What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

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Kaboodles

Open daily 10am-5pm. You'll find oodles at KABOODLES!
(1)

Kaboodles Emporium: 2 showrooms in historic Rochester High Street at the junction with Star Hill ME1 1JA
30 independent traders selling antiques, vintage, collectibles (inc Pokemon), curios, and more!

12/08/2026

‘What's it? Wednesday

Since lots of us have been involved in solar and astronomical events this evening, you may have heard some technical terms that you wondered ‘What is it?’.

We heard ‘orrery’ and said just that!
What is it?

An orrery is a mechanical model of the Solar System.

It was designed to show how the planets move around the Sun. It is operated by turning a handle or winding a clockwork mechanism, making the little planets travel round their orbits.

Around 1713, John Rowley, an instrument maker made one of the first known examples for Charles Boyle, 4th Earl of Orrery. The instrument itself ended up being named after him.

Orreries were particularly fashionable in the 18th and 19th centuries. They were used in education, for astronomical demonstrations and collected by wealthy enthusiasts.

They can sometimes be found labelled ‘Clockwork Solar System’ and, although surviving antique models in high end shops tend to be elaborate, with lots of planets, some early orreries were less elaborate and showed just the Sun, Earth and Moon.

Seen one?

You can look directly at these! 👀

11/08/2026

Your free copy is available at Kaboodles Emporium! 👌

05/08/2026

‘What's It?’ Wednesday

This week we found out what gimcrack is!

What is it?

It's a lovely old English word, around since the 15th century, which describes something flashy but inexpensive. It looks impressive but lacks real quality.

It would be something cheaply made, generally of little or no practical value and often imitates something much more expensive/valuable.

The exact origin is actually a tad uncertain but it's thought that it comes from:

"gim" (that's a hard ‘g’) which is an old word meaning neat, clever, or dainty;
and
"crack" - meaning a boast or something flashy.

Almost any decorative object could be described as a gimcrack if it is attractive at first glance but found to be made of cheap materials, poorly made or too flimsy.

So, that could be, typically, cheap gilt costume jewellery, mass-produced Victorian souvenirs or novelty mantelpiece ornaments. They’d be knickknacks and pretty but actually pretty worthless.

The term is still appropriate today for, say, cheap souvenirs, novelty gifts, some of the low quality costume jewellery that comes from China - anything that looks expensive but isn't.

To describe items as gimcrack would have been mildly insulting but, of course, because they were not valuable and often not kept, many antique gimcracks are now very collectable and ironically have a good value!

01/08/2026

It's tomorrow!

*Sunday 2 August from 8am-3pm*

Oodles of Kaboodlers will be selling at the Fair. See some different treasures and traders!

If you're going to the car boot in the morning, we're just through the tunnel when you're done! 👌

Free parking, free entry after 12 and great coffee and burgers! 😋
We're in the Slip and shaded! 😎

Enter via the Main Visitor Entrance, off Western Avenue.
Use postcode: ME4 4TY
Once parked, Slip 5 is on the right at the end of that roadway that you came in on 👌

29/07/2026

'What's It?' Wednesday

If someone was looking for a 'socle', would you know what they were after?

What is it?

A socle (pronounced ‘sock-ul’) is a base that supports an object. Often what we might also refer to as a pedestal.

A socle will generally be decorative and form the base for, amongst other things, statues and busts, vases and clocks.

They come in various materials but primarily marble, wood, stone, or a metal.

The same term is used in architecture for the lower part of a building or column which forms its solid base. On buildings they'll often project slightly beyond the wall or edge of what they’re supporting in order to helps protect from knocks or dampness.

The word socle comes into English from the French for a base, pedestal, or plinth.

In turn, socle in French is thought to come from the Italian ‘zoccolo’, meaning a block, base, or wooden clog.

Having an original socle can sometimes increase an antiques desirability and value. This applies especially to bronze sculptures and clocks, for example.

This is not only for its additional decorative value but because it shows us how something was originally intended to be displayed.

28/07/2026

Come and see us here if you can't make the Emporium!

*Sunday 2 August from 8am-3pm*

Oodles of Kaboodlers will be selling at the Fair. See some different treasures and traders!

