Pakistan's last antique restorers give old treasures new life

Sitting outside his small shop in a warren of alleyways in the ancient Pakistani city of Rawalpindi, Ahsan Shakeel buffed an antique brass pot to a high shine, pressing it against a mechanised wheel.
'We've removed all the dents, but it still needs polishing,' the 72-year-old restorer, among the last still practising his craft, told AFP as the spinning buffer sent fine metal dust into the air.
After quitting his job as a hotel cook, Shakeel followed in his father's footsteps to become an antiques restorer, opening his workshop in Rawalpindi's densely populated Bhabra Bazaar in 1980.

Today, he is one of the last master restorers preserving antique metalware in Pakistan.
Rawalpindi's roots stretch back to prehistoric human settlements. Over the centuries, the garrison city evolved into a major commercial hub where metalcraft from the Mughal and British colonial periods converged.
Moving inside his shop, Shakeel navigated wall-to-wall shelves stacked with centuries-old ewers, samovars, dishes, jars and teapots, most made of copper or brass.

He took down various items and enthusiastically explained their materials and origins.
These vintage objects are increasingly rare, having largely been replaced by stainless steel and plastic kitchenware.
'I used to travel everywhere, Lahore, Gujranwala, Karachi, back and forth (to purchase antiques),' he said.
'Life back into the dead'
Shakeel sources most of the items he restores from scrapyards, ports or household clearances.
'Often, the condition of the items is so bad that no one would buy them,' he said.
He and his colleague, Shakeel Ahmed, restore the battered objects by hammering out dents, re-tinning the interiors over coal fires and polishing the metal. A badly damaged item can take several days to repair.

After restoration, a piece can sell for between $100 and $1,000. Shakeel's customers are mostly collectors or antique enthusiasts, including foreigners.
Today, he relies mainly on online platforms and messaging applications to buy and sell antiques.
'I don't have the same health anymore, so I travel less,' he said.
Antique prices are rising, but customer numbers have fallen over time, Shakeel said.
'The money doesn't turn over quickly in this business. It's a very slow trade,' he said.
'Customers who still exist, they are not many. They collect these things because they understand these items. Those who don't understand them would think it's all useless,' he added.
Ahmed said he enjoyed restoring worn and damaged objects because they carried stories from different communities and historical periods.
'This is a very old thing,' the 56-year-old said at his own dimly lit workshop, gently using a small hammer to smooth out dents on a large brass hookah pipe.
'What we do is like putting life back into the dead,' Ahmed said. — AFP