Meet NS Sharath, the exporter who collects antique watches, cameras & cycles

BENGALURU: It started with amassing football cards in exchange for chewing gum wrappers in the 1980s. The next level was stamps, coins and foreign currency. NS Sharath has since graduated to collecting vintage cameras, watches and cycles. His collection includes 2,000 old wrist and pocket watches, 206 antique cameras and five cycles of historic value. So fascinated by antiquities is Sharath that the entrepreneur took up history in college just to place products in their contexts and timelines.

“I pick up stuff from flea markets and antique shops across the world. The trick is to search without any set expectations. Only then do you stumble upon something unique,” said the 35-year-old who is into a garment export business. Among his prized possessions are an 1887 model Kodak camera, a 200-year-old tricycle belonging to the Nizam of Hyderabad and a Fiat 1100 Z.

Sharath also owns a 1939 BSA paratrooper. “These folding bikes were made specifically for British soldiers during World War II. They were used as supplementary vehicles, helping soldiers cover larger distances while remaining quiet and undetected,” said he. His cycle collection also has a 1901 BSA autocycle with a 25cc Villiers engine.



The third-generation Malleswaram resident, who lives in a heritage home built by his grandfather, has a watch collection that includes 900 classic HMTs, and 43 silver-cased pocket watches. The latter date back to the British rule in Bengaluru. “Apart from picking up things at physical stores, I am also part of over 40 watch collectors’ group. We keep barter-trading, rotating and upgrading the collection amongst ourselves. There is almost never any currency exchange,” he said.

The history or origin of some of the collectibles cannot be traced, Sharath said. “In that case, I ascertain values in consultation with other senior collectors. It is useful to have a strong global network of like-minded people.”

Most of the entrepreneur’s weekends are spent maintaining and cleaning his antiquities. Watches and cameras have to be wound and cleaned on a regular basis, he said. The entrepreneur has also learnt to restore the cycles and cars himself, thus cutting maintenance costs.

While his collection is divided into three broad product categories, Sharath does not believe in restricting himself. His way of looking at antiquities is simple: “What goes around, comes around. Like people are slowly realising the worth of reel cameras in the age of digital photo equipment. So, one must just have the eye to spot something unique and have the patience to keep and take care of it for years to come.”