How to Craft Great Ones

About Us

Everything has a story but nothing more than antiques

They form part of our individual and collective history. Just like us they have had interesting lives and even though they can not speak they tell a fascinating and sometimes romantic story.

I would like to share my story if I may. My name is Walter Edward O’Neill. I was born and raised in the beautiful Welsh Valleys. I was very blessed to have grown up immersed in history, in an old mining town surrounded by a landscape of castles and green fields. Because of this, from a young age I was always intrigued by history.

Our Story: A Proven History of Trust in Antiques

AntiquesArena has been a trusted name in the antiques world for well over a decade.
Our journey began long before the website existed — and long before most online antique sellers appeared. Here is our timeline and how we grew into the brand you know today:

2010 — AntiquesArena begins on eBay

We first launched as AntiquesArena on eBay in 2010, selling worldwide from the very beginning. Those early years helped establish our reputation for honesty, transparency, and a deep knowledge of antiques.
Even today, we continue to serve international buyers across the globe.

2013 — The AntiquesArena .co.uk and .com Website were born

This was our first steps to move away from brands like ebay. we got out foot in the market place and began out website journey.

2014 — AntiquesArena on YouTube

In 2014, AntiquesArena expanded onto YouTube, where we began sharing videos on antiques, buying and selling, haul videos, valuations, restorations, and educational content.
Over the years our YouTube channel has gained millions of views and built a loyal audience who rely on us for expertise and guidance within the antiques industry.
This public, long-term history is a key part of our identity.

2019 — The AntiquesArena new design Website is born

After nearly a decade of online trading and video content, we launched antiquesarena.co.uk in 2019 to bring everything together under one home.
The website became a hub for information, education, sales, and professional appraisal services.

2020 — Launch of the new design of AntiquesArena.com

To support our growing international audience, we expanded with antiquesarena.com in 2020.
Both domains now work together to support buyers, collectors, and enthusiasts around the world.

Official Business Information

Antiques Arena is a UK-based sole trader business founded by Walter Edward O’Neill in 2010. For full business details, trademark clarification, and official domain verification, please visit our Official Antiques Arena UK page.

Why Our History Matters

For more than 14 years, AntiquesArena has stood for:

Authentic antiques
Transparent information
Worldwide service
Educational content with millions of views
A consistent, trustworthy brand name recognised across several platforms

This long-standing history is the foundation of everything we do today.

Modern Age of Storytelling

We live in a modern age when storytelling is more important than ever, as a society we all want to know where we came from and what made us who we are today. I believe it is important to not only share my love and passion for antiques and try to discover their history, but to share my own story with you as well.

As we grow older our stories become part of our legacy

whether that is embodied by the things we gather around us or the people we allow to be a part of our lives. My own collection of antiques has become my pride and joy, but like many things, they bear deeper meaning than just mere objects. They have formed who I am.

As blessed as I was to be surrounded by all this history and beauty, there was also a dark cloud over the welsh valleys, by this I mean as a people we had suffered miners strikes, mine closures and little work and a shortage of money.

My family worked tirelessly to make a living by going to car boot sales / yard sales and selling various artefacts. This was as difficult as it was interesting. They would take me along to the car boot sales and I would watch and help as they searched through peoples boxes of trash looking for treasures to sell.

Tried various careers to figure out my way in life.

Back when I was in my early 20s, I found myself in a situation that would shape my life from there on, financially I was in need and I only had one direction which was going to car boot sales again to earn some money.

It was during this time that i discovered the world of antiques and as with anything in life that is worth doing, learning antiques was one of the toughest challenges I have ever had.

The early years of my journey were very tough and costly, working out of the back of a car in all weathers, driving for as much as six hours each way to work from as little as a few hours to three days at an event. like so many who live in this world I made a great deal of costly mistakes both on the buying and the selling side of the business.

As my experience and knowledge grew I would taste more and more success and that just meant I was even more determined to succeed. Eventually I moved from working and grafting at fairs and similar events I moved towards online selling which opened up my business to the whole world.

Antiques Fulfilled Dreams

I began buying and selling online and have done so for the last 20 years. My business expanded and evolved and I fulfilled a dream which was to opened my own antiques shop. Wanting to give back to the community I decided to stay in Mountain Ash a small town in the welsh valleys where I offer a valuable service both making my treasures available but also buying off people who just want to turn things in to cash.

Greatest treasure of my life, by far, is my family.

Ever since, my business has bloomed and I have collected more than I can keep count of. I have been very lucky and Handled some beautiful and historically important artefacts, But all that being said, the greatest treasure of my life, by far, is my family.

I have had a good life and had four amazing children who I have had the privilege of raising and watching them all grow in to wonderful individuals who are working on their own dreams,

then I met my beautiful fiancée and her two wonderful children in 2016 and from that love our beautiful daughter Gracie-belle was born.

I love spending time with my family and without my parents taking me to car boot sales, I would have never discovered my real passion in life. this is why I like to take my kids on the journey of discovery with me.

As the world changes and technology advances, it is crucial to recognise that objects are not just indispensable things, but they can hold important values and knowledge. That is why I love antiques – they bring the past, the present and people together!

Passing on my love of antiques

Watching my children grow up and with the passing of the years I realise the importance of passing on my love of antiques. I learned the hard way and self taught antiques with a great deal of mistakes.

Back when I learned there was no one willing to share knowledge or help so I have made it my mission in life to help as many people as I can enjoy this life that I have loved so much.

If you would like to join me on my journey through the antiques arena, then please follow me on social media.

Whether you are a businessman / woman a storyteller, young or old or anyone in between, there is always a story worth discovering with every antique. You never know what you might stumble upon…

ANTIQUES ARENA BLOGS

Amazing content, and full educational blogs on all aspects of antiques !

We provide unmissable content that is both stimulation and academic, with our website’s fully illustrated blogs, and how too films and updates on our treasure hunts by way of haul films on our youtube channel.

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