The History of Antique
It was the late 50s when Bernardo Pinto Basto de Lencastre founded Antique in the glitz and glam atmosphere of Estoril, Portugal – a town set on the oceanfront of the Atlantic, with its golden sand beaches, glamorous hotels, classy villas and palm-fringed landscaped gardens. The year was 1959 and the location couldn’t be better: Avenida de Nice, one of the most iconic and prestigious streets of Estoril.
The store was decorated by Pedro Leitão, the epitome of chic in the early 60s, famous for the interior design of places such as the Antiquarius restaurant in Rio de Janeiro or Annabel´s Club in London, who created a cozy ambience that allowed glittering objects to shine.
Antique soon became a reference for exquisite gifts, home accessories, antiques, jewelry and silverware. Its clientele was composed of families from Estoril and Cascais, including the Fierro and the Patiño, and other notables such as Helena Rubinstein or the Counts of Barcelona, who were all welcomed by Bernardo himself or his long trusted employee Leonor Figueiredo.
In the early 80s, Bernardo’s older son Luís and his wife Maria da Conceição (Pequenina) took over the business, giving it a spritz of contemporaneity as they traveled the world in search of English furniture, Flemish art, Italian decorative pieces and English silver plated objects. In 1997, Antique opened a second store in the heart of Lisbon, at the legendary Ritz Four Seasons Hotel, to reach the Lisbon crowd as well as the increasing number of foreigners traveling to the city.
Nestled amidst an eclectic mix of mid-20th-century Portuguese art, it was decorated by visionary Graça Viterbo, a reference in the world of interior design, who created a warm and cozy atmosphere in boiserie that we can still see today. Thanks to its premium location, the exquisiteness of its hand-picked offer and peerless service, the Ritz store soon became Antique’s Flagship Store – and a must go destination for those looking for elegant gifts and timeless accessories for the home.
During its existence, it has had the privilege of welcoming famous clients such as The Kings of Spain, The King of Italy, The Dukes of Windsor, Helena Rubenstein, Pierre Schlumberger, Antenor Patiño, Hubert de Givenchy, Pitanguy and Rute Marinho, among many others.
Recently, the third generation of the Lencastre family took charge. Luísa Lencastre is both the Creative Director and Curator of Antique, and the new face behind the brand, having already extended the Ritz store by doubling its space. Luísa’s mission is to breathe new life into Antique whilst building on its unique legacy, with her heart on the past and her eyes set on the future.