INTERIORS 

ANTIQUE GALLERY
Glorious, Goan Antique Furniture

GOA'S ornate, time-matured furniture, has been greatly admired and perpetually written about by curious visitors from all over the world. The various influences lurking in the gorgeous design and expert crafting make the period furniture a delight to watch. The Antique Gallery, set up by antique collector Daniel Ferrao at Khobra Vaddo in Calangute, is a virtual museum of such exquisite Goan furniture, old lamps, glass ware, porcelain, artifacts, clay sculpture, curios and a number of coveted collectors’ items.

The well patterned gallery was inaugurated by Dr Elsa Barros, the Vice Consul of Portugal in India, on November 16, at 6.00 pm, in the presence of a distinguished audience. Among the connoisseurs of art and fine furniture present on the occasion was Mr F Mascarenhas, the Delegate of Fundacao Oriente in India, along with his family.

Daniel has converted an old house into a wonderful gallery with most of the items displayed looking perfectly at home. There are steps leading to many more aging wonders on a verandah upstairs. The verandah runs around the tiled roof of the house. Wearing a perfectly rustic ambience, the bamboo stands teem with a variety of wide-bellied, old glass bottles, antique chandeliers, some of course without their original lampshades.

Says the gallery owner Daniel Ferrao, "The aim of the gallery or showroom is to enlighten Goans about the wealth they possess by way of prized furniture. Many a Goan has unknowingly consigned old chairs, cupboards and carved stands to the dusty attic, or sold them to the rad’di collector. No more do we need to discard the old for the new, because the new furniture is no patch on the rich design and the seasoned timber employed by the Goan carpenters when wood was plenty and didn’t cost a fortune as it does today."

Over a period of nearly five years, Daniel has painstakingly collected the scarce, old articles from his home and from here and there. At his carpentry workshop, which produces furniture, he got the precious pieces restored to their delightful, pristine form, crafting and sculpting the badly impaired or absent elements. Daniel adds, "My dream is to preserve and retain at least what still remains of the precious Goan heritage." He would not sell his prized possessions but for the amount of funds need to procure more and to preserve the stuff.

Moving from one wonder-filled room to another, one beholds a variety of elegant items: rare jewellery chests, card tables, very old porcelain clocks, garafaos, planters’ chairs, easy chairs, folding chairs, beds with posters, cupboards with mirrors. Ships’ lanterns, old sewing machines, postage stamps, photo frames…things that date back to 200 years or perhaps more. Daniel’s sister Verodina Ferrao excels in ceramic sculptures, which she moulds and fires in her Mapusa kiln. A few of Verodina’s charming creations join in unobtrusively to enhance the splendour of the unique Antique Gallery.

Situated opposite Villa Goesa at Khobra Vaddo in Calangute, the gallery will remain open right through the year from 9.30 am to 7.30 pm on all week days. Being situated in the heart of the tourist belt, the continental visitor can now conveniently step in and let the eyes feast on the grand Goan heirlooms without having to travel long distances to aristocratic houses to experience the rare pleasure, which Goa provides in plenty. In the process, they could pick a valuable curio or two at a reasonable price.

Joel D’Souza
Pretending Curator