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Enis Karavil - A Teapot Collection Worth Displaying
791 Plays4 days ago
Today, I’m thrilled to introduce Enis Karavil, the visionary founder of the interior design firm Sanayi313 (Sah-Ny-EE), a studio celebrated for its distinctive blend of craftsmanship and storytelling in design.
But today, we’re stepping beyond the world of interiors to uncover another layer of Enis’s creative soul: his remarkable collection of vintage teapots, lighters, and other storied objects. Enis doesn’t just collect; he curates with heart first, weaving narratives through the items he acquires—whether it’s a patinated silver teapot with a storied past or a vintage lighter that sparks conversation.
We explore how his professional ethos intersects with his personal passion, the allure of patina and imperfection, and what it takes to build a collection that bridges art, history, and design. So without further adieu, this is Enis Karavil, for Collectors Gene Radio.
Sanayi313 - https://sanayi313.com/en/
Enis' Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/eniskaravil?igsh=ZG56OXAwOHgyMW42
Sanayi313 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sanayi313?igsh=eXA2b2ZhdWI5OTJk
CollectorsGene.com - https://collectorsgene.com/
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Transcript
Introduction to Collecting and Memories
00:00:00
Speaker
Making a collection is like collecting memories kind of thing for example when I look at my teapot collection I always say like oh this one this piece I got from like Marche de Puste in France or like this one I got from ah in New York or this one I got from Turkey you know what I mean so I keep them as like a memory thing for myself as well. What's going on everybody and welcome to collector's gene radio. This is all about diving into the nuances of collecting and ultimately finding out whether or not our guests have what we like to call a bunch for listening and please enjoy today's guest on collector's gene radio.
Guest Introduction: Enes Caravel
00:00:45
Speaker
Today I'm thrilled to introduce Enes Caravel, the visionary founder of the interior design firm Sanai 313. a studio celebrated for its distinctive blend of craftsmanship and storytelling in design. Today we're stepping beyond the world of interiors to uncover another layer of Ennis' creative soul. His remarkable collection of vintage teapots, lighters, and other storied objects. Ennis doesn't just collect, he curates with heart first, leaving narratives through the items he acquires, whether it's a patinated silver teapot with a storied past, or a vintage lighter that sparks conversation. We explore how his professional ethos intersects with his personal passion, the allure of patina and perfection, and what it takes to build a collection that bridges art, history, and design. So
The Journey of Collecting Teapots
00:01:31
Speaker
without further ado, this is Ennis Caraville for Collector's Gene Radio.
00:01:37
Speaker
Ennis, welcome to Collector's Gene Radio. Hi, Cameron. I'm so excited to have you on the show today. And as a founder of Sanai 313, you bring such a unique perspective to the world of interior design and curation. um However, I've heard about your amazing teapot collection, which is a first for collector's gene radio. So I'm so thrilled to explore that with you today.
00:02:04
Speaker
Basically, I was very excited while I was collecting teapots because when I was a kid with my family, I think I went to Wolsey in London and I saw them serving everything with silver pots. So I was very excited and I was very amazed how they can create little details on something.
00:02:27
Speaker
and very tiny. So that's what excites me a lot because like they have different types of caps, different types of holders and like it's very very exciting for me to find something very unique. When I first started, I was just buying without really understanding them. And then after collecting 60 or 70 of them, I started to so sell them and we buy new ones that excites me more.
Functional and Aesthetic Value of Collections
00:02:55
Speaker
So that's how my collection started to build up. I think it's been 12 years, 14 years I've been collecting key parts now. And I think I have in total like around 140 or something like that. Amazing. And so part of your job at your firm is collecting and curating objects and furniture for your projects. and You mentioned in an article with Interior Design magazine that you never start with collecting in mind, but you rather find yourself acquiring the same things over and over again, and that's when you start to do some research. At what point do you start focusing on teapots and what what really made you interested in them? I mean, I know you saw them when you were a kid, but what made you say, okay, I'm gonna start collecting these, and then you start going down the rabbit hole?
