Curiouser and curiouser: Dr Russell is back with warm-hearted new antiques adventure series

It’s no secret we were big fans of iconic Guildford antique store Dr Russell’s Imaginarium, and were equally as devastated when it closed down late last year.

Owner David Russell (AKA Phill) did open a temporary location earlier this year in Bassendean, though it too has closed down, with Russell heading back overseas for another re-stock in foreign lands.

And while we wait with bated breath to see where he pops up next, a brand new web series he created with Perth filmmaker Brendan Joel (pictured below, left with Russell) is stoking our curiosity until then.

Dr Russell’s World of Curiosities is an 8-part web series that delves into Russell’s life, first as a young boy in Chester, England way back in the ’60s to now, a passionate collector with an eye for the fantastical.

“World of Curiosities came about from the idea of creating a warm-hearted antiques adventure series exploring Dr Russell’s collection and life in a fun and imaginative way,” explains Joel. “Every time I visit Phill he’s got more old treasures that he’s found and is so excited to talk about.”

The series won a WA Screen Culture Award in 2023, and all eight episodes are now available to watch on YouTube.

“You can collect anything you can think of, anything at all can be collectable. It’s all a part of putting it together, and it’s the way you look at it…just get started and don’t be afraid,” says Russell. “This isn’t like a normal antiques show, this one’s really exciting. We’ve got adventure, we’ve got horror stories, we’ve got everything you can think of that’s a bit of fun.”

Check out Episode 1 below, head to youtube.com/@stirfilms to check out the other seven eps, and we’ll be sure to keep you up to speed on when Dr Russell finds a new home for his thousands upon thousands of rare antiques.

Follow Dr Russell on Instagram HERE, and Brendan Joel HERE.