keep receipts and take photographs of the items before packing; our flights to Malta guide covers the UK routes. For ideas on what else to do, see things to do in Malta, and for background on the islands read about Malta.

To ask about a particular item, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the business.