Established in 1926, the Paisley Shop is the country’s oldest antiques business, which means owner William Jackson, who took the helm in 1962, can sell what he pleases with great authority. Client relationships can span decades; one downsizing couple recently sold back (at a tidy profit) a Chippendale cabinet they purchased from Jackson 30 years ago. Travelling several times a year, Jackson returns with pedigreed commodes, cabinets, dining furniture and light fixtures of English and continental provenance. An Irish cabinet recently sold for $76,000; the shop’s centrepiece, a triple-pedestal dining table that seats 18, is $58,000.