Shreve, Crump & Low

Some years, our readers will favor local boutiques that sell funky, Etsy-esque handmade baubles for this category. This time, you’ve taken the opposite route and declared SHREVE, CRUMP & LOW, a centuries-old institution entrenched in Boston’s history (John McFarlane opened the first incarnation of the shop in 1796, across the street from Paul Revere’s house), the winner. How classy of you! Perhaps it’s because you enjoy early-morning window gazing at the store’s mammoth Boylston Street location, with a coffee and a croissant, à la Breakfast at Tiffany’s. (Shreve’s is the Tiffany’s of Boston, after all.) Maybe it’s because you’ve taken a liking to their selection of antique treasures and rare gems. The most likely answer is that you’ve got an affinity for the Gurgling Cod, the store’s staple big-seller, a “whimsical, fish-shaped jug,” which stares heavenward, mouth agape, ready to be tipped over, to spill out a tall glass of water with a magical “glug” sound.

SHREVE, CRUMP & LOW | 440 Boylston Street, Boston | 617.267.9100 | shrevecrumpandlow.com