August 28: How many auction houses were built in Kolkata along the crooked path of history. Grand Piano, White Stone Statues, British Cutlery, Shahi Dresser, Belgium Glass Mirrors, Antique Clocks, Egyptian Paintings, Dinner Sets, Handcrafted Chess Boards, Chests & Cupboards, Old Cameras, Gramophones, Record Players, Vintage Model Cars, Aramkedara, Cups, old wine bottles, picture frames, chandeliers, white stone tables, typewriters….
All in all, a lot of antiques. Everything is old talk of the day However, India’s oldest auction house ‘Russell Exchange’ in Russell Street is still fighting to survive. At one time, a line of expensive cars used to cross Russell Street to Park Street.
A group of coolies used to sit outside the shop to take things to Babu’s house. Today, the sound of the microphone, the sound of ‘bids’, the hum of the crowd and the hammering of the table are much fainter from inside the shop.
These colonial Bengal was once owned by zamindar families in and around Calcutta.A memento is still scattered around the auction house. Satyajit Roy, Suchitra Sen, Maqbool Fida Hussain, Shabna Azmi, Sandeep Roy, Rituparna Ghosh have also come here many times to pull old things.
However, this auction house is now just a shop for buying old things in search of luxury, changing identity. Rent of movie shooting is one of the mainstays to sustain the business. But those who know the true value of all these things, they still sometimes attack here.
Therefore, the history of Banediana-taste of Bengalis is also related to Kolkata’s auction house. Status of auction houses in the city since its inception TV9 Bengal’s documentary ‘Nilam Nilam’ will be seen in ‘Bangaliana’ program.. Sunday, August 28 at 10 am.
TV9 Press Release / News Mania Desk
