Scavenged Parts Antiques & Oddities

Nestled in the heart of Rockford amongst the lively bustle of a rapidly developing downtown area lies the freshly lacquered doors of Scavenged Parts Antiques & Oddities. Jointly owned by oddities circuit veterans Sarah Thistle and Tim Prince, this newly opened location is the culmination of a decade-long journey into refining and perfecting their niche. 

Speaking more or less to the “antiques” of Scavenged Parts is Sarah Thistle, whose time-tempered antiquarian venture has resulted in a selective yet extensive collection of hand-selected items and whose inventory is forever waxing and waxing with new and exciting finds. Sourced from locations all around the world, each piece is cleaned, restored, and accompanied by Thistle and Prince’s extensive knowledge of its history and use. Her particular brand of Gothic maximalism transports the shop itself into a twilight zone somewhere between the beautiful and the grotesque. All manner of items can be found here: hand-painted anatomical models, an eclectic collection of uranium glass, funeral caskets, tipping tables, vintage medical and dental wares, folk art, and a curated, fascinating book collection borne of Thistle’s bibliomania. 

Tim Prince is the artist and sculpturist behind Forgotten Boneyard, who, like Thistle, has been in the business of the weird and curious for many years now. All materials in his work are and have always been sourced meticulously and ethically, leading his work to represent the cross-section between Prince’s love of nature and his love of the macabre. His sculptures, often featuring hundreds if not thousands of fine animal bones, are one-of-a-kind pieces that have been featured in magazines like Bizarre and Creative Innovations. One can also find his 3D-printed replicas of smaller works, pinned and framed insects, and wet specimens encapsulated in hand-blown glass exclusively at Scavenged Parts.