Antiques in high demand despite sluggish market

I. Christianto, Contributor, Jakarta

Exhibitions and furniture fairs are held regularly in Jakarta and other major cities in the country. The number of such events continues to increase despite the not-so-favorable economic conditions in the country.

This indicates that the market for antique furniture, representing people from the higher income groups, is not affected by the economic crisis as furniture fairs and showrooms are always packed with visitors.

The most-sought-after products are ethnic and antique furniture, as they are timeless and also reflect the status of the owners.

Sisan Pradono, owner of San Surya furniture in Jakarta, said there was an increasing market for antique furniture.

"Some people are now changing their taste to ethnic or antique styles from the post-modern types. From my experience I see that customers in the higher income bracket consist mostly of young families who are educated abroad. Since antique furniture is popular now in other countries, they are also acquire a liking for antique furniture," he said.

Pradono, who has been in the business since 1989 and focuses on art and craft style, said furniture was usually regarded as antique if it was made between 60 and 100 years ago.

"Furniture can also be classified as antique if it is made using old wood. But it is difficult to find such products now," he said.

He said the antique furniture usually came from the Dutch colonial era, therefore many of the models were of Western European style.

"Don't forget, however, that Indonesia is also rich in its own antique furniture. Furniture made in Jepara, Kudus and other places in the country is of very high quality," he said, adding that his company also produced antique reproductions in local styles popular with foreigners.

Devi Tana of Devi Collection in Kemang, South Jakarta, agreed with Pradono.

"Antique furniture from Indonesia is of the same quality as that of China and India," she said, adding that antique and ethnic style furniture was always in demand.

But because of import duty and delivery costs, the price of overseas antique furniture is always much higher in Indonesia.

"About 80 percent of the buyers at Devi Collection are foreigners. Many of them are attracted to antique furniture originating from Central Java (Kudus and Jepara), Madura and Lombok," she said.

As a matter of fact, many of the buyers also sought furniture- related items from other places in Indonesia including Bali, Lombok and Toraja.

Genuine antique furniture is not cheap. Prices may start from tens of millions up to hundreds of millions of rupiah.

Pradono said just like modern furniture, antique furniture included various items like living room sets, dining sets, chests of draws, cupboards, wardrobes, corner tables and benches.

"Those interested in antiques but unable to afford them usually buy antique reproductions which cost much less than the genuine item. A simple teak living room set costs some Rp 4 million (about US$400 million)," he said, adding that antique furniture was usually made of teak.

He said that some Indonesian antique furniture was also made of jackfruit wood and Sengon Jawa wood. Reproductions are also in demand as the prices are much cheaper.

"The difference is in the age of the wood. It is important to remember that due to its scarcity, genuine antique furniture is highly priced now," he said.

Meanwhile, Devi said that most of the antique furniture and other antique items at her shop she acquired by surveying various villages.

"It's not so easy now to hunt for real antique furniture. Sometimes I visit a remote area and find antique items, but the owner does not want to sell," she said.

Furniture makers are very careful as those seeking antique furniture are very experienced. The buyers are really knowledgeable and do not just want to have ethnic or traditional styles.

Both Devi and Pradono agreed that competition was getting tougher and price wars were inevitable.

"However, it seems that each shop has its own specialty and specific market. The buyers have already understood where to find particular designs and models," she said.

The most popular antique furniture includes living room sets, cupboards and wardrobes. Bookshelves and benches are also popular.

Both Sun Surya and Devi Collection also export their products.

Export destinations include the United States, Western Europe, Australia and South Africa, said Devi. Pradono exports to the U.S. and Europe.

A major challenge for local antique furniture companies is that now many foreign buyers are trying to buy directly from well-known places like Kudus and Jepara.

There are also other challenges as some foreign buyers are now eying neighboring nations such as Vietnam due to lower prices. Actually some of the buyers have also shifted their orders to other countries such as Malaysia or China -- Indonesia's competitors in the furniture business. If the economic slowdown in buyer countries continues, it will also be another challenge. The issue of ecolabeling also stands as another challenge for Indonesia's furniture makers in general as some nations, especially those in Europe, are very strict with ecolabeling, without which the product will be rejected.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Indonesian furniture exports totaled $1.64 billion in 2000, with most furniture being sold to the U.S., Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Belgium, Australia, Singapore and Spain. Tips for buying antique furniture * Check the condition of the wood. A single crack means a lower price, but the furniture may still be able to be restored. * Find out the type of wood. Most antique furniture is made of teak. * Check the design and model. Does it represent the period that it was made in? * Check for the final touch. Some furniture can be refinished. * Ask for a humidity test of the wood. Good furniture should contain kiln-dried wood before processing. * Compare prices.