Lauder and Howard

On Campbell Street in central Hobart, Lauder and Howard has been a fixture of the Australian antiques trade since 1979. Few dealers anywhere in the country can match that kind of run, and the shop wears its age well. This is not a place built on nostalgia for its own sake. It is a working dealership with a clear point of view, run by Les Lauder and Mark Howard, two dealers who research pieces individually before they reach the shop floor.

That research-first approach shapes the whole experience. Stock here is curated rather than accumulated. Antiques and art share the floor, and each piece has room to be seen properly. The range feels considered, not crammed, and conversations with the principals tend to go somewhere useful. You leave with context — not just an object, but a clearer sense of where it came from and what it represents.

For collectors who care about buying with confidence, the shop's professional affiliations matter. Lauder and Howard holds membership with the Australian Antique Dealers Association, the body that sets ethical standards for dealers across the country. The shop is also affiliated with CINOA, the International Confederation of Antique and Art Dealers, which connects credentialed members across more than twenty countries. Together, these memberships signal a genuine commitment to honest representation — useful assurance when you are spending seriously.

Planning a visit is straightforward once you know the rhythm. The shop opens Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00, and on Sunday from 13:00 to 17:00. It is closed Monday and Tuesday. For buyers travelling from interstate or planning ahead, the shop maintains an online presence that includes a sold archive. Browsing pieces that have already found homes gives a clear sense of the shop's taste and price range before you make the trip.

Hobart has genuine credentials as an antiques destination. A strong collecting culture, proximity to estate sales across southern Tasmania, and a community of serious buyers all feed into that. Lauder and Howard sits at the more credentialed end of that scene and draws collectors from well beyond the immediate region.

Getting there by public transport is easy. Bus stops on Campbell Street serve the shop directly, with one stop approximately 50 metres away and another around 200 metres along the same street. Neither stop has confirmed route numbers in current public data, so checking Metro Tasmania's journey planner before you travel is worth a few minutes of preparation.

For anyone building a Hobart antiques itinerary, this is a natural anchor point. The combination of long experience, selective stock and professional credentials makes Lauder and Howard one of the most serious stops the city has to offer.