Jon Stojan
1970’s Needlepoint of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s Famous Poster of Performer Jane Avril. 19 3/8″ (W) X 25 7/8″ (H)
At the heart of Oppenheimer Designs is the founder Russell Barnaby’s infatuation with vintage rarities, combined with an innate love for various forms of art. After discovering the power of technology in today’s world, Barnaby turned his passion into an e-commerce platform, creating an inspirational, vibrant space where the rarest collectibles from the 20th century intertwine with one-of-a-kind art.
A fully-fledged platform with offices in New York City, Massachusetts, and the UK, Oppenheimer Designs offers global shipping. This decision was driven by Barnaby’s desire to share his passions with customers from all over the world. “Everyone has different tastes and ideas of what ‘art’ is,” he adds. “Our job is to honor all vintage dreams by sourcing, buying, and restoring diverse collectibles we believe will present value—both monetary and abstract—to the buyer.”
Founded out of a desire to present fine art, furniture, clothing, historical artifacts, and objet d’art that spoke to Barnaby’s heart, Oppenheimer Designs evolved into a global movement driven by nostalgia. Though this e-commerce platform has truly embraced technology, its two San Francisco stores stand as a testament to the company’s mission to invite all customers to the vintage fun.
“While going digital offers convenience, some may argue that nothing can replace the thrill of old-school thrifting,” Barnaby adds. “At the end of the day, it is up to the buyer to decide what appeals to them.”
This sentiment extends to the products Oppenheimer Designs offers, with its selection spanning all the way from 1970s Italian table lamps to vintage sculptures and original 1960s paintings. “We know that beauty can’t be defined. It’s a feeling, an emotion that makes you stop mid-sentence just to admire someone’s creativity,” he adds.
For Barnaby, art and beauty can’t exist without people—creators, buyers, collectors, and everyone in between. To unite a community of like-minded people, Oppenheimer Designs also hosts regular events in both of its locations. Here, participants can share meaningful conversations about art with people who share their passion while enjoying a glass of wine from local producers.
Coming from a family of artists, Barnaby found his calling early in life. Because of his aunt Hannah Wilkie, a successful artist who stormed through a then-male-dominated industry, he developed a soft spot for female painters, designers, and artists. Throughout his career, he honed his expertise and eye for identifying unique quality craftsmanship. Now, at the helm of Oppenheimer Designs—a name inspired by his Protestant and Jewish roots—Barnaby shares his love for all things beauty with others.
“Since I was a young boy, I would rush to local yard sales or thrift shops, reveling in every second of this adventure. And, throughout the years, I have found the most unusual things in the most unusual places,” he reminisces. “That unknown is what I’ve always loved about thrifting—finding these unique pieces with so many stories. And that’s exactly what my mission behind Oppenheimer Designs is: helping others discover the past by bringing fine art and collectibles within their reach.”