00:03:46
Speaker
Basically, I was very amazed because also it's just not like an object that you don't use. It's like everyday object that excites me even more because you can use them actually. You can use your collection and you can have your tea with every every day with a different tea pot. So that's like how can you include them in your and normal life? I think that was the point because I don't like to collect useless stuff.
00:04:14
Speaker
And so the history of the teapot dates back some 5,000 years, starting in China, eventually making its way over to England where you first saw it. The design and materials have been extrapolated over the years, and the areas to collect teapots in are fairly endless. But I'm curious to know what area you focus on, and is there a specific area or design style that that attracts you the most?
00:04:40
Speaker
I like British spots the most, but I think a Chinese ones are very interesting. Having said that, ah I collect different areas.
Creating Personal Narratives through Collections
00:04:51
Speaker
I don't have like a specific area because I like how they contrast and how they like build up with time and history. Sure. and So that excites me more. So i don't I'm not focusing on a specific area instead of that. I'm collecting different areas from different countries.
00:05:07
Speaker
French ones are different, British ones are different, Japanese ones are different. So I like to see how they come together from different sides of the world. And a lot of times, you know, when you find these vintage teapots on the secondary market, some of them are engraved either, you know, with something personal. Sometimes it's a coat of arms for a family. Sometimes it's a specific hotel. Some people love engravings when they collect things. Some people care to stay away from them. What's your method there?
00:05:38
Speaker
Basically, I try to stay away from engravings as well because I don't know, it has something extra there that I don't need to know because I create my own gym on a couple of people, you know what I mean? So once you have that engravings on it, I feel like it belongs to someone else. Unless it's something I'm going crazy about, I try to stay away as well. Sure.
Preference for Unique Pieces
00:06:05
Speaker
But for example, the years ago, I bought like this Louis Vuitton trunk. It comes from a dentist who lived in ah during Ottoman Empire in Istanbul. and So that was very interesting. if More than engraving, he has his initials, names and like signature because he it was his dentist trunk where he used to travel from France to the Ottoman Empire. So for example, that something very interesting for me. That's something I have with the name and engravings on it. Sure, the provenance and and this the story behind it. Because yeah for um let's say it for a truck, for me it's important to use it and where they traveled from and what they were using it for. But for teapots, I like to feel down that they're my own vintages or like antiques. Sure, makes sense.
00:06:57
Speaker
I've noticed two things about the way that you display them and there's not too many photos ah of your teapot collection but one that I saw is that they're on a bookshelf, which I thought was so interesting because a lot of people tuck teapots away in the kitchen and to a lot of them you leave unpolished and they get this beautiful patina on them and so I'm assuming both of those were kind of intentional.
00:07:21
Speaker
Yes, of course, definitely intentional because I like how they get older and older with time and how they get darkness. I really like that feeling at home. And it's my dining area where the library stands. So I thought it might be a very nice ah detail to have them around dining area. That's why I collect them there. And also, I like to see them from the backside because you can see the leg and you can see the holder and everything and the cup, everything. store That's how i like to look at them based. Often when you see vintage tea pots for sale the cream and sugar bowls come with it and it comes as a set. Is that a bonus for you or do you not really care about having the the set of the cream and sugar bowls. I never get them.
00:08:09
Speaker
Because I'm all about teapots, and it let's say if they don't want to destroy their sets, I'll just buy them all and maybe sell the creamery and the saucer and the sugar pot. But I don't know, I just like to collect the teapots.
00:08:28
Speaker
Yeah, I
Influence of Family and Personal Preferences
00:08:29
Speaker
find with the creamers, it's kind of standard, you know, a single handled bowl, but the sugar bowls are sometimes really interesting because they're double handled. They kind of have this trophy look to them. um And I find that they could be used as as good decor pieces too.
00:08:43
Speaker
Exactly, or like something to serve food or dessert with maybe it might be interesting. ah But i don't I don't like to see the set together because I was born into a family of collectors and both my mother's side and my father's side had a passion for antiques and especially for silver objects. My grandmother, my mom's mom was obsessed with silver objects.
