Written by Carrie Edelstein

Photography by Matt Marcinkowski 

A self-confessed “collector/borderline hoarder,” Philip Slein once had the police pounding on his door after a passerby reported him carrying a Civil War era rifle down Washington Avenue. When he answered, the officers laughed, realizing the gallery owner was simply adding to his downtown loft which is filled to the brim with treasures. From a 1920s barber shop pole on the ground to a model Ozark Air Lines plane, a room-sized chandelier of Murano glass, and a pull-up bar hanging from the ceiling, it would take hours to list all of the “artifacts” Slein has gathered. When we visited him, he was bidding on a 19th century caldron he “had to have.” So we dared him to list just 10 must-haves. 

1) His 1966 Buick Wildcat GS convertible

2) What he calls his “Man-sessories:” vintage cuff links, needlepoint belts, Rolex classics, Hermés pocket squares, and Gucci loafers

3) Pull ups, his best upper body workout

4) His indoor garden of Jade and cactus plants 

5) The rhythmic tick tock of his David Williams Federal period tall case clock 

6) St. Louis artifacts he calls his talismans 

7) “The Slein Syndicate:” the family, friends, clients, associates, advisors, and even spies in his network 

8) His Washington Avenue loft 

9) His art collection that spans 300 years 

10) His “Vintage Hi-Fi Fetish,” music from the 70s and 80s Slein refers to as the score for his life