House of Hobbies - 5 -- Vintage Collection

Crazy and creative, passionate and positive, influential and introverted, happy and hopeful – the hobbyists find their pleasure within. They select and collect; craft and create; preserve and protect, and enjoy in their own mysterious world. ‘House of Hobbies’ was my effort to peep into the world of hobbyists in Nagpur. This series was published in The Hitavada in September-October 2010. Take a look...

Diana Hormusji: Vintage Collection 

 (Mrs Diana with her collection)

“I REALLY don’t think it’s worth,” says Mrs Diana, a sexagenarian Parsi woman, welcoming us to her bungalow with a huge front-yard full of lush greenery and flowers – hard to find these days in Nagpur. Tall and strong, the trees around indicate the age of the house and also that it must have many reminiscences to share. But according to its owner, her collection of the precious items, particularly of spoons, is ‘not worth’ as compared to others she had seen or heard about. It may be true, especially for this woman who has travelled widely in India and abroad. But, hundreds of spoons from various countries, based on various themes, rare glassware, souvenirs, Chinese perfume bottles, select antique pieces, and much more leave everyone astonished.

“I have not collected these by my own. Many of these come right from my grandmother, many from my mother, and some are gifted by friends and relatives,” says Diana, whose father used to purchase artistic glassware from Chennai (then Madras) to add to her collection -- that too, for just for Rs 1 or 2 of that time. A born Nagpurian, she was a student of Tata Parsi Girls High School, and Nagpur University’s medalist in Political Science.
After getting married to an Air Force Officer, Diana got a chance to visit and live in many states of India. Everywhere, she collected people – and they added things to her collection. Count from her grand mothers’ time, and her collection is almost three generations old now.

As we enter the drawing hall decorated with antique pieces, statues, pots, and photo frames --everything well-arranged in typical Parsi neatness – she pulls the old black buttons down, and artistic chandeliers start illuminating the hall. British-age ceiling fans, with unusually huge center-lobes, start whirring, she unlocks the glass showcase full of spoons, and the world tour starts. “These are from America; these are from Europe, these from China, these are Indian,” she points out one by one. Each spoon has different design, different value, and different story.
“I do collect spoons, but I don’t like ‘chamchagiri’ at all,” she makes atmosphere lighter. The collection further shows decorative pieces from many parts of the world, including the Chinese perfume-bottles painted from inside. “Foreigners have a great value for antique things, which we lack” she expresses.

“We must learn to value old things,” she says. The ancestral treasure will be traditionally passed on to her daughter, who is a teacher in Bangalore. “She teaches to dyslexia-hit students,” the proud mother says.
Reluctant initially to show the collection, Mrs Diana says, all this was collected and kept only for self-satisfaction and she don’t want any publicity.

However, only the fact that such collection and collector lives in the city, will please a true Nagpurian.