About Us
Welcome to Antiquarian Print Shop!
I am Iris Windsor, the curator and founder.
My interest in all things old began in my childhood. Money was tight on our farm, but we were surrounded by many pieces of very old farm equipment. These pieces had me absolutely fascinated and my great grandfather who was blind and lived with my grandparents, had many stories to tell about the early days on his sugar cane farm.
My grandparents home was filled with lots of “things” that I found fascinating. My grandmother was also a great story teller. She was a teacher and a very beautiful dressmaker. I still look at her silver shoe pin cushion and remember her stories about her dressmaking days in the “big” houses. I have a wooden timber thimble box that has a picture of the school that she attended in England where she learnt her dressmaking skills and still holds its little silver thimble. Her little wooden stamp box with “London” engraved on the top was used to hold her stamps during her years of teaching, and still holds a special place in my home.
My father's shed on the farm was just filled with all sorts of memorabilia. I loved spending time looking at these things and dreaming of stories of times gone by. Even at that early age I had discovered that everything had a story. This has been a theme that has kept me interested for a very long time.
As the years have passed my interest has passed from one thing to the next, finally settling on antique prints, maps and very old books. My interest in prints began during the time in which I lived in Rockhampton, Queensland, as a direct result of renovating old period homes, called "Queenslanders”. When it came time to style what I had renovated, I looked specifically for old prints and discovered this whole new area of collecting which was initially botanical prints.
This led to an absolutely fascinating new area involving the most amazing stories that I couldn’t even imagine. The discovery of botanical prints led to the discovery of maps of the voyages of our earliest ocean explorers, the botanicals of Australia, the birds, the animals. The work of people that we learnt about in primary school like John White, Surgeon General on the first fleet with Captain Arthur Phillips, Sir Joseph Banks...the list goes on and so does the fascination with antique prints as every collection of prints tells a story.
I was fascinated by the story of how these prints originated...how they came into being. How and why they were recorded and how the people in the community were able to access them. The collection that we offer through Antiquarian Print Shop has been carefully selected. They are of the highest quality, authenticated through hundreds of hours of research. They would make a great addition to any collector's catalogues or a beautiful work of art displayed on the walls of your home.
We offer a personaI and friendly service. I hope that you enjoy searching through our site and if you are not able to find what you are looking for or if you have any questions please reach out.
Our online collection is only a small sample of what we have in our collection.
We add prints regularly so keep checking back or stay up to date by joining our community at the website pop up.
Happy browsing!!
Iris
Antiquarian Print Shop, AUS
Where do you source your prints?
In pastimes I would travel the world picking up all sorts of antique prints from various antique and vintage dealers. These days with the internet, I often enter into the world of online shopping. I get lost for hours hunting down prints as I wish to expand the product range!
Where are you located?
We are located on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia.
All Original prints are catalogued, stored and shipped from this region.
Do you ship internationally?
Orders can absolutely be shipped internationally, however shipping rates will vary.
All customs and duty fees will be the responsibility of the customer.
Please refer to our shipping and return page for more information.
How do I know if my print is an ORIGINAL?
You need to be armed with some knowledge when choosing an antique print. There are several pointers which can be seen with the naked eye once you know what to look for.
First, you have to understand the process of producing a print. Feel free to have a read of our blog on this very topic!
Where do I start to collect antique prints?
A great way to start is to visit museums, libraries, and galleries specialising in old prints—places where you know you're looking at the genuine article.
Ask lots of questions of the people who are in the know. Take a look at our blog for some guidance.
Is my delivery insured?
Insurance can be arranged upon request.
Do you sell Reproductions?
We do have some reproductions in our catalogue. These are very clearly marked that they are reproductions and are priced accordingly.
We also sell custom reproduction prints which come in a wide range of sizes and designs!
Can I return my order to you?
Returns are happily accepted within 14 days of product delivery for an exchange or credit voucher.
Please refer to our shipping and return page for more information.
