Rolling down the lane, one of the Chickpet neighborhood 's oldest streets in Bangalore feels like a classic Indian scene stereotyped in so many movies - people, traffic, animals, and a nice dose of color and noise mixed with each other. A flight of stairs is an oasis of peace in a by-lane off this street-the quaint supermarket, Balaji's Antiques & Collectibles. Collectibles, furniture and art pieces from various ages light for room on the many racks, walls and floor. For a shop specializing in antique products, the environment is hardly overwhelming. Instead, the place and owner Balaji, welcome you to discover and enjoy the joys of discovering something beautiful and storied.Balaji's Antiques wasn't always a luxury goods shop. It originated as a shop selling what is today one of the antiques icons-gramophones.
GILDED BRACKETS WHICH RECLAIMED FROM DAMAGED ALTER FROM CHETTINAD @JESSICA JOSEPH
More than 35 years ago, when Mr Veerendra Heggade,the Dharmasthala temple administrator, decided to establish a museum for the devotees of the temple, it was Balaji 's father who entrusted him with the task of collecting artefacts. Over the years, Balaji and his father provided the museum with items ranging from ships, vehicles, and aircraft to antiques.Balaji,in his search for antique objects, remembers the many fascinating expeditions his father embarked on. "My dad bought a whole antique train from Kolkata in early 90's," says Balaji. "He spent three months in the train every night before it was delivered to the museum, to deep the pieces from being stolen!
REMINGTON TYPEWRITER 1970 PHOTO CREDIT @JESSICA JOSEPH
Balaji was very fond of antique collectibles because of his father. "When I was in tenth grade in the 1980s, I sold my first collectible,"says Balaji. Balaji brought the collection to another level,while his Dad collected only for the museum, and produced Balaji's Antiquities in the 1990s with just one table and nothing else.He has collected and sold numerous collectibles, and has amassed an ancient world of knowledge.He also takes his father-one 's good counsel, but has not topic during compilation, since it contributes to irritation and Two, ever setting up on the destination for a collectible trip.
BALAJI HOLDING A RITUAL SPOON USED BY DESSAI COMMUNITY PHOTO CREDIT @ JESSICA JOSEPH
IMAGE SOURCE @ BALAJI'S ANTIQUES - RALIEGH BICYCLE - NOTTINGHAM ENGLAND 1949/50
In each Nook-music boxes, cameras, camp furniture,World War II armor sets, Sculptures, Morris vehicles, tin toys-there are also some off-beat ones,including mercury-filled glass,Christmas decoration kugels, sulphide marbles, exercise weights that the people use centuries ago. Balaji feels it's about keeping their aura because it keeps creativity alive and sounds alive. In fact coming here is akin to visiting a museum with someone fabulous to tell you stories about each antique, artifact or curio.
HMV MODEL -102, PORTABLE GRAMOPHONE 1930 /VINTAGE MID CENTURY RADIOS & SEWING MACHINE
"In this company knowledge is the most important thing,"says Balaji. "It is the first thing I encourage inexperienced collectors to understand. I advise them not to do something until they have studied it throughly. Balaji’s Antiques & Collectibles Founded in 1924, family owned company based in the older part of Bangalore City, supplied props for the 1984 period drama -A Passage to India. Owner D.G Balaji works with collectors from around the world and can source almost anything imaginable, from original movie posters to battle plans of Tip Sultan.The shop is crammed full of artifacts and treasures,rosewood ship chests, Thanjavur paintings, gramophones, campaign furniture, Burmese Lacquerware, Ravi Varma prints etc... They specialize in South Indian art works like Ravi Varma lithographs, rare bronze artifacts, Mysore,Tanjore paintings, India maps.They also deal with colonial and ethnic furniture as well as theearlymodern inventions such as mechanical collectible, watches, and tiny toys.They travel widely in South India and, with thorough research, have managed to acquire rare objects, historically famous and important works of art for museums like Dharmasthala (South Kanara), the Omega Museum (Geneva) as well as for private collectors.
PENTAGON - EAST GERMAN CAMERA 1950/60 , WOIDEN GUILDED KINNARA, SOUTH INDIA