Hearts beat for timeless treasures

There are people who keep new purchases in the packaging until the box is dog-eared, the cellophane tears and the wrapping crinkles.

Then there are those who find character in heirlooms, a story in objects that reflect other times and places. They are antique dealers who frequent auctions, scour markets and hang out in dingy stores of one-horse towns.

There's a bunch of these types getting together this weekend for the annual fair of the South African Antique Dealers' Association.

One of the exhibitors, Riaan Bolt, is putting a collection together specialis ing in Cape Regency furniture.

''My collection focuses on the Regency period of the Cape [1820-1840]. Many of the pieces are discoveries, with no comparable examples in museums or illustrated in the literature. The exhibition is a premiere of this previously overlooked part of our local furniture-making history," says Bolt.

Bolt has been collecting Cape Regency furniture for more than 10 years. His collection consists of pieces that are made from local timber, which makes it distinguishable from imported furniture.

''My father was a collector, and I've developed an appreciation for the local heritage that it symbolises. Intrinsic in antiques is a sense of nostalgia - they're like owning a small piece of history," adds Bolt.

Bolt now lives in Leipsig, Germany, where he is training as a classical concert pianist.

But he says: ''My heart beats for South African furniture."

• The Antiques Fair is on at the Wanderers Club, Johannesburg, from Friday to Sunday next weekend. www.saada.co.za

HOW TO USE ANTIQUES IN A CONTEMPORARY SPACE:

Don't clutter

Choose one important piece and give it space in which to breathe.

Opposites attract

Mixing clean, sleek chrome with rough, textured oak can create a very interesting effect.

Remember that antiques should be used and enjoyed

Combine an antique table with modern chairs, or use antique silver flatware (cutlery) for a casual Sunday lunch. Antiques aren't items to be put on display and never touched.

Buy what you love

If you really love a piece, add it to your home to create a personal, well-loved space. Homes should evolve over time as pieces are added and changed.

Reinvent antiques

Silver cruet sets look stunning when used as bath foam dispensers. So, too, can an antique dining table be used as a desk. Pieces don't have to be used for their original purpose.