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https://robbreport.com/style/accessories/gallery/waris-ahluwalia-sothebys-1234630776/waris-louis-cartier-dandy-fountain-pen/ From Fountain Pens to a Silver Tea Set, Waris Ahluwalia’s Curated Sotheby’s Sale Romances the Everyday The multi-hyphenate tastemaker talked with us about a few of his favorite finds. By KAREEM RASHED Julian Cassady Photography Actor, jeweler, textile designer, tea purveyor—Waris Ahluwalia is an aesthete of many talents. Now he’s adding curator to the list, lending his omnivorous eye to Sotheby’s and assembling a sale of diverse objects for the auction house’s Buy Now marketplace. From rare books to covetable sneakers, Ahluwalia’s edit of Sotheby’s inventory is a one-stop-shop for pieces that bring his worldly sense of style to everyday life. India-born, Brooklyn-bred Ahluwalia approaches collecting with the same multi-disciplinary breadth that he brings to all his professional endeavors. The globe-trotting tastemaker seeks out idiosyncratic craftsmen wherever he goes and, more than any particular period or medium, he says he collects thoughtful design across the spectrum: “I’m drawn to stories, objects that have a patina to them, that have centuries of wear…Time shapes an object.” For his curated sale, Ahluwalia homed in on pieces that can be enjoyed in the seemingly mundane moments of day-to-day life, rather than stowed away on a pedestal or in a vitrine. “For me, collecting is about things that bring joy,” he says, noting that several items in the sale, like an Art Deco tea set and an Hermès backgammon set “are about elevating the art of celebration.” Certainly, after the past year and change, bringing such civility to the ordinary hangout feels particularly relevant. Why not break out the silver for a regular Tuesday night dinner? The entire range is available online starting August 18, and can be viewed in-person at The Emporium, Sotheby’s recently launched retail store at its New York headquarters. In an exclusive interview with Robb Report, Ahluwalia talks us through a few of his favorite finds. Photo : Sotheby's Louis Cartier Dandy Fountain Pen E-mail and texting may have their place, but Ahluwalia is a fan of the far more meaningful (and stylish) hand-written note. As such, a beautiful writing instrument is essential. “I always carry one with me, even if even if just going away for the weekend,” he says. “You never know when there’ll be the need to jot something down.” There are numerous collectible pens in the sale but the standout is this exquisite model by Louis Cartier, rendered in platinum and wood that’s been carved into a trompe l’oeil alligator motif. BUY NOW: $2,500 Photo : Sotheby's Nike Dunk SB Low ‘Safari’ In his own wardrobe, Ahluwalia exclusively wears all-white sneakers. However, he says, this unique pair of Dunks caught his eye: “I love any kind of animal reference and the combination of colors and print on these is so unusual.” BUY NOW: $500 Photo : Sotheby's Charles Darwin Signed Letter Ahluwalia is particularly fond of hand-written ephemera, such as this 1869 signed letter from Charles Darwin to his publisher, somewhat sassily shooting down a request for an edit to an edition of On the Origin of Species. As far as collectible letters go, Ahluwalia says, this one is “nothing short of epic.” BUY NOW: $50,000 Photo : Sotheby's Austrian Art Deco Silver Coffee and Tea Set Founded in 2019, House of Waris Botanicals is Ahluwalia’s line of organic teas and an ode to the pleasures of pausing with a warm cuppa. Naturally, having said cup poured from a circa 1920 pot, exquisitely rendered in solid silver and Macassar ebony, only heightens the experience. “Throughout history, in many parts of the world, tea has been a ritual,” Ahluwalia says, advocating for bringing back a sense of ceremony to your afternoon beverage. “I think we’ve forgotten how to slow down; it’s these little moments that make up a life.” BUY NOW: $6,650 Photo : Sotheby's Hermès Brides de Gala Silk Scarf This bridle design is Hermès’s most iconic scarf pattern and has been perennially popular since it was introduced in 1957. But more than that, Ahluwalia was drawn to the historical references hidden within the illustration: “It comes from the statues that are in Paris…the goddess of victory being pulled in a chariot by four horses. The quadriga is an emblem of triumph and I think that’s what we need right now, with everything on in the world: to come together.” BUY NOW: $350 Photo : Sotheby's Tutsi Agesaki Conical Basket Ahluwalia’s prolific projects see him traveling the world to collaborate with artisans who’ve mastered their crafts, including once working with basket-weavers in Indonesia. “People don’t realize how many hours of work goes into basket-weaving,” he says. This specimen made by the Tutsi of Rwanda is a prime example of the art form at its finest. “If we let these crafts die away,” Ahluwalia says, “we lose a part of ourselves, of humanity.” BUY NOW: $400 Photo : Sotheby's Ian Fleming, “The Man with the Golden Gun” This first edition of Fleming’s 1965 classic is a collectible in its own right, but Ahluwalia is more enamored of the man behind the novel. “Having spent some time in Jamaica and stayed at his house, it’s just a fascinating story,” he says of 007’s creator, noting that Fleming’s adventurous ways are precisely the kind of living-life-to-its-fullest attitude that Ahluwalia aims to bring to every day. BUY NOW: $1,500