00:09:05
Speaker
But she was always displaying them as like non-catchable or non-usable items. You know what I mean in the living room or in the cupboards or in the displays. So that maybe that's why I just like teapots because I can use them. And they're bigger pieces. You can see the details better. And they just not look like part of the decoration. They're part of daily life use. So that makes it more interesting for me. It appears that maybe not one of your teapots are the same. However, some may share some similar details. How do you find an amazing teapot? What do you do when you when you come across something that is just so beautiful but it shares too many similarities with one that you have? Do you go for it or do you pass up on it?
00:09:53
Speaker
I believe in love at first sight. So once if i once I saw it, if I really like it, no matter what, I will buy it. And if I like it more than I have, I would rather sell mine and keep the new one.
00:10:06
Speaker
That makes sense. Yeah, some sometimes something's undeniable and when it puts a smile on your face, you can't help but pull out your credit card. You know, sometimes you should have it. Like it's a feeling that comes when you see the product or the object. And I can never say no to myself. So once I obsess and once it's allowed at first sight, I can never go wrong. I always but end up buying this. we We have a lot in common and and sometimes it's a problem.
00:10:35
Speaker
I think most of the collectors have many things in common because I think it collected making a collection is like collecting memories
Market Dynamics and Collection Management
00:10:42
Speaker
kind of thing. For example, when I look at my teapot collection, I always say like, oh, this one, this piece I got from like Marche de Puste in France, or like this one I got from ah in New York, or this one I got from Turkey, you know what I mean? So I keep them as like a a memory memo memory thing for myself as well.
00:11:03
Speaker
Now, do you strictly stay with collecting ones that are in silver or some other type of metal that make sure that they patina or is it still that love at first sight thing? Maybe it's ceramic, maybe it's porcelain.
00:11:17
Speaker
I don't have any ceramic pieces in my collection ah because I think I like to collect the same materials because I think once they come together, they tell a better story and they look more powerful. ah So I collect only silver pots. If I fall in love with a ceramic one or porcelain one, I will include it to my collection. I would use it in the kitchen. Right. where Whereas the other ones kind of stay more for display as ah as an art piece.
00:11:48
Speaker
Exactly. I think the listeners would be curious to know what the teapot market is like. I mean, how niche is the teapot market? Are there more collectors than most would think?
00:12:00
Speaker
I never bump into a teapot collector to be honest. And when I say people find it very strange, but i don't I don't understand why they were like, are you in the tea business or cafe business or what do you do and why are you collecting teapots? Or are you opening a restaurant? Do you have a restaurant? They always ask me those kinds of questions.
00:12:20
Speaker
But to be honest, I don't care. It's just like a very niche market, as you said. i'm like You can find many interesting stuff. Because not many people are collecting, you can find more interesting stuff for better budgets.
00:12:33
Speaker
You said earlier that sometimes you sell something from your collection. How often do you find yourself selling versus acquiring? um Do you have a philosophy like one in, one out, or are you just selling if something is too similar to what you have?
00:12:52
Speaker
I usually sell it something too similar to existing ones. ah Also, sometimes it doesn't get aged in a way I want or like maybe sometimes damaged. So changing and like I keep updating my collection. that's right But selling is a not easy thing for a collector. and I'm just selling it because I have the very similar one. That's the only reason for that.
Accessibility and Emotional Value of Collecting
00:13:22
Speaker
You know a lot of people that don't collect anything when they hear you know that somebody's a collector of something they think that They're constantly shelling out a fortune of money to collect the rarest things in the world and it's such an expensive hobby and I find the teapot thing to be so rewarding and such a great answer to the people that think they can't collect because something, you know, because they think collecting is going to be too expensive. I mean, you could go on the internet and buy amazing vintage silver teapots all day of the week, well under a hundred dollars.
00:14:01
Speaker
Yes, definitely. But when you start to get like, when you want your collection to be more interesting, interesting you start to look for like, and WMF, let's say, or Christophe, or some like, you know, other silver brands. So at that point, it gets a bit more expensive. Sure. But you know, the the barrier to entry is is really welcoming to just about anybody. Definitely. That's for sure.
