Antique Shopping

I’ve always loved trawling through antique shops, found a few interesting pieces but never really bought much ..... but ...... since finding 4 particular shops in Delhi I AM IN LERRRRRRRRRVE with antique shopping and I’m sure Dean’s about ready to cut my visa card (the Indian one I had to beg for) to smithereeeeeeens!

M · Mehra & Sharma Farms ... acres of furniture and artifacts you’ve never before seen in your life!

IIndian Crafts ... 2 buildings, 4 stories of treasures from the East, out of the way and next door to a slum, but well worth the visit.

Country Collection, Hauz Khas Village (what the hell is with the German named colony in India?) but this is one shop I have to return to cause I visited it by myself, only weeks into the heat of my first Delhi summer and having no idea of prices or what was available ... so I’ll return soon with my eyes wide open this time!

Here are a few of the pieces we've bought for a song!!!!!

An antique brass & iron trunk, complete with brass peacock inlays:

Before: After 7 days of restoration:

Peacock inlays before: After:

My “shit cupboard” ..... from Pondicherry via Jodpur (or somewhere) in Burmese teak or some such salesman bullshit! I was looking for a crappy cupboard to use in the kitchen (no pantry) to store all my Tupperware, plastic shopping bags, long life milk, n boxes of Dean’s Coke Zero n stuff ... you know “shit” .

Once restored, my “shit cupboard” turned out too beautiful to hide in the kitchen so it’s now in the dining room housing all my glassware and platters .... AUD$330. Thank you for Lynden, Nicky & Tats for talking me into buying this gorgeous “shit cupboard”!

Sorry bout all the “shits” in that last paragraph!

a lil cupboard we bought at India Crafts $80!

All were in various states of disrepair and all prices quoted included restoration which took anywhere from 3 days to 8 ... try getting an Australian or English antique shop to restore something to its former glory in less than 12 weeks and for a bzillion $'s less!

We arrived 5 months ago with one almost full to the gunnels 40foot shipping container ... and if I keep visiting these shops, we’ll definitely need an extra container when we return home.

Ok ok Deano ... handing over the visa card now........ (yeah right!)