Mexican Antiquarian. (Style of Life Art).

Rodrigo Rivero Lake moves in the highest social and political circles of Mexico. If you want something ancient and beautiful, not to mention valuable, he's the man to see.

SETTING FOOT IN THE PENTHOUSE apartment of Rodrigo Rivero Lake is like entering a combination museum and warehouse. His card reads "antiquarian," but talking to him is more like talking to a curator, at least at first. "My house is bare, all my pieces are on loan to museums," he moans, partly in jest, surrounded by dozens of 17th century masterworks.

Once off the elevator to Rivero's penthouse--which overlooks Mexico City's Chapultepec park--visitors must navigate down a hallway that is actually a path through a tightly packed collection of antique furniture, paintings and architectural pieces. At the end there is a vacant bench that acts as a waiting area. It is there we met Rivero, a highly energetic if some-what …