Dubai : Exquisite examples of glass and crystal workmanship that once adorned royal palaces and the homes of nobility around the world can now be bought in Dubai.
Dozens of unique handmade chandeliers, tables and ornamental pieces made by the historic F & C Osler company in Birmingham, UK, which only sold to royalty, have gone on display for sale in the ProArt Gallery, in the Palm Strip Mall, on Jumeirah Beach Road.
The items cost between $15,000 (Dh55,000) and $200,000 (Dh734,000) and are one-of-a-kind creations that can trace their lineage back over 100 years.
Munchi Shroff, who runs the gallery with his twin brother Dinsha, said F&C Osler were founded in 1807.
"What made them unique was that they used the whitest and clearest crystal in their work, which means it is [of] the highest quality. You can't find it anywhere else in the world," he said. The company began making crystal chandeliers from around 1850. "Osler would only sell to royalty or people with noble blood," said Shroff.
Rare and sought-after
He continued: "The factory in Birmingham closed in 1920. So after that no one made this kind of product to this standard and they have become very rare and much sought-after. To be a craftsman with Osler was very tough. They had to go through ten years of training before they became master craftsmen."
The products on sale at the gallery have been sourced from royal and aristocratic homes and palaces from around the world.
"Dubai is the perfect location to have a store like this because the market is there. Houses and villas are big with high ceilings, which are ideal for chandeliers. People who buy these items see them as a long-term investment. Their value has increased substantially over the last 10 years because when you buy a chandelier or a chaise lounge you know it has been specially designed for one owner and it is the only one of its kind in the world," he said.
Some of the most spectacular highlights include an Osler chandelier dating from 1890, a large Osler 10-arm chandelier from 1860 with faceted lights. It was originally powered by gaslight but has been converted to electric.
There is also a large Indian silver sofa made in Kutch in the Indian state of Gujarat for a royal family. It comes with a large silver hookah made by silversmiths Hamilton for an Indian Maharajah.
