Sunken Treasure

It is not worth being an antique collector because treasure can turn to rubbish and rubbish to treasure.
Words like fakes or reproductions are easily used and can confuse collectors. As in the case of an English expert, William Willetts who claim that a Ming bowl as a fakes and comparison was made at the museum which he is the curator and he was found to have made mistakes in authentication which also carry doubts in the pieces of the museum.
Experts who doesn’t know to state the facts on items that are fakes, will also not know how to state the facts on the items that are genuine in writing but by stating it orally has no risk.
Provenance in writing is a must and how to prove that the item is from the person or the family who previously owned it is a problem. Example Madame Lopez who rented a unit at Cho Tek flat, Jalan Imbi in the late 60’s and due to rental problem, her things were auctioned off and my late father bought some of the items and a whatever you like to call it Nyonya Ware, Straits Chinese, or Pernakan plate was in that lot and to prove that the plate is from Madame Lopez is a problem. I don’t know it is the fact on the piece or the piece that belongs to Madame Lopez is important.
The items that I am looking for from sunken vessels of the Yuan or Ming dynasty from Admiral Cheng Ho because the items are from Mongol and Chinese government financed barter trade which are finer and can fetch higher price.

31 August 2010