We try to ensure that all of our product range is available at all times. If there is a delay or issue with availability with an item you order, we will contact you to discuss the options.
RETURNS
As the goods will have left us in perfect condition, they should arrive to you in perfect condition. Please let us know immediately if goods have been damaged in transit and we’ll decide on the best way to handle it. In some cases we’ll ask for the product be returned to us, in others we may send out a replacement with proof of the damage. We will always aim to take care of it in the fastest, easiest way possible.
If you’d like to return or exchange your product because it’s not quite right, no problem! We know that looking at something online is not the same as looking at it in your home. We can help advise the most cost effective way of return.
We will also refund every cent super quickly on the return of your product, no problem!
You can return any item within 30 days of purchase as we want to make sure your new item(s) works perfectly in your own home or commercial space.
Sale items can also be returned as we also want these items to be perfect in your home too!
THE THREE RULES OF RETURNING:
RULE 1 - Items must be returned within 30 days of purchase.
RULE 2 - Items must returned in the same condition they were delivered.
RULE 3 - Items must be in their original packaging as you received them.
Please Note: We reserve the right to refuse a returned item that has been been damaged by the recipient due to lack of care.
To return an item please email iris@antiquarianprintshop.com for return address information.
You'll receive an email from us within 1-2 business days, we will notify you of the delivery address to send your parcel.
Once we receive your returned item we will process your request within 1-3 business days.
If your returned item is good condition and is in the original packaging, you will then receive your refund from us back onto your credit card.
We will process this straight away, however some banks hold the funds which can take 1-3 business days for it to be cleared back in your account.
Exchanges will also be processed within 1-3 business days and your new item will be on it’s way to you.
REFUND PROCESSING
If you require a refund, we’ll process it as soon as we can. Once we’ve processed it, the banks will then determine how quickly you see it in your account. This can take anywhere between 1-3 working days.
CANCELLING AN ORDER
If you need to cancel an order, please contact us as quickly as possible and if your order hasn’t been dispatched, we can cancel it and refund the full amount back onto your credit card. If your item has already been dispatched you may exchange the purchased item(s) for other item(s) to the same value.
SHIPPING
We pride ourselves on delivering your goods as fast as possible.
We will use our best endeavours to despatch orders no later than two business days after the day your order is received by us, unless otherwise specified on the product page. Address must be a physical address. If you describe your address as a PO Box or a secured apartment complex, it may result in delays.
Target delivery times are based on orders paid in full via credit card and for in stock items. Orders paid for by bank deposit will be processed and dispatched upon receipt of payment.
NOTIFICATION: After you’ve placed your order, you will receive an email confirming the details. When we’ve processed your order you will receive another email with the tracking number and courier information.
TRACKING: You’ll get a tracking number for every order which you can use to track your order every step of the way until it arrives on your doorstep.
NO SIGNATURE REQUIRED: We use non-signature required courier bags to ensure you avoid the hassle of having to have someone available to sign for your order. If no-one is home to accept the delivery, your package will be left in a safe place ready and waiting for when you get home.
DOMESTIC (AUS) SHIPPING
We offer Standard and Express Shipping - all rates are calculated at checkout.
If you require your items urgently please utilise our Express Post options, or email: iris@antiquarianprintshop.com
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING
We offer international Standard and Express Shipping - all rates are calculated at checkout.
We are happy to ship to you anywhere in the world. If you would like a specific quote for your country (if not shown at checkout), please contact us and we can organise a quote for you and give you an estimate of how long it will take.
Antiquarian Print Shop is not liable for any additional costs incurred once the item(s) reach the destination country. For example any duty, taxes or customs clearing fees owing will need to paid by you, the purchaser.
When is a print considered an antique or vintage?
Any print over 100 years old is considered an antique print. Anything less than 100 years is classified as vintage.
How can I contact you?
Head to our Contact Page and leave us your message, or head to our chat.
We will be in contact with you within 24 hours (please allow longer outside of business hours).