As she browsed through the catalogue, Victoria Jose’s first reaction was sheer delight when she spotted a pair of handsomely crafted twin wardrobes in solid wood, which matched her own aesthetic style.
Then, a more practical realisation. She saw the listed price — about a third of what an interior decorator in India had estimated to build a wardrobe of the same size, but in plywood. But confusion and consternation followed.
“I am definitely not in the league of folks who attend auctions or invest in antiques, and yet I can proudly say I now own period furniture, and I bought it with great ease,” explains Jose.
“There were three names that spurred me into action. The first was the manufacturer’s label on the furniture, Dadabhai Naoroji, a reputed firm dating back to 1859. The second was the deceased owner, Ernevaz J. Dubash, who was a well-known art connoisseur. And the third was that of the auction house, Pundole’s — the eponymous auction house belonging to Dadiba Pundole, one of the most respected names in the world of Indian art.”
Within two weeks of studying the catalogue, she bid and won seven stunning pieces of period furniture and two objets d’art from the auction held in Mumbai, and had them sent to Bengaluru and installed in her new home there. She paid only Rs275,000 (about Dh15,000), without leaving her apartment in Jumeirah Lakes Towers.
Accessible auctions
The concept of buying relics from bygone eras, period furniture, memorabilia, and collectors’ items is hardly new to Indians, but the methods of buying them are changing. Auction houses such as Pundole’s and Saffron Art are at the forefront of hosting events dedicated to the genre. With the added benefit of completing all processes online — studying the catalogue, bidding, virtual participation and payment — it is a right treat for non-resident Indians (NRIs) living in the UAE, especially those with second homes in India.
Pundole explains that the grouping, collectively known as the decorative arts, covers everything that is not labelled as fine art, and that it is definitely gaining momentum among connoisseurs, collectors and fans of the vintage and the whimsical. Pundole’s hosted its first decorative arts auction in August 2012, when it was entrusted with selling the estate of Dr Jamshed J. Bhabha, founder of the prestigious National Centre for the Performing Arts. This was followed by the sale of the estate of singer, aesthete and long-term Mumbai resident Laura Hamilton in September 2013, with 501 lots of silver, china, furniture, porcelain, carpets, books and other collections.
“We’ve held six auctions in India dedicated to the decorative arts, and these have evoked great interest among our existing clients in the UAE,” says Pundole. “Typically, they have bid for marble sculptures, collections of silverware, or period furniture.
“The potential is huge, though. More people need to know that the process of bidding online at an auction is so simple as to be child’s play.”
Embodiment of thought
The very concept of an auction may seem daunting to the uninitiated, and there is a widespread but false perception that only very expensive items are on sale. This could not be further from the truth, as auctions feature some of the best bargains in Indian decorative arts.
Another illustrative example is of Saffron Art’s recent Arts and Collectibles online auction, which featured several pieces of vastly serviceable Campaign furniture — a relic of the British era — with reserve prices starting at just $760 (about Dh2,791).
A wealth of interesting material from various eras in Indian history is on offer at auctions, and influential 19th-century design theorist Owen Jones once described it as, “The works of a people who are still faithful to their art as to their religion, habits and modes of thought that inspired it. Every ornament arises quietly and naturally from the object decorated, inspired by some true feeling, or embellishing by some real want.”
Auctions featuring decorative arts should also be of particular interest to serious collectors, as they frequently list brands such as Lladró, Lalique, Wedgwood, Baccarat, Royal Worcester and Meissen, and often their rare editions.
“Study the condition of the items,” says Pundole. “A bargain estimate does not mean you should end up with shoddy goods, and neither does it mean that is all you will pay for it. If there are several interested parties, the final hammer price may be more than you plan on paying, especially with shipping costs.”
According to the Indian Antiquities and Art Treasures Act of 1972, objects older than 100 years cannot be taken out of the country. “If your heart is set on one of these, buy it for your home in India,” adds Pundole.
“Start small. Bid for things that you can use every day, those which will visually and emotionally enhance your lives.”
