Antiques, made to order!

With the rising popularity of antiques has come the creation of a whole new business, that of manufacturing replicas of old pieces. While antique dealers source their items from agents located all over the country, these can be difficult to procure. Also, despite rising affordability and the increasing desire for antiques, these old fashioned pieces remain far more expensive than newer choices.“There are several people who come to me specifically to buy old pieces with historical value,” says Vijay, who owns a jewellery shop. “But there are a greater number of people who don’t mind buying replicas for lower prices.”Using the same techniques that were used in ancient times, trained acharis revive old designs and recreate pieces from old photographs, books, Nizams’ jewel collections and family heirlooms, ensuring that the pieces are polished in a certain way to give it a rustic finish.“Our goldsmiths pay the greatest attention to detailing,” says Vijay. “The pieces are then made to look old. You could never tell that they have just been made.”The furniture industry is no different. Prabhakar, who runs Aadhi Antiques in Teynampet, has a factory that produces new furniture which is then treated to look old. “I use designs I have seen on old items and create new pieces,” he says. “It makes great sense — old designs are practical and comfortable, adding to which they have some decorative and historical value. Creating replicas reduces the cost.” He has manufactured 120 ‘Philadelphia rocking chairs’ over the last three years, and is proud of the workmanship.Prabhakar also has several customers coming to him with specific designs in mind. “Often, people have one or two antique pieces and they want the rest of their furniture to go with it. In such cases, they come to me.” He ensures the quality of material used is the best, though. “I only use recycled wood — excellent rosewood and teak. Even if they are newly made, the pieces are still quite extraordinary.”