What Silkworks does

Silkworks, trading legally as Karachi Engineering Co., is a Mumbai-based curated e-commerce platform specializing in vintage, antique, and one-of-a-kind decorative arts sourced from across India and Asia. The platform sells seven product categories — sculpture and idols, jewelry, lighting and lamps, vases and vessels, wall art and decor, spiritual and ritual objects, and a rotating "Curated Finds" section — to three primary customer segments: interior designers, hospitality businesses (hotels, restaurants), and private collectors, alongside general retail consumers. Founded by Meenu Thadani and Prakash Thadani, the firm has operated from a Worli Village atelier in Mumbai for decades, with the brand explicitly stating it has "made and traded for decades" from that location.

The underlying technology stack is deliberately lightweight: the storefront at silkworks.in is hosted on Cloudflare Pages, served over HTTPS, with shopping-cart session management via cookies and localStorage, and all payments routed through PayU's PCI-DSS Level 1 hosted checkout (CCAvenue is also referenced in Terms of Service as a payment processor). The business model combines two revenue streams: (1) direct retail sales of unique vintage pieces sold first-come, first-served to global consumers, and (2) a consignment marketplace where third-party sellers receive 66.67% of net sale proceeds and Silkworks retains a 33.33% net commission, after payment gateway fees of 2–3% and applicable GST. Distribution is omnichannel within the constraints of a small operation — own e-commerce storefront, direct phone and email sales to trade clients, an appointment-based Mumbai showroom, and international shipping via DHL, FedEx, and India Post EMS.

There is no disclosed external investment, no parent company, no leadership beyond the two Thadani founders, and the business operates with 1–10 employees. The company sources directly from families, estates, dealers, monasteries, and craftspeople — a network the firm presents as a multi-decade competitive advantage — and condition-checks, documents, and photographs every piece in-house. No awards, patents, regulatory actions, M&A activity, or funding rounds appear in the source data.

Name

Silkworks

Legal name

Karachi Engineering Co.

Website

https://silkworks.in

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Silkworks (Karachi Engineering Co.) is a Mumbai-based e-commerce platform selling curated vintage and antique decorative arts — sculpture, jewelry, lighting, vessels, wall art, and ritual objects — to designers, hospitality businesses, private collectors, and global retail consumers, with a 33.33% consignment commission service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vintage & Antique Decorative Arts Retail

NAICS

Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing (33991), Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing (339910)

SIC

Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960), Jewelry, Silverware & Plated Ware (3910)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Fashion/Costume & Alternative Materials Jewelry (CRAKAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Custom Religious, Cultural & Ceremonial Jewelry (CRAKAHAK)

Keywords

• Vintage decorative arts
• Antique home decor
• Consignment marketplace
• Temple ritual artifacts
• Curated collectibles

Headquarters

HQ city

Mumbai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales: Silkworks sells vintage and antique decorative arts directly to consumers through its e-commerce platform, including sculpture, jewelry, lighting, vases, wall art, and spiritual/ritual objects. Each piece is unique and sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
2. Consignment Commission: Silkworks accepts third-party consignments, photographing, listing, and selling pieces on behalf of owners. The company retains a flat 33.33% net commission on every consigned sale. Net is the sale price minus payment gateway fees (2-3%) and applicable GST. The consignor receives 66.67% of the net sale, paid by bank transfer within 30 days of buyer's payment clearing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Silkworks operates a curated online and by-appointment retail platform for vintage, antique and one-of-a-kind decorative arts, including sculpture and idols, jewelry, lighting and lamps, vases and vessels, wall art, spiritual and ritual objects, and rotating curated finds. The company also runs a consignment service that photographs, lists and sells third-party pieces on behalf of owners for a 33.33% net commission, with global shipping from its Mumbai atelier.

