Hyderabad’s antique trade finds new life in home décor

Antiques are making their presence felt beyond private homes in Hyderabad. Dealers in the city state that event managers frequently rent vintage objects as props for weddings and themed events. While cafés and restaurants apply them as part of decor, film productions also source antiques for period settings. While others invest in larger statement objects that become focal points for visitors.

For antique dealers, this growing visibility seems to have created fresh opportunities.

At Moghal Artsantique store at Darulshifa, Rizwan Ali, whose family has been in the business for three generations, says almost 70% of their store’s customers now purchase antiques for décor rather than as collectors’ items, some businesses opt for smaller decorative pieces. Vintage telephones, gramophones, radios and wooden artefacts are among the store’s most popular items.

The market caters to a range of budgets. Small antiques such as porcelain dishes and dolls are available from ₹800 onwards. While gramophones are often priced upwards of ₹5,000.

Larger pieces, including antique tables and mirrors, can cost more than ₹10,000 depending on their age, condition and rarity, vintage telephones typically range between ₹4,000 and ₹8,000. While unusual or historically significant pieces can command much higher prices.

According to Rizwan, the trade was stronger during the 1990s when original objects linked to Hyderabad’s Nizams and nawabs were more easily available in the market, coins and postcards remain affordable entry points for first-time buyers. Today, he says sourcing genuine antiques has become tough as numerous pieces have moved into museums or private collections.

Even so, interest has expanded beyond traditional collectors. While local buyers tend to arrive with some awareness of Hyderabad’s history and have a better understanding of originals and replicas, international visitors are often keen to learn the stories behind objects.

The customer base spans several generations. Although younger buyers generally gravitate towards smaller pieces, often purchasing them as gifts for older family members, people in their 20s and senior citizens continue to seek original Nizam-era objects.

At Moughal Arts & Decoration House in Banjara Hills, Mirza Azhar Ali Baig, popularly known as Saleem, has witnessed a similar interest. His collection includes gramophones, vintage watches, typewriters and porcelain dolls from England, including pieces associated with brands such as Wedgwood.

Saleem’s mother hails from the Salar Jung family, and he grew up surrounded by historical objects. He traces Hyderabad’s culture of collecting to the traditions of the city’s Nawabs and the Salar Jung family. This person were known for acquiring Japanese ceramics, Turkish artefacts and European collectibles from worldwide.

Customers above the age of 45, he says, are particularly enthusiastic concerning understanding the history behind the objects they purchase. For younger visitors, he often recommends books and mentions Pictorial Hyderabad by Krishna Swamy Mudiraj, among other titles, and encourages them to spend time in museums. “Curiosity is important,” he adds.

As demand for antiques grows, dealers are also seeing greater confusion between originals and replicas. Antiques are generally defined as objects that are at least a century old and are often handcrafted, making each piece distinctive. Replicas, by contrast, are modern reproductions designed to resemble older objects.

For seasoned collectors, craftsmanship remains the key distinction. Saleem notes that many antique objects were produced entirely by hand, with intricate detailing and decorative elements crafted from crystals, gems and other materials. It is this level of workmanship, he says, that continues to attract buyers decades afterwards.

Old objects, new purposes

Not everyone interested in heritage wants to become a collector. Across Hyderabad, a growing number of residents are embracing objects that combine history with functionality. Brass utensils are being transformed into planters, gramophone horns into hanging lights and vintage materials into contemporary design pieces. These creations appeal to customers who value traditional craftsmanship but want them to suit modern living spaces.

At Yellow Verandah, Amir Shah Syed says numerous customers arrive with a clear idea of what they are looking for, often inspired by images they have seen on Pinterest or Instagram. He says the challenge is helping younger audiences appreciate the stories behind the objects. “Unless you explain the history and uniqueness of these pieces to Gen Z, they are not drawn towards them.”

Studios working in this space frequently collaborate with final-year art students. A student named Meena from JNAFAU describes the process as highly collaborative. Artists begin with references, develop themes, discuss ideas with the team and eventually transform them into finished products. Watching a customer purchase a completed piece, she says, is one of the most rewarding parts of the work.

Whether displayed in a living room, used on a film set, featured in a café or reimagined into a contemporary design object, antiques continue to offer a connection to Hyderabad’s past. Their enduring appeal lies in the stories they preserve.

(The writer is an intern with The Hindu)