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Brass to Antique
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Pilimatalawa is an area famous for its brass antique along the road all you see are shops full of brassware waiting to be sold. But among all these shops of brassware one stands out among the rest. From the outside this shop looks just like any other shop with all its brassware displayed in the showcase. But as you enter the shop what catches your eye is the wide range of ornaments that look nothing like brassware.
Displayed on the shelves are statues of Lord Buddha and other deities that have an antique look. This shop is now famous among its customers not for its brass products but for its antique products.Even though this process of turning brass into antique products seems new to some of us,
for R.L.M.Jayaratne this is nothing new. Producing brass ornaments was something Jayaratne learnt from his ancestors many years ago. However due to the many inquiries made by his customers and the demand for antiques, Jayaratne mastered the art of turning brassware into antiques. So for those f you who would love to own a piece of antique but cannot afford the price Pilimatalawa is the place.
Many years ago local and foreign customers came in search of brass ornaments for their homes and offices. Buddhist monks came in search of brass Buddha statues for their temples. But today people come in search of antiques that they can use in their houses and offices. Even Buddhist monks come in search of antique Buddha statues for their temples. Times have changed and the demand for brass ornaments has gone down,” Jayaratne said.
He says antiques are very expensive these days and it is only the rich people who can afford to buy a genuine antique. Keeping in mind the need to cater to all types of customers I decided to give the brass ornaments I produce an antique look. The process of turning brass into antiques takes place at Jayaratne’s workshop in Pilimatalawa. The procedure begins with the brass products been treated with a chemical to give it the antique look. If you use any type of chemical that has acid
in it the brass product will change colour and look like an antique product. Once the brass product is treated with the chemical it has to be kept for two weeks. After two weeks another coat of the chemical has to be applied and left to dry. Once the process is complete the brass product looks just like a piece of antique and nobody can tell the difference,” Jayaratne said.
By SMendis
