WARUNA ANTIQUES – Kandy
Blink and you might miss it! Established in 1989, Waruna Antiques is located along the busy Peradeniya Road in Kandy and despite its small shop front appearance, plays host to one of the most extensive collections of antiques, objet d’art, collectibles and curiosities in the Hill Capital.
The brainchild of avid collector Waruna Jayasinghe, each item that forms the Waruna Antiques portfolio is painstakingly handpicked by the owner and is a true reflection of his taste and style.
The shop is eagerly chock-a-block full of interesting items that span from jewellery and coins to art, reproductions, textiles, masks, furniture and more.
Given its up-country origins, Waruna Antiques has an impressive and comprehensive collection of Kandyan Period (1521 – 1817) artefacts such as textiles, weapons, ornaments, jewellery, statues, icons and wood carvings.
Some of the most interesting pieces include Portuguese era ivory carvings complemented by Dutch period bible boxes and trademark porcelain plates with iconic patterns such as murunga leaves or VOC imprints. Waruna Antiques is also home to various old textiles such as traditional yomana sarongs, male wraps with fanciful wooden block prints using vegetable dyes.
Art aficionados will be taken up by probably the largest collection of paintings, outside of Colombo hailing from the famous ’43 Group’ art collective.
Trinket lovers will be satisfied with a large and diverse collection of costume and occasion jewellery. Each object having not only valued for its design, appearance and form but also for their historic and period value; that adds to the charm and attraction.
Some of the more rare and unique catalogue items include Japanese Orushi lacquer boxes and wooden statues and even a bona fide dinosaur fossil!
To make life easier, Waruna Antiques will carefully pack and ship your purchase to any destination. The browsing experience is made all the more interesting when you hear the individual stories and legends that entwine each item. Take plenty of time to explore the various sections of the store in order to fully appreciate the grand history of the island of Ceylon.
With some 10,000 items in store, Waruna Antiques is for the collector, the art lover, the curious discoverer, the adventurer and the history lover. It is a destination for those who not only want to own a piece of history, but also share in its glorious heritage and roots. Enter a world of antiquity and relive bygone times…
WARUNA ANTIQUES – Kandy
- 761, Peradeniya Road, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
- https://www.warunaantique.com/
- https://web.facebook.com/warunaantiquekandy