A Walk Through The Tbilisi Flea Market!
Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 1:05 am
I have been intending to do this post for sometime. To be precise, for over a year 
! Laziness and compulsive procrastinative disorder 
. Situated very close to the River Mtkvari and the city centre, this place is quite interesting for anyone interested in stuff like this. You can find many things (I would not say anything), used diodes and capacitors, used mobile phone chargers and batteries,chinaware, cutlery, old flintlocks and matchlocks, knives, curios, militaria, antiques, animal hides, paintings etc,- you name it. There is something for everyone.
The photos are many. But, do take time to take a look at them. Hope you enjoy.
You will see a lot of interesting chinaware,cutlery/silverware. I am told a lot of it was sold by families hit hard during the transition period of independence from USSR. I am told by many that life in USSR was not as bad as it is made out to be(Except for the lack of certain freedoms, of course). Everyone had a house and a salary and a decent living. Looking at Tbilisi today, one would be hard pressed to imagine that life was hard just a decade or so back.
This is an interesting muzzle-loader barrel. Looks to be an octagonal smooth bore Damascus barrel.
The same seller also has some really old knives and daggers and a couple of bayonets.These knives,called Kinjal, are typical to Caucasus.
An interesting bronze axe-head.
A wooden pistol holster, possibly for a Mauser broom handle.
Assorted militaria.That's not Stalin,BTW.
Brass 16Bore empty cartridges. One can reload them a lot of times. Were not expensive either.
Knives! Problem is, there are knives of really contrasting quality. Some Chinese knock-offs, some really well made knives native to Caucasus etc.
Samovars!
What looks like to be a pelt/fur.
Accordions,decanters and samovars atop a Mercedes!
Wolf pelt! There is a season on them here and legal. Still one just does not know.
These muzzel-loaders look too tidy to be old.
The Caucasian Tur.
Possibly Reindeer.
Some old style balances.
We are not that different,are we?
Again, modern repros or genuine old ones?
Trophies.
Taxidermy gone funny.
Roe bucks
Wild boar.You do get big boars here in Georgia. But, Azerbaijan and Turkey have them in great numbers and sizes.
You will find a lot of paintings for sale. I do not think any of them to be original but faithful or liberal copies. Architecture, buildings, and people-mostly men in traditional dresses- wining and dining are recurring themes in most of Georgian paintings.
A common sight in Tbilisi is working men and women sitting under the shade of trees, eating together, drinking wine or beer and playing chess or black gammon. When these good folks saw me taking photos, they called me out to join them for a drink. And they meant it. You will be surprised at the hospitality displayed by Georgian people to complete strangers. If they are drinking, they offer you a drink and they insist on it. Same is the case if they are having a meal.That has been a frequent experience to me.
More paintings.
These paintings are copies of famous Georgian painter, Niko Pirosmani.
The towers of Svaneti mountains.
You may wonder about the number of horns displayed here. Traditionally, they are used as wine horns. They pour wine to the brim and offer to the guest. The guest is expected to down it at one go.There is a technique to drinking from the horn or you would end up spilling it on yourself. Some horns can be huge and cane take more than a litre of wine.That would be something to do a bottoms up with them.
The ugly side of it. Bear and wolf pelts.The seller tells me that there are some African stuff too. They claim that they have permits for these skins. The police are quite strict here, the law and its application are stringent, and these things are sold on the pavement.
It was a hot day at 30oC. It was fantastic in the leafy park near the flea market.
Kids and these two labs found it a perfect place to cool off. I wished I could jump in too. However not having the immunity of age, desisted from it.
Best-
Vikram
! Laziness and compulsive procrastinative disorder . Situated very close to the River Mtkvari and the city centre, this place is quite interesting for anyone interested in stuff like this. You can find many things (I would not say anything), used diodes and capacitors, used mobile phone chargers and batteries,chinaware, cutlery, old flintlocks and matchlocks, knives, curios, militaria, antiques, animal hides, paintings etc,- you name it. There is something for everyone.The photos are many. But, do take time to take a look at them. Hope you enjoy.
You will see a lot of interesting chinaware,cutlery/silverware. I am told a lot of it was sold by families hit hard during the transition period of independence from USSR. I am told by many that life in USSR was not as bad as it is made out to be(Except for the lack of certain freedoms, of course). Everyone had a house and a salary and a decent living. Looking at Tbilisi today, one would be hard pressed to imagine that life was hard just a decade or so back.
This is an interesting muzzle-loader barrel. Looks to be an octagonal smooth bore Damascus barrel.
The same seller also has some really old knives and daggers and a couple of bayonets.These knives,called Kinjal, are typical to Caucasus.
An interesting bronze axe-head.
A wooden pistol holster, possibly for a Mauser broom handle.
Assorted militaria.That's not Stalin,BTW.
Brass 16Bore empty cartridges. One can reload them a lot of times. Were not expensive either.
Knives! Problem is, there are knives of really contrasting quality. Some Chinese knock-offs, some really well made knives native to Caucasus etc.
Samovars!
What looks like to be a pelt/fur.
Accordions,decanters and samovars atop a Mercedes!
Wolf pelt! There is a season on them here and legal. Still one just does not know.
These muzzel-loaders look too tidy to be old.
The Caucasian Tur.
Possibly Reindeer.
Some old style balances.
We are not that different,are we?
Again, modern repros or genuine old ones?
Trophies.
Taxidermy gone funny.
Roe bucks
Wild boar.You do get big boars here in Georgia. But, Azerbaijan and Turkey have them in great numbers and sizes.
You will find a lot of paintings for sale. I do not think any of them to be original but faithful or liberal copies. Architecture, buildings, and people-mostly men in traditional dresses- wining and dining are recurring themes in most of Georgian paintings.
A common sight in Tbilisi is working men and women sitting under the shade of trees, eating together, drinking wine or beer and playing chess or black gammon. When these good folks saw me taking photos, they called me out to join them for a drink. And they meant it. You will be surprised at the hospitality displayed by Georgian people to complete strangers. If they are drinking, they offer you a drink and they insist on it. Same is the case if they are having a meal.That has been a frequent experience to me.
More paintings.
These paintings are copies of famous Georgian painter, Niko Pirosmani.
The towers of Svaneti mountains.
You may wonder about the number of horns displayed here. Traditionally, they are used as wine horns. They pour wine to the brim and offer to the guest. The guest is expected to down it at one go.There is a technique to drinking from the horn or you would end up spilling it on yourself. Some horns can be huge and cane take more than a litre of wine.That would be something to do a bottoms up with them.
The ugly side of it. Bear and wolf pelts.The seller tells me that there are some African stuff too. They claim that they have permits for these skins. The police are quite strict here, the law and its application are stringent, and these things are sold on the pavement.
It was a hot day at 30oC. It was fantastic in the leafy park near the flea market.
Kids and these two labs found it a perfect place to cool off. I wished I could jump in too. However not having the immunity of age, desisted from it.
Best-
Vikram
, i used to love my sundays
Now, the thieving is done by the sellers. 