00:14:27
Speaker
A factor when it comes to collecting anything is condition. And sometimes it matters more than others. For you and the teapots that you collect, does condition matter too much since you let them patina anyhow?
00:14:41
Speaker
No, that's like one of the most important things for me while I'm collecting. i just like like There's a click or there's this feeling that while you're going through flea markets or antique shops and stuff, it just winks you and you just find yourself ah buying it. like It's just a different feeling. Because also, I'm an interior designer and I'm doing projects and I'm like you know buying so many antiques.
00:15:09
Speaker
ah going around a lot so that means you start to see a lot of same and similar stuff so once you see an interesting piece or like let's say once you find the right thing ah you feel it let's say it's that at that point price condition nothing is important you just want to have it At this stage, and you're collecting, you're going into antique shops you know always, and and if you find something great, amazing, you'll buy it. But you're also looking for the the rarer pieces, you know the the collaborations with Christoffel and all these brands. Are you kind of hunting more so these days at auction, or are you still doing you know the antique shop thing?
00:15:54
Speaker
I like the antique shopping. I'm a bit old-school guy, so like I still like to read newspapers on paper, magazines, paper magazines, and then going to flea markets touching the products or objects. For me, it's always very important to see, to touch, the field to feel, to smell. It's very important.
00:16:14
Speaker
And do you find yourself, I mean, you've you've collected so many teapots over the years and you've you've really seen a lot. I mean, you've probably almost seen just about everything. How often do you stumble across something and say, wow, I've just never seen something like this before? Twice a year, let's say. Okay, that's that's pretty good.
00:16:34
Speaker
really good because like for example I was in Cambodia a few months ago and I bumped into this shop and I got this little ah teapot from there and I thought like I still have so much to discover you know because there are different countries of the world and like you can find or or you can source so many different stuff from different traditions countries or like cities Yeah. So I can still find interesting stuff. Now,
Daily Use and Cultural Appreciation
00:17:06
Speaker
do any of these teapots get some use or are they strictly for collecting and viewing purposes only? ah Collecting purposes. Do you ever buy a vintage one and say, I like this one enough, but not for my collection, but something I can use, or are you using a modern day a teapot at home?
00:17:26
Speaker
I do that. I do that. For example, I use my ash sprouts a lot and I like their teapots because they've been doing it for so long. Just like a porcelain teapot inside of a silver thing, there's like a porcelain thing. So it's a very classic after. That excites me also. so I use it in daily life, but it's not one of my collection pieces. Right. So design over functionality is is what it comes down to for collecting. Yeah, it excites me also, but it's just not my collection thing.
00:17:54
Speaker
Now there's a difference between afternoon tea and high tea. Which one do you prefer? I prefer high tea. I find most people don't know that there is a difference and that both exist. Most people think you do afternoon tea and you get your little sandwiches and and and biscuits and all that stuff. But high tea is such an interesting concept to me. Why why do you prefer high tea over afternoon tea?
00:18:20
Speaker
I think it's more elegant and like you can set of about you can set up a better table. I don't know, I like what's going around high tea mostly, like ah like you can sit, have your property. and That's why I think I like it. I'm not a very morning morning person and I don't drink tea in the morning, so that also ah makes a difference between them for me, I think.
00:18:47
Speaker
And you can like have cooked bread and like, you know what I mean? It's like more like a meal kind of thing, I see, I think. Yeah. Yeah, no, definitely more elegant for sure.
00:19:01
Speaker
Something that I've been really into lately and going down the rabbit hole of our Swedish antiques and what you'll find with a lot of them is that they are a result of collaboration products between a designer and a brand, right? You see a lot of ah Sphinx 10 and a designer working together on these collaboration pieces.
00:19:22
Speaker
You know, we were talking about teapots being ah once in a while a child of of collaboration, less from a designer and a brand, but more so just from a brand, right? Like a Christoffel or an Hermes was maybe making a teapot and it's maybe less on the nose than expected. But are there collaboration designs between a designer and ah and a brand making vintage teapots back in the day?