Free parking, free entry after 12 and great coffee and burgers! 😋
We're in the Slip and shaded! 😎

Enter via the Main Visitor Entrance, off Western Avenue.
Use postcode: ME4 4TY
Once parked, Slip 5 is on the right at the end of that roadway that you came in on 👌

22/07/2026

'What's it?' Wednesday

There was a beautifully carved wooden screen in the shop and someone suggested it resembled a "reredos".

What is it?

A reredos is a richly decorated screen or similar structure which sits behind an altar. It is designed to draw the eye to the most sacred part of the church.

Pronounced REER-ih-doss (or REER-ih-dose), the word comes from the Latin: retro ("behind") and dos ("back")

Usually found in carved oak or other woods of quality, they can also be stone or marble, brass or bronze, or simply gilded plaster.

Some reredoses will have painted panels or mosaics. Their decorations are typically saints, angels, biblical scenes.

They became particularly elaborate during the Middle Ages. Many medieval cathedrals had amazing stone reredoses covered with painted figures and gold leaf.

Although understandably sometimes confused, they are different from an altarpiece. An altarpiece is generally a painting or sculptural artwork placed on or behind the altar. A reredos is the architectural framework/screen behind it. That said, Sometimes the two will be combined.

During the English Reformation in the 16th Century, sadly many ornate reredoses were damaged or destroyed because religious images were considered inappropriate.

The Victorians revived them though. The Gothic Revival period sparked a new love of richly carved wooden and stone reredoses. Many reredoses we see today were newly installed during that time.

Occasionally original carved fragments from damaged Victorian or medieval reredoses appear on the antiques market. Smaller pieces, like a carved oak panel, pinnacle or finial are popular by themselves as decorative wall art.

21/07/2026

Rare opportunity!

***Unit now let*** *1 x cabinet still available*

- a unit of floor space to rent; plus we've added two new cabinets!

Thinking of trading your own antiques, vintage items or collectables?

A unit comprises 7'x5' of floor space. Please contact us as soon as you can if you're interested.

Or a cabinet is just £10 a week + a day per month of your time.

You'll be seen all day, 7 days a week!

Our current traders are selling a myriad from fossils to retro and everything in between 👀

Message us with your interest or questions.
Don't miss this chance!

15/07/2026

‘What's it?’ Wednesday

Do you have a tor-share?

A what chair?

No a tor-share for my light.

What is it?

It's a torchère they're after and it's a tall decorative stand.

They have traditionally been made of wood (sometimes metal) and were to support a candle or lamp or a vase or other decorative object.

Torchère comes from the French word for "torch” from the days when it held the means of lighting the room.

The name has survived for these stands and is also used for certain tall floor lamps that uplight.

Most torchère have a single, shaped base but some stand on tripod legs for stability.

They will be topped with a small circular, or sometimes octagonal, platform.

From the 18th Century their style has changed in different ways – moving from wood to decorative metal and becoming highly decorative in the Victorian era.

Today torchère can be mistaken for plant stands - understandable as they are often ideal for that use. Electric torchère lamps can be mistaken for standard lamps. They differentiate by being uplighters rather than task lights.

Now, if we’re asked again, we won’t be looking for something to sit on! 😉

08/07/2026

‘What's it?’ Wednesday

Have you come across a puzzle jug?

What is it?!

Transpires it's a jug of old, designed to trick you!

They were used in inns, taverns and homes to entertain in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The challenge was to drink the contents of the jug without spilling any. However, the neck of the jug was full of holes! Trying to pour from it like from an ordinary jug caused spilling.

The secret was a hidden built-in tube running through the handle and around the rim. It was by covering certain of the holes with your fingers, at the same time as sucking from the right spout, that you could drink without spilling.

Many puzzle jugs are inscribed with a humorous rhyme. One such rhyme was:

"Come drinkers all and try your skill,
I'll hold a wager if you will,
That you can't drink this liquor all,
But make a spill and let some fall."

Antique puzzle jugs are highly collectible and lovely examples exist from the Staffordshire potteries.

Could be fun, couldn’t it? Or maybe just messy!

Address

208/212 High Street
Rochester
ME11JA

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+447969738754

Website

facebook.com

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