One of the rarest items in his possession is a glass-bodied kerosene railway signal lamp, used to show red and green signals to train drivers. This 100-year-old lamp, Austrian in design, was gifted to him by anti-corruption officer Sanjay Govilkar, a key member of the team that arrested terrorist Ajmal Kasab
Atish Kukarni, along with his wife and daughter, Tuesday. Pics/Shrikant Khuperkar
For over 35 years, Atish Kulkarni from Dombivli East has been quietly building one of the most diverse and extensive private collections of rare and antique items in Maharashtra. What began as a childhood passion has grown into a veritable treasure trove of history, culture, and craftsmanship curated with the help of his wife and daughter.
Kulkarni's collection includes everything from centuries-old coins and notes, vintage cameras and clocks, to rare brass artefacts, British-era postal memorabilia, and international currencies. Among the most striking pieces is a still-functioning vintage wall clock that chimes every hour, and an intricately crafted brass chuna-paan box once used by elders.
Signal from the past
One of the rarest items in his possession is a glass-bodied kerosene railway signal lamp, used to show red and green signals to train drivers. This 100-year-old lamp, Austrian in design, was gifted to him by anti-corruption officer Sanjay Govilkar, a key member of the team that arrested terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
A rare collection of coins including ancient ones
“These are not things easily found. I travel personally to collect such items. Sometimes people call me up saying, ‘We have something old, please come and take it,’” said Atish. To sustain this passion, he sets aside Rs 2000 every month exclusively to acquire rare items.
How it began
The spark for collecting was lit in childhood when Atish asked his grandfather for some old coins and two ancestral swords. Recognising the boy's genuine interest, his grandfather gave them to him and the journey began. Even while still studying, he kept the hobby alive. But it was only after he started earning that he began buying high-value items like vintage cameras, brass showpieces, and rare currency.
Rare coins
Kulkarni’s coin collection is staggering in depth and variety. It includes:
Vintage brass items and cameras showcased at Kulkarni’s home
Ancient coins: Kushan, Satavahana, Mauryan punch-marked coins, Chola, Naga-Padmavati, Chalukya, Mughal, and coins from Sultanates like Bahmani, Ahmadnagar, and Delhi.
British-Era coins: Victoria Empress silver coins (1887), East India Company’s 1840 rupee, coins from princely states like Gwalior, Junagadh, and Hyderabad.
Foreign coins: From the USA, Germany, Japan, France, Portugal, and as far as East Africa and Latvia.
Notable pieces: A 1937 silver quarter from America, Food For All silver coins (1970, 1974), 10 Deutschemark (1988), and commemorative Mahatma Gandhi silver coins.
Notes and stamps
His paper currency collection spans over 65 countries, including Bhutan, Tanzania, China, Saudi Arabia, USA, Korea, Iran, and many African nations. He has denominations ranging from 2 paise Indian notes to 10,000 West African francs.
His stamp collection is equally awe-inspiring, featuring postal issues from over 70 countries, including Bhutan, UAE, Malaysia, Germany, Iraq, Yugoslavia, and even rare editions from the princely states.
Vintage brass artefacts
Brass lovers will marvel at his collection of: Uniquely shaped paan boxes (duck, peacock, beetle-style). Tiered lamps (Moor Deep, Elephant lamps, Ashtadevi Deep). Betelnut cutters, traditional weight measures, bottle openers, spice boxes, and British-era cigarette cases. Old-fashioned coal irons and toy brass vehicles.
Each item is preserved in pristine condition, with some passed down for generations.
Postcards, envelopes
From British India postcards with one-anna stamps to rare princely court documents between 1887–1947, his postal memorabilia includes:
100+ First Day Covers (FDCs) of historic events like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's coronation, Mahatma Gandhi’s death, Jawaharlal Nehru's anniversaries, Independence Day 1948, and Sachin Tendulkar’s 200th Test match as well as envelopes and inland letters from Nizam-era Hyderabad and international air letters from England and pre-independence India.
Future plans
Atish’s daughter, Kumari Gatha, who studies in Std VIII, regularly helps him organise the coins and notes in a systematic way. “It’s more than a hobby, it’s a mission to preserve what the world is forgetting,” Atish said. Now, with increasing awareness, schools, corporate training groups, and police academies are inviting him to showcase his collection and inspire the youth.
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