My friend and I came to Austin for the Formula 1 race, but Lotus Gallery ended up being the…read morehighlight of my trip.
I'm a 3rd generation antique enthusiast and always make an effort to explore the local haunts when traveling. When I walked in I was honestly a bit intimidated. This was no flea market junk flip.. I was instead surrounded by museum quality asian antiquities, some priced at well over $100k. It felt like being inside a museum where everything just happened to be for sale. In my pre judgement bias, I became suspicious the employee would want no part of me if he thought my pockets weren't deep enough. I couldnt have been more wrong.
John, the owners son, had a limitless supply patience for my questions. I was so in awe of everything around me I spent 3 hours inside the gallery that first day, asking him dozens of questions. I was charmed to find that the gallery also had smaller and more affordable pieces, literally something for everyone at almost every price point. Every variation of Buddha from every age, vases, bronzes, busts, statues, jewelry, furniture and textiles can be found here. I fell in love with and ended up purchasing a nine, yes NINE () hundred year old Chinese bronze vase from the Song dynasty. John ended up being more than willing to negotiate on the price which put it into my price range.
In conclusion, you get the feeling that this store is truly a passion project for the owner and her son John. If you like old things of beauty, history, and mind boggling craftsmanship from every corner of Asia, GO. TO. LOTUS. GALLERY.
-Trevor