Pint-sized collection

Little girls, it is known, love to play with dolls and tiny pots, pans and plates, but Anjana Lahiri has been carrying on with this even aft...

Little girls, it is known, love to play with dolls and tiny pots, pans and plates, but Anjana Lahiri has been carrying on with this even after more than twenty years of marriage. There is a difference though 8211; hers is a delightful and unique collection of Dresden China from England, porcelain from Russia, Japan, China and Cyprus and a wide assortment of minute chinaware both antique and modern. They are lovingly housed in a beautiful glass almirah specially crafted for the purpose and lends a warm, friendly and very interesting character to her drawing-room.

8220;My interest in glassware was first fired by a lamp which belonged to my husband8217;s grandfather,8221; reveals Lahiri holding up the object, a Hink8217;s and Sons Duplex No 2, which is at least 80 years old. The lamp was passed on to Lahiri, because at that time, her husband, an Air Force officer, was posted at Singharsi, Bihar, a remote area notorious for its long power cuts. The lamp, it was felt, would prove to helpful for the newly-weds. It is certainly special 8211; a base of glass with brass mounting.

Even more fascinating are the China dolls. The pioneers of the collection are a set of three Dresden dolls 8211; two ladies and a gentleman 8211; all in the court dresses of the Regency era 8212; breeches, trailing gowns and feathered hats. This was a gift from her grandmother who was quite a collector herself and was so pleased with the attentions that Lahiri showered upon her treasures, that she gifted her some. Then there is a fragile-looking mermaid leaning against a sea-shell, all in chinaware. A Madonna and child, a sturdy farmer8217;s boy holding a goose, a peasant girl with a basket hanging from her plump arms stand out from among a little group of figures clustered together, and 8211; would you believe it? 8211; among them is also a Parsi lady in a bordered sari as well as a Bengali one, with her hair open and her sari tied in the traditional style. 8220;I guess even the Englishmen realized that only English mems would not interest the locals as much as the Indian styles,8221; is Lahiri8217;s enlightening remark.

A Ukranian dancer in a glossy frilly dress is quite eye-catching and is a gift from a friend, a pilot who had gone to Russia. It is not just dolls however. There is a pair of clogs Holland style, a boot with the map of Cyprus painted on it, a Russian salt and pepper set in the shape of a pair of red-combed cocks, a cat playing a cello and a set of diminutive cherubic angels each playing a different instrument. 8220;There should be seven, but I have managed to find only five till date,8221; says Lahiri. There is more modern stuff too but those are easily available in the market. Her friends too, knowing her tastes usually make it a point to gift her any unusual pieces they may chance upon.

Mention must also be made of the miniature plates, jars, bowls and pitchers of Chinese and Japanese origin, delicately painted in blue and vivid gold.Her collections of tiny memorabilia is not restricted to porcelain. Anything Lilliputian qualifies so there is a sindur case carved out of a betel-nut, a two-inch square tin box with the map of Cornwall painted on it in relief and onyx boxes from Kashmir.

The whole collection is a treat for the eyes and what is remarkable, spotlessly clean. The secret? 8220;Well I dust them carefully every now and then. One can8217;t wipe the antique piece too often with a wet cloth because they are painted with vegetable dyes which come off more easily. But once in a while I do bathe the dolls in plain water and dry they off by wrapping them up in a soft towel, just the way you would do with a baby!8221;confides Lahiri. After all, these fragile creations deserve a little TLC!