Ahsan Shakeel opened an antiques restoration workshop in the Bhabra Bazaar market of Rawalpindi in 1980. The 72-year-old restorer transitioned into this trade after leaving a position as a hotel cook.
Rawalpindi became a primary commercial centre where metalcraft from the British colonial and Mughal periods met. Shakeel Ahmed, a 56-year-old restorer in the same city, described the work as putting life back into the dead.
Items such as copper or brass teapots, jars, dishes, samovars, and ewer jugs from centuries ago fill the shop shelves. Shakeel procures these pieces from household clearances, ports, or scrap yards.
Repairing a severely damaged object can take several days. Shakeel said, "We've removed all the dents, but it still needs polishing."
Restored pieces typically sell for between $100 and $1,000. The craftsman primarily uses messaging applications and online platforms to trade with collectors and foreign enthusiasts.
Shakeel noted that while antique prices are rising, the number of customers has declined over time. Vintage goods are becoming increasingly scarce as they are replaced by plastic and stainless steel kitchenware.
Shakeel said, "The money doesn't turn over quickly in this business. It's a very slow trade." He mentioned, "I used to travel everywhere, Lahore, Gujranwala, Karachi, back and forth (to purchase antiques)."
Shakeel said, "I don't have the same health anymore, so I travel less." Shakeel Ahmed remarked that a specific item is a very old thing.
Shakeel Ahmed said, "What we do is like putting life back into the dead."
Shakeel Ahmed
