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Maritime Antiques &

Atmospheric basement shop near Nyhavn where genuine maritime antiques share space with heritage-inspired clothing and rugged knitwear in a cosy, ship-like setting.

4.8

Tucked into a basement on Toldbodgade just behind Nyhavn, Maritime Antiques & is a compact Copenhagen treasure trove where salty seafaring history meets cult menswear. Ship lanterns, brass instruments, navigational charts and other nautical curios share shelves with carefully chosen clothing and accessories, many inspired by early 20th‑century workwear and maritime life. The result feels part museum, part style lab: a place to browse slowly, talk fabrics and provenance with the owner, and perhaps leave with a hand‑stitched sweater or a weathered porthole that once saw real ocean storms.

A brief summary to Maritime Antiques &

  • Toldbodgade 15, kld, København K, København K, 1253, DK
  • +4533121257
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 0.5 to 1.5 hours
  • Mid ranged
  • Environment icon Indoor
  • Mobile reception: 5 out of 5
  • Monday 10 am-5:30 pm
  • Tuesday 10 am-5:30 pm
  • Wednesday 10 am-5:30 pm
  • Thursday 10 am-5:30 pm
  • Friday 10 am-5:30 pm
  • Saturday 10 am-3 pm

Local tips

  • Visit on a weekday late morning or early afternoon for the calmest browsing; the compact space can feel crowded when several groups arrive at once.
  • If you are hunting a specific type of ship’s lamp, compass or fitting, ask the owner directly—there may be additional items not immediately visible on the shop floor.
  • Bring measurements and photos if you want a maritime piece for home decor, as many items are heavy or bulky and work best when planned into an interior.
  • Clothing runs toward sturdy, heritage-style pieces; wear layers you can remove easily so trying on knitwear and jackets is comfortable.
  • Opening hours are typically weekdays 10:00–17:30 and Saturday until mid-afternoon; arrive with enough time to browse slowly rather than rushing before closing.
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Maritime Antiques & location weather suitability

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A hidden maritime den off the Nyhavn waterfront

Maritime Antiques & sits slightly below street level on Toldbodgade, a side street that peels away from the brightly coloured facades and busy quayside of Nyhavn. Stepping down into the basement shop, the atmosphere changes from open harbour light to something more intimate and cocooned, like entering the hold of an old ship. Low ceilings, close‑packed shelves and the faint scent of wax, leather and wood create a cosy, almost cinematic setting that makes you slow your pace and let your eyes adjust. The shop has been part of this neighbourhood for decades, evolving in tandem with the docks and warehouses that once defined Copenhagen’s inner harbour. While the surrounding streets have filled with cafes and galleries, Maritime Antiques & has remained a distinctly personal space, shaped less by trends and more by the owner’s ongoing hunt for objects with a story. It feels anchored in the city’s seafaring past while still very much alive to contemporary design.

Sea‑worn objects and stories from working ships

The first thing you notice inside is the density of maritime objects. Brass ship’s lamps line the walls, their glass lenses catching the light. There may be polished compasses, barometers with slightly yellowed dials, and navigation instruments whose weight in your hand hints at years of use at sea. Old charts, signal flags, cleats, blocks and coils of rope appear in surprising corners, some carefully restored, others left with a patina that makes you imagine storms, night watches and distant ports. Many pieces originate from Nordic or European working vessels, retired cargo ships and fishing boats that once crossed the Baltic and North Sea. Browsing feels a bit like rummaging through a small maritime museum where the exhibits are for sale. The owner is usually happy to explain origins, functions and quirks, whether you are hunting a functional lamp for a home interior or a single brass fitting to finish a design project.

From pure antiques to thoughtfully curated clothing

The business began as a classic maritime antique shop, but over time the focus expanded to include clothing that echoes the same hard‑wearing, seafaring spirit. Today, rails of knitwear, chore jackets and heavy shirts sit comfortably alongside binnacles and portholes. Many garments draw on patterns from the 1920s to 1940s, with robust fabrics, generous cuts and details borrowed from workwear and naval uniforms. You may encounter tightly woven sailor sweaters, heavy wool watch caps, indigo‑dyed pieces and canvas outerwear cut for movement and durability. The selection is compact but carefully edited, often highlighting Scandinavian knitwear, specialist Japanese or American brands, and small European makers. There is an emphasis on texture, construction and longevity rather than flashy logos, making the space interesting even if you arrive only for antiques and end up staying to compare yarn weights and buttons.

A place for conversations, collecting and quiet inspiration

What makes Maritime Antiques & memorable is the sense of discovery built into such a small footprint. You can spend a long time at a single shelf, noticing how a ship’s lantern has been rewired, or how the grain of a wooden pulley has darkened where countless ropes once ran. The layout invites slow, methodical wandering rather than quick browsing, and it rewards curiosity in both objects and stories. The owner’s presence is central to the experience. This is not a neutral showroom but a personal collection continually refined as new finds appear from ship breakers, auctions and local contacts. Conversations often drift from the origin of a particular compass to the best kind of wool for a winter crossing, or from historic Copenhagen docks to contemporary craftsmanship. Even if you leave empty‑handed, it is easy to come away with ideas for interiors, outfits or creative projects shaped by maritime life.

Nyhavn’s maritime heritage in a single room

Because the shop sits just behind one of Copenhagen’s most photographed harbours, it offers an unexpectedly authentic link between the city’s touristy waterfront and its working‑port history. Outside, tall‑masted vessels still bob in Nyhavn’s basin; inside, objects salvaged from other ships tell quieter stories of navigation, maintenance and daily labour at sea. It is a compact stop, but one that can lend depth to any wander through the area. Whether you are a collector seeking specific maritime hardware, a design‑minded traveller looking for distinctive decor, or a clothing enthusiast drawn to rugged, heritage‑inspired menswear, Maritime Antiques & condenses many threads of Copenhagen’s maritime character into a single, atmospheric room.

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