Envy-worthy, incredible vintage finds in Mumbai

A purple leather trunk with a pink flower painted on. Old radio sets. A hand-painted advertisement for hair oil. Cigarette storing tins with enamel-work. Worn out lovely leather camera cases. You can find some down right stupendous vintage treasures in the bazaars, streets and by-lanes of Mumbai. What you find depends a lot on luck, being at the right place at the right time, the ability to spot a great buy and personal initiative. 

Over the years, these are some unique collectibles I've found at unbelievable prices while bazaar browsing in Mumbai. Some are quite useful, others added color to my life, but no purchase was ever regretted. 

Vintage postcards 

These old postcards, part of a humorous-but-romantic series, are among my favorite finds ever. The guy I got them from had some more. I'm guessing they were popular with young men to give to their ladyloves, as tokens of love or as an apology after a tiff. The two I have are pre-WW1 postcards. Both are from Theodor Eismann, a German fine art printing and publishing house based in Leipzig, Saxony (started in the 1880s) who produced halftone lithographic postcards. The initials Th. E. L. could be seen on all the postcards, often together with the process name Theochrom (glossy lacquer finish).

This one belongs to their Theochrom* Serie No 1090. A snappily dressed dude holds out a flower to a very miffed looking lady. The text reads: "He cut a white flower from a bush, as she sang/And when she had finished to her side quickly sprang." The second one shows a couple cozying up over tea. Vintage steal? At Rs 500 each, yes.

Antique matchbox covers

I picked up this 400 rupee antique metal matchbox cover at a shop selling old trinkets at the Behrambagh second-hand furnitures market. The image on it is an advertisement for the tobacco brand Passing Show. Its enamel-on-steel front has a red background depicting a gent in top hat with monocle and cigarette. And the text says "Passing Show Cork Tipped Virginia". According to Cigarettespedia, Passing Show cork-tipped cigarettes were produced in England, I don't know if they still are. But after some browsing, I found many variations of Passing Show cigarette products -- from cigarette cases to shop signs -- listed on antiques and collectors sites on the web like www.prices4antiques.com, www.invaluable.com, www.antiquesimagearchive.com etc).

In a 2008 Hindustan Times feature, Nagesh Karmali, president of the Goa Freedom Fighters' Association, says "Passing Show was the cheapest but a popular cigarette brand then. It was imported from England. It was the colonial equivalent of the Charminar brand."

Travel diary by Mumbai artist Mario Miranda

This is an out-of-print edition of Mario Miranda's account of his stay in what was then The Federal Republic of Germany, "Germany in Wintertime", published in 1980 by TATA Press. A well-known Mumbai artist, Miranda's witty comments and observations on German life accompany the sketches and drawings. One of an East German guard at Checkpoint Charlie says: "An ice-berg in mini-skirt, she comes out in the cold to scrutinize your face and your passport. If she approves both, she lowers her barriers." The German edition goes for 20 Euros on Amazon. But I bought this book at a pavement bookseller in King's Circle, Matunga (E) for 50 Rupees, less than one Euro.

 

 

Painter Raja Ravi Varma's oleographs

Raja Ravi Varma is India's original pop artist. The visualization of Hindu deities, Bollywood’s acclaimed poster art, the kitschy fame that India's 'calendar art' style enjoys -- all lay claim to their origin from Ravi Varma’s style. There was a time when cheap prints of Hindu deities, produced at his German lithograph press in Malavli near Lonavla, hung in every home. Today a Ravi Varma oleograph print can fetch anywhere between Rs 5,000 (for small prints) to Rs 100,000. 

But if you are lucky, you can get them for peanuts. Mohan Sivanand, editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest in India, acquired two Raja Ravi Varma lithographs for Rs 10 and Rs 5 from a pavement junk seller in Dharavi. "My brother was visiting and he wanted to buy some leather bags. I took him to Dharavi. That's where I saw this old man selling what looked like a medley of stuff -- someone had obviously thrown away a lot of household items. I paid Rs 10 for the Ravi Varma print -- a garuda eagle flying with two women sitting on both wings. I went back after three days and found another print. This time he wanted only Rs 5 per print. Both are in perfect condition. I have studied Ravi Varma's work. His press always puts a seal and number and his signature. I checked before buying and they were there. Sometime later, I came across more lithographs by Ravi Verma at a shop in Parel. They were asking for Rs 75,000. I also acquired an original 1964 Beatles single (45rpm) made in India, from that old man in Dharavi."

Where to go treasure hunting in Mumbai 

You never know where you will spot your vintage ephemera in Mumbai. Everyone knows about the established find-spots -- flea markets like Chor Bazaar, antique shops in the Fort area, but try these lesser-known spots.

Pavements of King’s Circle Matunga (E): Mumbai’s municipal authorities may have brushed most of the old booksellers from SoBo (South Bombay) pavements. But the ones at King’s Circle, Matunga are still around, thank god. I found Mario Miranda's "Germany in Wintertime" book here. Someone we know picked up an old edition of "Watership Down" for Rs 50 and a hardbound edition of Beryl Cook illustrations for a mere Rs 40. You can also find old crochet, knitting and housekeeping magazines your granny would have loved, going for a song. 

Lanes of old areas in Central and South Mumbai: I was hunting around for a well-known handmade ice-cream shop in Bohri Mohalla near Mohammedally Road when I stumbled upon this shop selling old music goods -- radio sets and gramophones mostly. The streets and bylanes of the area beginning from Mahim and stretching till Fort is great for treasure hunting. 

Haunt your kabaadiwala’s shop: Make a habit of checking your neighbourhood kabaadiwala recycle shops religiously. Anything from old tins, typewriters to out-of-print books may turn up here. People have even found original posters of old Bollywood films.

Become a member of WSD (Welfare of Stray Dogs): WSD is a city-based NGO that focuses on the welfare of stray animals. They hold an annual garage sale every year where you can get the most amazing stuff at throwaway prices. Loomis and Walden books were picked up here. We also spotted doilies, intricate and old lace tablecoths, a pile of old LPs with amazing cover art, old china and old trunks made of leather. A friend picked up a wooden lacquer box set -- four boxes that fit into each other. Really pretty. The main box cover had a painting of three horsemen, with a person looking out of the window. The cover of each successive box was increasing close-ups of the scene, till the last one featured only the person at the window. Everything is given to people who are part of WSD and their acquaintances (which, I strongly suspect going by the stuff on sale, includes Bawa families).

They also sell clothing for Rs 10. I bought a skirt made from an old brocade saree. The atmosphere at the sale, held at an ancient house near Lamington Road with high ceilings, was similar to a European flea market. In fact, with the variety and amount of stuff on offer, the sale could easily be turned into a much-required real flea market in the city. "We have been wanting to start a permanent flea market with vintage clothing and all that, but it's difficult to get permission in this city. Then there is the question of space and real estate cost," said Abodh Aras, CEO of WSD when I asked him.

Second-hand furniture shop area in Behrambagh, Oshiwara: I had gone to pick up a book rack for myself and discovered two shops here stocking a range of vintage buys. There was old postcards, huge ceramic wine casks, collapsible tiered jewelery boxes in wood, old handpainted ads (one with a buxom belle advertising a brand of hair oil caught the eye. For Rs 1,250), and century-old black and white photographs.