An exquiste eye for antiques

Their shop of antiques, in Paseo de Cristóbal Colón, Seville, is one of the most known in the city, with an international reputation. Ana Maria Abascal and her daughter Patricia Medina work together, often travelling the world to find the most exquisite pieces for their clients. From one of the most prominent Spanish families, Ana Maria, has always been passionate about art, she started her career as a model and then fashion designer in the late 60s, then went into opera productions and interior design. In the late 90s focusing on her passion for decorative arts and design, she decided to open her own antiques workshop with her daughter who started managing the business right after her university degree. Today, Patricia Medina is focused on the restoration of singular houses in the city and the countryside around Seville, and on providing Spanish handicrafts and antique materials to decorators.

Craftsmanship is authenticity, talent, creativity, innovation, interpretation, originality, territory, tradition and training. Spain has a long and very rich tradition of crafts and guilds. Craftsmanship is a constant in the variable social and political panorama and it has an important role in shaping the identity of a country.

Living in Seville I have the chance to enjoy craftsmanship everywhere, as Seville is a city where you feel the many cultures that have come together. When I was studying, my mother worked for an opera production in Seville's theatre, and I was involved in that project. A few years later, we opened the Antiques Gallery. Nowadays, I am involved in the restoration of old buildings and thus artisans play a very important role.

The surprises you find in the creation process. It's important to know the techniques involved in order to develop a relationship with an artisan. Visiting the workshop of an artisan reveals something of his or her inspiration, and leads you to new ideas.

Superior quality of materials and execution, underpinned by a goodness and authenticity of the artisan that makes the work worthy of singular appreciation. Excellence is a virtue, a talent that has to be nourished with effort and commitment to achieve the goal.