00:19:49
Speaker
Be sure, I think there is a recipe for Kristoff. I have a piece from that also. I think he did a whole collection for them, but the teapot is very nice. and I have one of those.
00:20:05
Speaker
I believe collaboration i are very powerful because a company like Christophe who knows how to function and who knows how to produce stuff, coming together with a like great artist like Asa Perret, it's a great combo and even more exciting for a collector to have some a piece from them. Yeah, absolutely. And they don't come up that often, I'm sure. Not at all. That's very difficult to find.
00:20:30
Speaker
Sometimes in the markets, even the seller, they don't know what they're selling. Sometimes you find very interesting collaboration through them because they don't, you know, they just bought it from somewhere. They don't even know where it's coming from.
Diverse Interests and Multifunctional Collectibles
00:20:42
Speaker
That's very interesting. Also, I find I like a discovery a lot. Oh, you look under and there's like a signature of someone. Even the seller doesn't know, you know, that's very interesting and exciting for me. That's always to your benefit when they don't know. and Exactly.
00:20:58
Speaker
Has your collection evolved over the years or ah you know has your focus fairly remained the same in terms of the design and what attracts you? and Collection you mean just the people so because I have few other collections as well. I collect some rare books I collect now I'm into lighters. I'm collecting. Yeah old ah gold and silver lighters and that yeah, I find it very interesting also because light is like is that even tinier than a teapot and crazy details a nice a
00:21:30
Speaker
Let's say ah well done with the like you know combination of materials, the contrast, how it works. it's my I think there's like an engineering inside also, you know what I mean? That's very interesting for me also at these days.
00:21:45
Speaker
Yeah, the lighter thing is interesting because you know, you have so many makers and brands that were doing it back in the day. I mean, Cartier did amazing ones, obviously DuPont for Cartier or Cartier for DuPont. um And the designs are kind of endless. You can get them in precious metal. Are you strictly the same thing there with design? Does does the lighter have to attract you that way?
00:22:08
Speaker
It has that attract to attract me definitely. The last lighter I bought, it was a collaboration between Duro and Dupont, I think. ah It was an extant lighter. ah It's very interesting and I think and they did the collaboration, like I think four or five years ago, and it will be my own vintage. i just I buy it new. So that's very interesting for me also, something getting all in my hands. I find it very interesting.
00:22:38
Speaker
getting all together let's say There has to be those products now for us to collect to become vintage one day. Yes, and that shows because I think they can create with the technology and like everything they can create many different stuff these days.
00:22:57
Speaker
Well, and I think the one major difference between the teapots that you collect and the lighters that you collect is you can get the lighters up and running and working properly and you can use them and not worry about it too much.
00:23:09
Speaker
I use them also, I have this lighter, it's I think DuPont or Dunhill, I'm not sure at the moment. ah It's ah actual ah rulers, but it's at the same time, it's a lightish. I find them very interesting also. I think it's DuPont, they're like 30 centimeter long.
Design Philosophy and Eclectic Aesthetics
00:23:29
Speaker
So I can use them as like ah a ruler on my desk and the lighter when I need to smoke or like need to light a candle up. So it's multifunction.
00:23:40
Speaker
It's a two in one. Yeah. Before we wrap it up with the collector's gene rundown, I wanted to ask you one last question about all of this and and collecting as as a whole and and maybe more so specifically teapots and lighters because they are cultural objects. They always have been and they always will be. Do you think that there's a connection between the design projects that you do at your firm and the items that you collect?
00:24:09
Speaker
ah Yes, definitely. Because when I'm doing my interior design projects, I always use vintage pieces because I like to combine different areas and I like to create a contrast. So to be able to create a contrast, you need objects from different areas and from different materials. So you can create that eclectic look and the mix of different nice things together for example if you just collect new stuff it's like a showroom but when you add an a object from history or like you know a rare book on the table i think it adds a lot of value to the projects.
