Why Antiques Are Always Trendy | China Antiques

MANILA, Philippines ? Antique items have had quite a bad rep lately, what with the horrormovies that showcas them as cursed artifacts. But a visit to Buyco Antiques Crafts and Arts in Makati City will have homeowners looking at century-old furniture in a while new light. First, you will be amazed at the attention-catching display of carved wood items displayed at the exterior of the shop, ranging from sturdy doors to large jars, and upon entrance to the shop, your gaze will invariably fix on the gorgeous opium beds (one of which is a 50 year-old piece from Java) that are upholstered with luscious Indo-chine printed fabric.

After your eyes have drunk their fill of the beds, one can be free to discover other gems from the past and from the Near East that will surely add a more genteel touch to any modern home ? well, most of them anyway. Gedeon Buyco, the owner of the shop, says that his antiques and Indo-chine crafted furnishings go well with the decidedly modernist homes that are designed today, with a few exceptions such as devotedly Mediterranean architecture, and the log-cabin look that is popular in the highlands. Other than that, Gedeon says that antique pieces blend very well with modernist furniture and having some old pieces helps to break monotony.

Here inside the shop is a wooden lacquered Chinese wedding box that simply beckons an appreciative caress. Stacked against the walls are antique suitcases, some made of leather, some of rattan. Another standout attraction in the first floor area is an antique long wooden table that is inhabited by a collection of fine pieces of delicate Limoges bone china that a family has passed down through generations.

?A lot of our antiques come from younger families who have to move in to condominiums from their large ancestral homes, and they have no space for these large pieces of furniture,? Gedeon explains. So, rather than harboring negativity as what a horror movie might suggest, these pieces are definitely precious heirloom items that families simply had to give up for practical reasons.

Many of these old pieces are also sourced from Gedeon?s province of Bacolod, and he cites that a lot of these items were simply collecting dust, as the owners were not aware of their value. In fact, he laments that Filipinos tend to underplay the items they have at home. ?A lot of Filipinos like to paint over their wooden furniture. I think this is a mistake, because when the wood is treated properly, and simply coated with a good varnish, you get to appreciate the beauty of the wood?s grain.? ?On the day of the MB shoot, for example, Gedeon was busy supervising the sanding of an old aparador. ?Here also is a wooden Chinese wedding box that simply beckons an appreciative caress.

On the second floor of the building are more precious bric-a-bracs such as an absolutely divine birdcage sourced from his travels abroad ? divine not only because of the skilled craftsmanship, but also because it is made to resemble a cathedral. On one of the beds is an assortment of decorative masks from Tibet, including a playful rendition of the Sanskrit elephant god Ganesh. And speaking of elephants, there is a also a wooden chair that they actually use for riding elephants in Thailand, and although there are no pachyderms in this country, it makes a beautiful settee as well as conversation piece. ?A gorgeous parasol with intricate elephant details also manages to catch admiring glances.

A separate room is also where Gedeon houses his pieces de resistance. One would be drawn to a collection of religious ivory images encased in glass. Here, Gedeon reveals a secret to ivory storage. ?They are encased in glass to prevent discoloration. If you would notice, these images are still white, while those that are exposed to pollution have turned yellowish. Ivory items should also be kept in an air-conditioned room.?

He also shows a precious wooden chair sourced from a family in Binondo that is handmade, using rails instead of nails, and inlaid with mother of pearl. This, he says, is proof that they don?t make ?em like they used to. ?A lot of these items are not being produced anymore, or if they are still made, they are not as done as fine as they used to. Ivory, for instance, is now banned because of animal rights. Some kinds of wood are not available anymore.?

Maintenance of heirloom pieces is also quite easy, and he demonstrates the sturdiness of old-school wood furniture by using an antique desk as an office table for his day-to-day operations. And because of this, he calls antique-collecting as a good investment. ?The pieces will always appreciate in value, and there will always be a market for them.?

Source: http://www.chinaantiques.com/china-antiques/2012/02/29/why-antiques-are-always-trendy/

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