I have lived in Dubai for eight years. Four years ago, I left a career in the perfume industry to join the antique furniture business. In 2010, I launched Antika Dubai. I now travel to India every few months to search for well-preserved, reasonably priced antiques that I sell in Dubai.
Because of inflation, it is becoming harder and harder to find real bargains in India, so I have to spend more and more time searching for the right items to add to the collection.
My latest exhibition, which started on March 8 and will run for a month, is taking place at Times Square Center in Dubai. You can find us on the ground floor, near the Music Chamber Shop.
The first antique that I ever brought in was a revolving teak chair that I found in a hair salon in the south of Jodhpur. I remember it clearly.
I also offer the Scrapwood collection, which is made out of recycled, reclaimed wood that comes from old, demolished houses in the north of India. This is developed in partnership with Christian Robilliard, a veteran of the antiques business, and Jean Michel Andoque, who operates the EMI furniture manufacturing facility in Jodphur, Rajasthan.
For my latest exhibition I have a number of new products, including a 36-drawer cabinet sourced from an old pharmacy, a collection of beautiful Pitara, or wooden chests, in their original colours, some old wardrobes, wooden cabinets and kitchen cabinets, and French-colonial style writing desks. These are all absolutely authentic and unique old pieces. Of course, there are also plenty of new additions to the Scrapwood collection.
We have also recently entered into a partnership with a Dubai-based company called Faubourg Design to promote antique and recycled wood items through exhibitions in Dubai and the other emirates.
In the future, Antika Dubai would like to set up a permanent gallery, boutique or showroom, where between two and four different kinds of homeware companies would be able to present their products.
An Antika Dubai exhibition is currently under way at Dubai's Times Square Center. For more information, email jd@antikadubai.com, call 050 485 1583 or visit the Antika Dubai page on Facebook