00:24:46
Speaker
couldn't agree more. And it's let's wrap it up with the collectors gene rundown. You can answer these questions based on any of the things that you collect, whether it's. Vuitton trunks or lighters or teapots. It's totally up to you. So the first question is, what's the one that got away? A Carlo Bugatti chair. Let's say the on deck circle. So what's next for you in collecting? Maybe it's something that you're hunting after.
00:25:11
Speaker
I recently started collecting vintage cigarette lighters as I said and I love a small object packed with details. It excites me a lot during these days. Do you like a lot of the smaller vintage Hermes silver plated designs that they did?
00:25:26
Speaker
ah Yes, I like it. I have many stationery from those collections. and like I have an AMS lighter as well, and one table lighter, one small lighter. I have many, a let's say, silver boxes. boxes yeah And also I have magnifying glasses from AMS collection. Yeah, with the like rope handle and all that?
00:25:52
Speaker
Yes, exactly. One of those and like some other tabletop pieces. So I like to see them together because I think i'm I really like stationery and I need to collect them stationery as well. um'm I'm with you there. ahll I'll see you at the auction. ah Amazing. but How about the unobtainable? So this is one that is too expensive in a museum, private collection. It's just complete unobtainium.
00:26:18
Speaker
It's not completely unobtainable, but lately I was in New York and I liked this vintage Vacheron Constantin 222 watch in stainless steel. They just launched, I think, a few years ago in gold version. But I found the stainless because they're not producing that stainless steel version. And I went to this collector watch company in Amsterdam.
00:26:41
Speaker
and they sell it as a a museum piece. That vintage Vacheron was very pretty, but I couldn't have it maybe in the future. Yeah, the 222 is a very special watch and especially in stainless steel. it's It's pretty amazing. What I have seen come up is they made smaller size, ladies size technically is what they call it in the steel and the gold as well. And sometimes those come up and they're they're a bit cheaper, but they're still really, really interesting.
00:27:11
Speaker
Yes, I find that interesting and like how tiny and like how they designed the chain and everything is very interesting. Yeah, it's it's it's great design for sure. The page one rewrite so if you could collect anything else besides your current and money was no object, what would it be? If I had all the money and the space in the world, I would love to have accumulated a vintage chair collection.
00:27:35
Speaker
It would feature first edition chairs made by the designers themselves before they went into commercial production. And I would love to have a huge big warehouse where I would artfully display them all together. I love it. How about the goat? Who do you look up to in the collecting world or who do you think is just a great collector?
00:27:55
Speaker
i mean I always appreciated Michel Bargo's taste. He has a keen eye and unique vision about references and objects. So I think I can say Michel Bargo. Love it. The hunt or the ownership? Which one do you enjoy more?
00:28:11
Speaker
I love the feeling of owning something that I truly like or have wanted for ages, but I also enjoy working hard to get it. The hunt for it is half the fun. Sometimes you win and sometimes you don't, which only triggers your interest towards that thing. I couldn't agree more. And most importantly, do you feel that you were born with the collector's gene?
00:28:34
Speaker
As I said, I was born into a family of collectors, both my mother's side and my father's side. I had a passion for antiques and silver objects. I'm not sure if it's a gene, but I believe the environment you grow up ah in is as important as your DNA and has a significant influence on determining the person you ultimately become.
Conclusion and Future Aspirations
00:28:54
Speaker
When I was a kid, my parents would often take me to antique markets and auctions with them. And that's what I enjoy doing now on my own.
00:29:03
Speaker
and From a very early age I started collecting magazine pages that my mother would bring home. It started with a handful and now I have a huge archive. and I call it my own Pinterest through these magazines.
00:29:18
Speaker
I love it. And as thank you so much for joining me on Collector's Jean radio today, it was such a pleasure to learn more about teapots and collecting and your philosophies. I absolutely really appreciated it. And I hope we get together soon and maybe we'll go find some teapots together. Perfect. Sounds exciting to me. Thank you so much for your time and hope to meet you one day in person. Yep. We'll get together in New York next time you're there. Definitely. Thank you so much. Cheers. Bye.
00:29:50
Speaker
Alright, that does it for this episode. Thank you all for listening to collector's gene radio