At first sight it seems like a dusty old deserted house with the aroma of days gone by.
The old pieces of furniture spilling outside a ground floor residence on Maadi’s Road 9 evoke such images.
Craftsmen diligently repair these the old pieces, reshaping and shining them to cater to the special taste of a bevy of antique-lovers around Maadi and other neighborhoods.
Walking into Morgana is like going back in time. Old clocks tick away along a short grey corridor; black and white photos of royalty and aristocrats are scattered here and there; as well as paintings and lampshades of a past era with green and golden walls that are peeling with age.
Your thoughts are only interrupted by Ayman Al Azabawi, Morgana’s jack-of-all-trades owner. An antique dealer, interior designer and artist, he hardly fits the profile of ordinary dealers whose focus is to make money from the thriving antique-trade. It’s now a fad among well-heeled Egyptians to use old furniture in their new homes.
Al Azabawi’s outlet is one of a few that mark the advent of a new kind of country antiques.
“Country antiques have always been present side by side with posh antiques, says Al Azabawi. “Those are two different categories each with a clientele of its own. Mine is plain, simple and practical items that are usually in demand by European and American expatriates as well as by Egypt’s middle classes, he explains.
“The more well-to-do prefer the plush designer French and Italian furniture worth millions, but opt for these simple pieces to decorate their country home, chalets and other property they have away from the capital, added Al Azabawi.
But for Al Azabawi to pick the right antiques is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
He visits antique markets in Al Imam, Shubra, Sharabia and Imbaba looking for worthwhile items. His search could also take him as far as Alexandria and Upper Egypt where other markets do exist.
“Because what I seek is simple down-to-earth pieces, my task is compound, he says. “I have to examine the items carefully to make sure that the piece I buy is repairable if it’s not is good condition, said Azabawi.
“Most of the items are made of wood and with time the material could be infected with termites. Once infected, there is no hope of restoring it. The shapely piece is usually more expensive and so more effort is needed to beat the price.
But the task does not end at the purchase and repair of the old item and selling it.
“Some clients might ask for an old wooden door or window to use it as a decorative item. This fad, however, has lost its appeal nowadays. That’s why we sometimes have to structure new items out of old wooden doors and windows taken from old houses and offer it as a remade old piece.
Owing to the fact that most of his clients are middle class Egyptians, he is keen to make his items available at reasonable rates. The most expensive piece at Morgana is priced goes for LE 3000.
Morgana carries metal beds, pottery, copper-work and traditional furniture like chairs, tables, clocks and portraits.
“Other than cupboards and desks that could fit with any style, there is no particular demand for a certain item, he noted.
And if he can’t get what he needs from antique markets and deals he only needs to ask the housewife next door. “Old housewives sometimes sell unused items around the house. I take them, he said.
“But with housewives I am careful not to buy too hastily, for they sometimes need to sell their own furniture for some money to live on. The pieces, therefore, mean more to them than just money. Our deal is to take it and sell it for them for a small commission. This is one humane aspect of the trade.
These antiques are only one part of Al Azabawi’s kingdom. His famous Al Azhar shop Khatoun specializes in modernized versions of traditional artifacts, whereas Catacomb is an interior design shop that combines his knowledge of antiques and heritage to come up with very original home décor ideas.
