About Ratko

Ratko Pavlovic (roll the ‘R’) started his career as a young child being fascinated with wood. His parents were poor and could not afford to buy him toys, so he learned to entertain himself by finding scraps of wood and started carving and whittling to create his own toys. His skills as an organic artist in wood prompted him to earn a degree from the University of Belgrade as a Matrie Menuisier Ebeniste – roughly translated as Master Carpenter Cabinet Maker, although the word ‘Carpenter’ is quite misleading in this context. He honed his skills in museum-level furniture conservation and restoration, (more about this later), carving, veneer, boulle, and marquetry repair – the latter using a chevalet known in French as chevalet de marquetrie. This device is used for cutting marquetry and was created in 17th century France.  The chevalet is used to reproduce damaged or missing marquetry using saw blades almost as fine as a human hair depending on the type of material being used- be it wood or various metal decorations found on historic furniture.  This is one of many specialized skills Ratko has learned over half a century. He has learned every aspect there is to know about the world of wood.

In 1966, Ratko’s ambitions and talents led him to Paris, France, the antiques capital of the world, where, as a young man, he plied his skills designing and creating furniture, understanding the aesthetics of well-designed and proportioned furniture. But at the same time he fell in love with antique furniture and became an antique dealer restoring these magnificent pieces to their original condition.  Ratko’s late mother-in-law called him- “the man with golden hands”.  His wife calls him “The Renaissance Man.”
 
He was graced with the unique opportunity to experience some of the rarest antiques ever found in Europe, identifying, feeling, touching, absorbing with all the senses, period pieces that are now in museums and private collections. He has been heard commenting that in order to be called an antiques expert, of which he is an expert in French antiques, you must know the history of the country and know how history influenced the ever-evolving style of the periods, be it furniture, clocks or art.

Ratko's additional life experiences led him to live in French-speaking Gabon, Liberia and Equatorial Guinea, Africa, building sawmills, but he quickly became disillusioned with what was happening to the lumber industry there. His love of wood drew him to memorize experiences he still talks about today, describing his adventures in living side by side with the locals, in their villages, sharing meals, walking (complete with sights and sounds) for miles at times, in the jungle with just a machete in hand. This was the real reality show!

In the waning days of the summer of 1988, as serendipity would have it, Ratko met a woman who changed the course of his life. Their chance meeting, and whirlwind romance ended in marriage 3 days later!

Darlene encouraged him to come to America for a while as she was very close to her parents and wanted to stay near them. Ratko arrived in Milwaukee, WI on the coldest day of December 1988, and D & R International Antiques, Ltd. was born.  

In 2009 Ratko wanted to get back to his roots as a designer and creator and started crafting these magnificent tables with the intent to provide the world an opportunity to own tables with the look and feel of tables that no longer exist except for a rare piece in a museum.