Product overview

Silkworks is an online curated marketplace for vintage, antique and curated decorative arts, operated by Karachi Engineering Co. Based in Mumbai, the platform offers a single unified retail experience across seven product sub-categories: Sculpture & Idols (Buddha and Hindu sculpture in wood, brass, ceramic and stone), Jewelry (vintage silver, brass and tribal metals), Lighting & Lamps (temple and ritual lamps), Vases & Vessels (ceramics and glass), Wall Art & Decor (framed pieces), Spiritual & Ritual (temple brass and religious artifacts), and Curated Finds (rotating one-of-a-kind objects including vinyl records and curios). Alongside its retail operations, Silkworks operates a consignment service where sellers can submit pieces for review, with Silkworks handling photography, listing, and global sales for a 33.33% commission. All pieces are shipped from the Mumbai atelier with international delivery via DHL, FedEx, and India Post.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Silkworks Curated Collection Curated online and by-appointment retail of vintage, antique and one-of-a-kind decorative arts, including Buddha and Hindu sculpture in wood, brass, ceramic and stone, vintage and antique jewelry in silver, brass and tribal metals, temple and ritual lamps, ceramic and glass vessels, framed wall art, spiritual and ritual objects, and rotating curated finds such as vinyl records and curios. Ships globally from the Mumbai atelier.
• Consignment Service Service for third-party owners to submit vintage and antique pieces for sale through Silkworks' curated platform; Silkworks handles photography, listing, and worldwide shipping, retaining 33.33% of the net sale price (sale price minus payment gateway fees of 2-3% and applicable GST).

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PayU (PayU Payments Pvt. Ltd.)coreTechnology or IntegrationPayment gateway and fraud detection provider. PayU processes all payments on silkworks.in, handling credit cards, debit cards, UPI, net banking, wallets, and EMI options. PCI-DSS Level 1 certified. Silkworks does not store full card numbers, CVV, or bank credentials.
• CloudflarecoreTechnology or IntegrationCloud hosting provider for silkworks.in. Website deployed on Cloudflare Pages. Cloudflare Web Analytics may be enabled for aggregated, non-identifying traffic data.
• DHLcoreOthersInternational courier partner for global shipping. Used for high-value and standard international deliveries alongside FedEx and India Post.
• FedExcoreOthersInternational courier partner for global shipping. Used for high-value and standard international deliveries alongside DHL and India Post.
• India Post EMSminorOthersInternational postal service used for global shipping, particularly for certain routes and destinations. Provides alternative shipping option alongside DHL and FedEx.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Catawiki: Online auctions platform for special objects including decorative arts, jewelry, and antiques. Comparable to Silkworks through its curated vintage/antique object marketplace model and global buyer base, though it uses auction mechanics rather than fixed-price consignment.
• Bidsquare: Online auction aggregator for antiques and fine art, partnering with regional auction houses. Comparable to Silkworks through shared focus on curated decorative arts and antiques sold online to a global collector audience.
• 1stDibs: Online marketplace for vintage, antique, and contemporary luxury furniture, decor, jewelry, and fashion. Most directly comparable to Silkworks as a curated marketplace selling one-of-a-kind vintage decorative arts to designers and collectors globally, with a consignment/dealer inventory model.
• Chairish: Online marketplace for pre-owned vintage and antique furniture, decor, and art from designers and sellers. Directly comparable to Silkworks — curated vintage home decor marketplace with designer/collector audience and consignment seller program.
• Ruby Lane: Online marketplace for vintage and antique collectibles, jewelry, and home decor. Comparable to Silkworks as a curated e-commerce destination for vintage decorative arts, sculpture, jewelry, and curios aimed at collectors and dealers.
• Vinterior: European online marketplace for vintage and pre-owned furniture and decor. Comparable to Silkworks as a curated vintage decor marketplace with a designer/consumer audience; competes in adjacent geography with overlapping seller/buyer profiles.

Broad incumbents

• Etsy: Global online marketplace for handmade, vintage, and craft items including vintage decor and jewelry. Comparable as a broad incumbent that hosts vintage decorative arts alongside craft and handmade goods; not specialized in the high-end curated niche Silkworks occupies.
• Artsy: Online marketplace and discovery platform for fine art and design from galleries and dealers worldwide. Comparable to Silkworks as an online destination for curated decorative and design objects, though Artsy skews toward primary-market galleries and fine art.
• Sotheby's Home (formerly Viyet): Online marketplace for luxury pre-owned furniture and decorative arts, affiliated with Sotheby's auction house. Comparable to Silkworks in the curated vintage luxury decor segment, with broader brand recognition and auction-house relationships.

Emerging players

• GoAntiques / Antiques.com: Online directory and marketplace aggregating antique dealers and inventory, including decorative arts and vintage jewelry. Comparable to Silkworks as an online channel for vintage and antique decorative objects, with a dealer-aggregator model rather than curated consignment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/silkworks
• Facebookfacebook.com/silkworksindia

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Silkworks