A stunning 140-year-old fully restored Chettinad door frame welcomes visitors at the entrance, the ‘manthagi’ of canopy on top depicting yaalis showering flowers on everyone passing through its portals! Friezes of delicately carved and incised rudrakshas and ‘annapakshis’ run in neat lines on all three sides of the door frame, with the top-most panel celebrating a rare scene from Ramar Pattabhishekham.
The massive 10 feet x 6 feet frame has been taken from one of the oldest mansions of Chettinad and provides a fitting entrance to ‘The Restored Antique Furniture Exhibition,’ put together by collector-restorer Balaji Ramesh.
Each of the restored pieces on view exudes a touch of period romance and nostalgia, a recreation of an elegant leisurely lifestyle, which speaks through love-seats and chaise lounges, roll top secretaries with mysterious hidden pigeon holes, armoires and almirahs, diwan beds and silver cabinets, garden benches and more.
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With their distinct period style and impeccable work they are a slice of history. Also on view are Chettinad woodwork panels and a superb collection of Thanjavur paintings.
“Most of the antique furniture items come to us in a broken down condition,” says Balaji. His love for old furniture takes him on scouring missions to antique dealers, family basements and aristocratic mansions all over South India.
“For the restoration part, I study old photographs and books, surf the net apart from replicating from similar pieces.” Pointing to a decrepit chair from the Connemara library collection, which just has the proverbial ‘arm and a leg’, Balaji says his restoration team headed by artisan Raja will soon begin work on it. Waiting to be also restored are rosewood cabinets, a few broken down silver cabinets, a beautifully carved bench and a linen box painted over in vegetable colours.
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“All my work such as carving, scooping and incising is done with instruments we fashion ourselves,” says Raja, who once made ploughshares in his village. “No motorised tools or nails are used in our work, and we use techniques such as dove-tailing to join the various parts of an item.”
Furniture history that goes back to 100-150 years literally catches up with one in the restored section. Victorian sofas with their typical curves, art deco sofas and Edwardian chairs mingle with elaborately carved love-seats in rosewood. Roll top desks abound, some with lovely brass handles.
Dining tables stand on claw legs or extend in typical Anglo-Indian style. There are display cabinets, Victorian what-nots and smart glass encased silver display units.
Tiny rosewood Edwardian wall units share space with beautifully carved rosewood and teak almirahs with inlay work.
A 200-year-old French chiffonier stands alone in its elegance and charm - once used for storing pasties but today a delectable conversation piece.
‘The Restored Antique Furniture Exhibition’ is on view at 15, Sriram Avenue First Cross Street, Natesan Nagar, Kottivakkam. ( Ph: 9840017278)