You can pretty much ignore Route 28. There's a growing cluster of antiques shops in Dennisport, but the stock is flea-market level and requires more patience than most mere browsers -- as opposed to avid collectors -- may be able to muster. Save your time and money for the better shops along Route 6A, where you'll also find fine contemporary crafts.
Antiques/Collectibles
More than 136 dealers stock the co-op Antiques Center of Cape Cod, 243 Rte. 6A (about 1 mile south of Dennis Village center), Dennis (tel. 508/385-6400; www.antiquecenterofcapecod.com); it's the largest such enterprise on the Cape. You'll find all the usual "smalls" on the first floor; the big stuff -- from blanket chests to copper bathtubs -- beckons above.
The Cape’s most prestigious auction house is Eldred’s, 1483 Route 6A (about 1/4 mile west of Dennis Village center), in East Dennis (tel. 508/385-3116). The gavel has been wielded here for more than 40 years; specialties include Asian art, American and European paintings, marine art, and Americana.
Arts & Crafts
Mostly fashioned of lustrous 22-karat gold, the dramatic creations of Ross Coppelman Goldsmith, 1439 Route 6A in East Dennis (tel. 508/385-7900) seem to draw on the aesthetics of some grand, lost civilization. Scargo Pottery (tel. 508/385-3894), 30 Dr. Lord’s Road South in Dennis, is a magical place. Harry Holl set up his glass-ceilinged studio here in 1952; today his work, and the output of his four daughters, fills a glade overlooking Scargo Lake. Much of it, such as the signature birdhouses shaped like fanciful castles, is meant to reside outside. The other wares deserve a place of honor on the dining room table or perhaps over a mantel. The hand-painted tiles by Sarah Holl are particularly enchanting.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
