Vintage Tales

The Movement

The Indian diaspora comes alive with arts and crafts! Some forms of fine art are #vintage, and have been practiced for centuries. For generations, artisanal families are doing their best to preserve the art form by keeping from the toxicity of modern day adulteration. A true connoisseur of arts is drawn towards anything that’s vintage. As a collector I’ve found myself smitten by these inimitable pieces of object de art and furniture.

The artisanal BLOCK

In an exchange with an artisan who dealt in block prints; I’ve learned how the age old art form has evolved over the years. While explaining the process of how the dye was impressed onto the cloth, the artisan walked me to a unique fitment that has made by the members of the family themselves. As I inched closer to the table I saw the top came alive with an array of wooden blocks used by the artisans forefathers. Each block is uniquely impressed with cherished Indian motifs. The blocks were arranged alongside to bringing about an interesting narrative; making for a wonderful 8 seater dinning table! My heart leapt at the sight of this table, and it propelled me to purchase the piece at the drop of a hat. Keeping with the aesthetics of design and colour, I have managed to add ‘The Block Print Diners’ to the Green Territory’s Heritage Collection.

A regal calling

Similarly while walking into a dilapidated mansion, my eyes rested upon one of the finest beds ever. Inspired by the European Renaissance era, this bed seemed like a living piece that had so much to tell about the glorious bygone era. The cracks and the fissures didn’t only determine the age of the wood, but the strength that it endured during the course of time. Aptly christened as the, ‘Royal Regalia’, the bed has been artfully preserved with its asthetic innings of design and colour. The blackish golden tones give the ‘Royal Regalia’ the befitting cadence of the ‘Rajwadi’s’ (princely aura), further heightening the glory of the fitment. The ‘Royal Regalia’ is the pride of Green Territory’s heritage collection.

What are the characteristics of vintage furniture?

• In the present day, if you’re looking for any vintage fitment, you’ll find pieces dating back to the 1950’s onwards falling in the vintage category.
• Considering it was the time when modern furniture paved its way into the market, it becomes a bit of a knackering task to differentiate true vintage produce. However, what one can actually look for is a piece that is out of production irrespective of the brand it is manufactured by.
• Ornate or intricately carved pieces of furniture will classify as vintage. This will be further underlined with the natural presence of cracks and fissures on the wood. Some vintage furniture have been daubed with pastel tones, which could also attribute to the aged properties of a piece of furniture.
• A smart connoisseur with a keen eye for detail will always use their business acumen to purchase the ideal vintage fitment. Most vintage pieces are procured from second-hand shops. They are mostly budget-friendly but add a vivd streak of sophistication to your inner spaces.
• A vintage fitment may not exactly be termed as user-friendly (keeping its ornate and decorative properties in mind) however, these pieces will always fetch jaw-dropping resale values. Some vintage pieces are certified by prominent auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s. These inimitable pieces of art could burn a hole commendable hole in your pocket but would garner a fortune on being resold.
• Furniture that have a date etched to it, will again fetch awe-inspiring rates.

Singing off!

Hope this little insight on vintage furniture and artifacts makes for a useful read to all budding connoisseurs.

Green Territory