A monumental patinated fibreglass figure of the Zulu King Shaka

The Camden Collection lots 89-149

THE SHAKA ZULU RESTAURANT, CAMDEN LOCK MARKET, LONDON

Following redevelopment of Camden Lock Market many of the fittings from the renowned 2400 square metre Shaka Zulu restaurant have been removed and included in this auction.

The Zulu art that adorns the walls was commissioned by South African museums, allowing copies of their artefacts to be made specifically for the restaurant. The hand-made furniture, the wooden murals and the bronzes, all made in South Africa & Asia had to be transported to the UK in 40 lorries.

To ensure authenticity, the developers have held extensive consultation with members of the Zulu nation in South Africa, including King Zwelithini.

It took 2 years for the carvings and furnishings to be made at a cost of £5.5 million. Enormous intricately hand-carved wooden and patinated fibreglass panels and figures of Zulu warriors feature majestic scenes from Africa, together with hand carved furniture also with a tribal theme.

The world-famous Camden Lock Market in London, which is situated by the Regent’s Canal on a site formerly occupied by warehouses and other premises associated with the canal. By the early 1970’s the canal trade had ceased, and a northern urban motorway was planned that would cut through the site, making any major permanent redevelopment impossible, and in 1974 a temporary market was established. By 1976, when plans for the motorway were abandoned, the market had become a well-known feature of Camden Town. Originally, the Lock was a market for crafts, occupying some outdoor areas by the canal and various existing buildings. It attracted large numbers of visitors partly due to stalls being open on Sundays, when previous to the Sunday Trading Act 1994, shops were not permitted to operate on Sundays. It was once the fourth-most popular visitor attraction in London, attracting approximately 100,000 people each weekend.

Originally built as a horse hospital which served the horses pulling Pickford’s distribution vans and barges along the canal, Camden Stables Market makes up the largest portion of the famous Camden Lock Market complex. Horses injured pulling barges along the canals would come here for treatment and rehabilitation. The Grade II listed stables now house an array of shops and stalls selling a variety of items from the unique to the exotic.

Garden statues, Camden