Antiques in America have, for the most part, been native objects for the last 100 years or more. In Europe, too, notions about antiques include native objects, but they can be much older and geographically more distant.

Vienna was the capital of the Austrian Empire and home to the ruling Hapsburgs from about 1200 AD through the early Twentieth Century. As such, there developed a cultural heritage far deeper than that in America. There were churches and cathedrals, castles and mansions; there was theater, opera, art and museums for centuries, although for many generations only the privileged were granted access to them.

Austrians love their cultural heritage, which includes antiques and fine art. When coupled with its neutral status in world politics, Vienna has been since World War II a trade center for people from the Eastern countries to come to sell and where Westerners could buy otherwise unattainable goods. It made Vienna an open market for trading, a tradition that continues to this day.

Buying and selling antiques here is carried on in much the same manner as in the United States, except for the language and the differences in the goods. There is a constant back and forth between the sellers and prospective be buyers to come to a deal – price, willingness to compromise and the quality of the goods are all in the equation, and with all the different ethnic and national groups meeting here, the attitude of the characters also comes into play.

Saturday morning in the Nasch Market.

This is especially true in the Nasch Market, in what localscall “The City,” the old downtown area of Vienna. For those whohave been to the open markets in New York’s Chelsea neighborhoodthis will seem very familiar: similar merchandise, similarcharacters (Damon Runyon would enjoy them all) and, generally, agood many deals are to be made, even for an American dealer.

Shops in The City are at the other end of the spectrum, with most catering to high-end furniture and accessories, but, here, rococo means from the Fifteenth or Sixteenth Century. A chair found in one such shop was Italian from about 1600 with carved wooden legs and arms, similar to a William and Mary piece, but the price was 9,000 euros, or about $12,000. There was a tall chest on stand in the next shop, also very early by American standards, circa 1500, which was tagged at 50,000 euros.

The best source found for shopping furniture was the auction company Dorotheum. The business is housed in an attractive old building in the heart of The City with several floors of antiques of all kinds, generally segregated by type, i.e., art, jewelry, dining table accoutrements and furniture.

While there, a furniture auction was in progress, one in which about 300 lots were sold in just one hour. The reason for this remarkable speed was that only about a dozen of the items had bids from the floor and a few dozen had phone bids. The majority of items were sold for the opening bid, which was listed on the item’s tag.

This represented a great many sales, which could have been sold to American dealers, who then would have had the ability to resell the item in the United States.

Early wing chairs in very good condition were $800 each.

Bear in mind, however, that there is a premium on everythingadded to the hammer price, bidding is in euros and the language isGerman. This addition to furniture was 22 percent, so if an itemwent for 100 euros, the total in dollars would come to about $160.As to the language, this auction house offers the services of anEnglish-speaking staff member to do the bidding. They will alsoassist in obtaining bids for packing and shipping. They seemed tobe very accommodating for the customer.

Vienna for the antiques shopper is a very lively and active marketplace. Then, too, there is Vienna itself. The city boasts two symphony orchestras and a philharmonic, two opera companies and more clubs and cabarets than just about anywhere. Museums, churches and cathedrals are open for all to visit, but generally for a fee.

Shop for air travel, hotels and even rental cars on line, but a car is not necessary if staying in town, for there are guides to rapid rail and buses available in English. And nearly everyone there speaks some English, so getting around is easy.