JOIN USCharmaine Kenita Rathish fancies all things miniature and owns a collection of interesting artefacts that could easily arouse one’s curiosity. But here’s what makes her avocation really worth talking about. They aren’t just decorative pieces adorning her house, for she says, “It’s about liking things that are not just small in size but have the same functionality as the original. All of them are handcrafted pieces and difficult to replicate en masse.”
Some of the notable items in her collection include a miniature black and white TV set, cane sofa set and dining set, boys and girls cycle, brass table fan, musical instruments set, leather laptop bag, Chinese tea set, Hawkins cooker, Kolhapuri chappal, terrarium, rocking chair and two Srilankan mugs.
The 36-year-old shares that she has been fond of art from a young age. “When I shifted to Bengaluru in 2007 from Belagavi, I got exposed to art galleries and exhibitions. I visited little marketplaces here which have colourful art décor items that fascinated me. I also came across miniature artefacts and thus, began collecting them,” she states.
Each article has a distinct appeal to it and is unique in its own way. And Charmaine is all too happy to talk about them. “In the beginning, I was looking out for home appliances within a limited budget and chanced upon a fully functional miniature TV set, about 4 inches, at a store in Commercial Street. I managed to bargain and bought it. I used it for almost two years and it’s still in working condition,” she smiles.
The Kolhapuri ‘chappals’, of which she has only one remaining, are crafted out of pure leather and most have been gifted to people. Charmaine says she spotted them in one of the nooks and corners of Shivajinagar. “I didn’t pick them up first but the image was stuck in my head. Later, I finally found a single miniature ‘chappal’ hanging behind a shop counter there and after much coaxing, the man parted with 10 pieces, saying he makes limited numbers.” The cane sofa set and dining set were also procured after repeated attempts from Shivajinagar. She points out that shopkeepers don’t want to part with these little items easily or divulge too many details about them.
The cycles, sourced from a Kashmiri store near Raja market, seem to be the owner’s prized possessions for she says, “From the cycle chain to the wheel, each and every detail has been etched out well. Even the mechanics are wonderful, just as in an original.”
Picked up from an antique store in Chickpet, the brass table fan is another classic piece– all of 3 inches, it runs on electricity and has been adapted to run on battery too. The musical instruments set from Chickpet caught Charmaine’s attention for it is carved out of solid stone and perfectly resembles the original. However, this is the only item that doesn’t function, she says.
The mini terrarium, purchased online, is quite cute and looks like a small green ecosystem with miniature plants, just the size of a cricket ball. The leather laptop bag holds a pride of place in Charmaine’s heart since she has it for over 15 years now, even before she began collecting. “It fits in my palm and I use it as a money pouch. It’s like my lucky charm,” she details.
While Charmaine likes to wander around the City and on her travels to look for fascinating things to add to her tiny family, some of the items have also been gifted to her by those who understand her fixation.
When one asks just how costly it is to maintain the hobby, she puts it clearly, “I pick them up since I may not come across these again. They are all handcrafted, expensive pieces but what impresses me is the fact that someone has taken time out to make something as good as the original. They show the craftsmanship and dedication of the makers, skills that are dwindling now.”
She has placed some of them on her work table in her office space at home while others are kept in a separate cupboard in her office room. She cleans them often and makes a few of them function as well to keep them in good condition. Many more replicas are yet to find their way into her collection as Charmaine says, “I have my eyes on an antique tiny typewriter and gramophone record but they are very costly and I am trying to figure a way out to welcome them into my world.”
(Charmaine can be contacted on 9900163697)