Design your personal space with unique accent pieces like these.
IF THERE’S one place you can step into and be in many places at the same time, it’s got to be the Old Meets New at The Greenery in Mabolo— where curio and collectibles from all over the world are spread all over the floor and walls of the vintage shop.
Old Meets New sells out of the ordinary pieces accumulated from the travels of owner May Tio.
Antiques aficionados and décor devotees will experience that indescribable tingle of suspense aroused by the idea of a gem which has been lying there, biding its time, waiting for you to find it.
Matryoshka dolls from Russia, a parasol from Thailand, tea set from the holy city in Morocco, terracotta sculpture from China, marble coasters encrusted with gems from India, a katana sword from Japan, Viking cups from Ireland, a massive deer antler chandelier from Amsterdam… so much more to discover as you go through the display.
Old Meets New is a relatively small shop but it does not fall short of interesting stuff to look at. Conversation pieces, without a doubt.
Some are even hundreds of years old.
At the left end corner of the shop hangs an antique wooden street sign written in Chinese characters.
May said it can be traced back from centuries ago during the early dynasties of China.
There’s also a vintage abacus, an ancient Chinese calculating tool.
Interestingly, it comes with a very old manual.
At the center is an elegant white marble coffee table and coasters encrusted with blue sapphires, emeralds and other gems.
May bought it in Agra, India.
What fascinated her is that the makers were the descendants of the skilled craftsmen and masons who completed the Taj Mahal in 1648.
History tells us that Taj Mahal, a white marble mausoleum for the wife of Shah Jahan, was painstakingly built by 20,000 laborers over a period of 17 years.
By the glass wall hangs a vintage replica of the Titanic brass bell (what was rung when the massive ship hit the iceberg.)
The chandelier made from deer antlers is the centerpiece of Old Meets New.
It was bought in Amsterdam.
On top of the hardwood cabinets with hand-painted accent is a small antique medicine cabinet, an old hourglass, and a Viking horn drinking cup.
There’s a classic glass chess set and a vintage desk telephone from the UK.
An steel armor of a warrior you could easily make out standing guard in some castle back in the days of feudalism and monarchy was purchased recently, May tels us.
May and her husband handpicked all the items that are then shipped to the Philippines.
All this stem from two things: curiosity and wanderlust. May is the kind of person whose idea of an awesome travel involves scouring local markets at the crack of dawn, checking out vintage shops after another, or driving through secluded alleys.
Off the beaten destinations is where you can find real gems that are worth all the trouble.
May never misses a single opportunity to discover a country’s culture, history and tradition.
At first, she bought stuff merely for presents or souvenirs. It was only a matter of time when their place already housed numerous memorabilia from all over the world that she finally decided to sell some of them.
Not everything has to go, of course.
After all, these are May’s treasured finds.
Old Meets New vintage shop boasts a cornucopia of delights at a variety of prices.
