Mureta’s Antiques – A San Francisco Institution
Mureta’s Antiques in Pacific Heights is a San Francisco institution for connoisseurs of estate jewelry, European and Asian décor, porcelain, and silver.
Gary Mureta first opened the doors to the shop on Fillmore Street in 1983, looking to entice collectors and lovers of beautiful items. A walk into his store is a walk
into a glorious history where exquisite rings, Victorian bracelets, one-of-a-kind necklaces, gorgeous place settings, and of course, a stunning array of silver flatware sets, coffee and tea services, and vintage pieces surround visitors.
The relationship between Mureta and Biro & Sons dates back more than 35 years.
“They’re very good,” he says of the Biros. “They’ve always been honorable, very timely, good people to work with personality-wise, and they always do what they say. I can’t say enough good things about them. Great service and great quality of work.”
Over the years, Gary has brought in hundreds of pieces to the Biros, asking them to restore, repair, and refinish the silver that he finds at estate sales and antique shows, as well as things that people bring in to sell him.
While each project was delivered without a hitch, Gary recalls a vintage Georg Jensen coffee service job that the Biros knocked out of the park.
“We found this spectacular set at an estate sale, but a cover for one of the teapots was missing,” Gary recalls. “The family didn’t know where it was. Maybe it got thrown out? We bought it anyway, because it was stunning, and took it into the Biros.
“They reproduced a cover from the other teapot in the service almost exactly,” he continues. “We sold the service for $7,000, and it looked perfect. It was a beautiful set, and they did a fantastic job on it.”
Gary Mureta, one of the City’s fabulous appreciators of artisan pieces, maintains a busy schedule and store. We hope that you’ll stop by and pick up something special for you (!) or the love in your life. We’d love to hear about your purchase and the story behind it!