Finally, UAE residents do not need to go to Europe for real antique furniture and spend all their vacations searching for the desired interior item, going around one shop after another and going around one town after another. Real antique furniture and furnishings from Lyon can now be purchased in Dubai. Most recently, in the presence of an elegant collection of dignitaries and His Excellency Abdullah Jalil Ibrahim Al Rukabi, the antique furniture salon Old Century opened its doors on Jumeirah Road. The evening was stylized as a real ball of the 18th century, gentlemen and ladies in white wigs, camisoles and dresses with crinolines, welcomed guests to the sounds of ancient classical music ... It was very beautiful and a little surprising that all this was happening in Dubai.
Sylvie Gautier, owner of the Old Century Salon, kindly agreed to answer a few of our questions.
Sylvie, why did you decide to open an antique furniture salon in Dubai?
The Middle East has always attracted me. In addition, my father spent all his life working in antique furniture - he found it somewhere, restored it, then sold it. All Lyon knows him. Now I took my father’s case into my own hands. And that’s the most interesting. In our Old Century stores in Lyon, there are always a lot of buyers from the Middle East, including from the UAE, among whom there are representatives of the royal families, and just wealthy people. When I realized that they all came to France specifically for our furniture, I thought, why not open a salon directly in the Emirates, known as the center of trade in the region? And decided on this step.
What kind of furniture does Old Century specialize in?
We specialize in antique furniture and interior items (such as mirrors, porcelain vases, candlesticks and chandeliers, marble sculptures, screens, watches, bronze and so on) of the 18th century, including the reign of Louis XIV, XV, XVI, Regency, style Directories, as well as furniture and household items of the 19th century, the 1st Empire, the reign of King Charles X, the Renaissance and the reign of Napoleon III.
How are your furniture collections going?
We purchase all our furniture and other decor items from private owners with our father. We ourselves follow them to different cities. Then we attract qualified restorers who bring everything in proper form. For example, if we sell antique mantel or wall clocks, then the buyer can be sure that their mechanism has been completely restored by the best watchmakers in Europe, the lost parts are returned to their place, and the clock works as it should. After restoration, all furniture and household items are carefully packed and sent to containers in the Emirates. The authenticity of all our products is confirmed by special certificates.
Sylvie, what does antique mean to you personally? Is it just a business?
Of course not. Antiques are my passion that my partner Jean Lauren shares with me. It is impossible to engage in the sale of antiques without being in love with it. I understand very well that all our interior items are part of the rich history and culture of mankind, that this is a luxury that is available today to those few who really can appreciate it. Yes, antiques are a kind of investment in the future of your family, because such furniture is carefully passed down from generation to generation, given for weddings to children and grandchildren, and recorded in wills. And I really hope that our salon in Dubai will have as many fans as in France.
Would you like Russian buyers to be among them?
Undoubtedly. Our Lyon showrooms sometimes get buyers from Russia. They appreciate real art and are willing to spend considerable money on genuine things. We can offer Russian connoisseurs of antiquity a lot of interesting things, so we look forward to them in our Old Century salon in Jumeirah.
Thanks a lot, Sylvie. Allow me to wish you success and a happy New Year.
