There are many visitors looking for Nyonya porcelain wares and one visitor from Brunei searching for value of Nyonya ware. The value of Nyonya ware is whether the items is 1) Pua Nguar or Nyonya 2) whether the item is Bandung or Jingdezhen made. 3) The time of manufacture.

Visitors to my blog had been informed that collectors must know what they are keeping and now must know what they wanted to buy and not to believe in the words 'genuine' or 'fake'. The details is of great importance.

A visitor from Singapore searching for genuine peranakan ware which is another name for Nyonya ware for sale which makes me wonder whether he has come across Bandung made or Jingdezhen made. Otherwise a genuine peranakan item placed in front of him for sale will be treated as something no good and accused of selling fakes which I had bad experiences in Malaysia.

The Late Mr. Ng

The late Mr.Ng Ting Kau has been in antique business for a long time and planned to make Kuala Lumpur an antique trade centre but his plan has failed because there were sayings that imitations from Bandung were made exactly the same as originals in the 70’s which has caused a lot of frictions between my late father and customers. The customers will come back and throw their weight which forced him to take back what he had sold are fakes without having to prove that the items they bought are fakes. I tried to revive the business and the lucky thing was that I am still running this business in sole proprietorship otherwise there will be quarrel among partners over fakes issues from customers and also I will have difficulty in exporting which need to be agreed upon.

After closing down the shop, most of the beautiful items were shipped overseas because they were deemed fakes by local collectors. This blog has helped me by telling collectors terms like “not worth being a collector”, ”rumour buy rumour sell”, ” no genuine no fake”, “wealth never passed three generations”, “all artefacts are imitation unless and until proven genuine” and ultimately in Chinese short story that father and son has to carry the donkey home. A visitor claims that it is hilarious that I am a taxi driver which I found the benefits of being a taxi driver. Here is the list of benefits. 1) when my wife was sick and she passed away in 2007, I have to take care of her and my four sons without having to apply leave from my job. 2) It gets me to know Kuala Lumpur route well. 3) I usually have my lunch at the canteen in the National Museum of Malaysia and after my meal, I will take a rest at the museum’s library and from that museum’s library I learn how to know the values in ancient artefacts and how to protect myself so that wealth can pass three generations in my family and also Asian Art Museum in Kuala Lumpur which has authenticated specimen for me to study.

A visitor from Denmark is searching for Xu bei Hong’s horse painting on plates.  As far as I know he only paints on papers and oil painting. The genuineness of paintings need to be inspected and details on how results. The wood block prints of some of Xu bei Hong’s painting is also posted with the front cover of the catalogue. I visited a shop which displayed a few paintings for sale, a Chinese national was looking for Xu Bei Hong’s painting and I took out the book on wood block prints and instead of looking for paintings, he wants to buy the book from me.

A visitor from Longford, Ireland searching for pua nguar teko but he did not make it clear whether he wants pua nguar teko from Bandung or Jingde zhen. Other visitors searching for  Nyonya ware, antique shops in Penang, Singapore, Straits Chinese Singapore, Nyonya Ware UK, Kangxi vase colour nyonya ware.

This is the list of searches from visitors to my blog.  1) Taiwanese Antique bowls. 2) auction value “Sung  Dynasty Bowls”. 3) Nyonya ware encyclopedia. 4) jokes on collecting antiques. 5) valuation of peranakan porcelain. 6)reproduction nyonya ware. 7) ”ronnie ng” 1980 photographer. 8) where to buy nyonya ware. 9) where to buy nyonya ware in penang. 10) how much commission for antique dealers in Malaysia. 11) fake nyonya ware. 12) fake Chinese antique porcelain. 13) Jingdezhen/nyonya  reproduction. 14) antique porcelain opium press and bowls. 15) Kamcheng  nyonya ware teapot for sale K.L. 16)Malaysia expert on nyonya ware. 17) Che Mokhtar Che Ali. 18) Chinese ming dynasty pots bowls. 19)kutani made in japan tea cups. 20)straits Chinese plate uk. 21)Cheng Ho Porcelain bowl. 22) where to buy reproduction ware in penang. 22)Che mokhtar magistrate. 23)kangxi vase color nyonya ware. 24)sung ting bowl-singing. 25) where to get cheap nyonya ware in Singapore. 26)Singapore nyonya ware. 27) Yuan vase fake. 28)reproduction peranakan Chinese porcelain manufacturers. 29)antique shop Malaysia-alibaba-lelong. 30)thermoluminicence test for porcelain in Singapore.31)searching for images of fake sung dunasty bowls. 32)searching for fake sung sung bowls. 33) made in Taiwan, republic of china label on spittoon. 34)arahats blue bowls. 35) is there a nyonya ware antique shop in Kajang?.

Visitors searching for fakes should go to People Republic of China, there are Yuan vase fakes and fakes sung dynasty bowls including images which you can even design for them to make.  Nyonya ware can also be bought there. I came to know there is an importer for nyonya ware in Kuala Lumpur but I do not have contacts with manufacturers.

Visitors searching for “ronnie ng” 1980 photographer, Che Mokhtar Che Ali and Che mokhtar magistrate should advertise in the newspapers and facebook.

Visitors searching for Taiwanese Antique bowls and made in Taiwan, republic of china label on spittoon should refer to Taiwan trade embassy for assistance because whether the mentioned items are made of jade, marble or other materials is not stated.

Visitors searching for nyonya ware, antique shops, in penang, expert on nyonya ware, Singapore nyonya ware, valuations on nyonya ware, nyonya ware encyclopedia, where to get nyonya ware in Singapore and is there a nyonya ware antique shop in Kajang  has created jokes in antique collecting.  I state what I know and I take those as a jokes. These visitors should request for nyonya ware shops to be opened in front of their house.

Visitors searching for auction values “Sung dynasty bowls” should find out for yourself because I don’t know whether the prices suits you and also antiques has no fixed market value. As to antique porcelain opium press bowls which I do not know what it is. Cheng Ho Porcelain bowl which I didn’t see Cheng Ho eating with that bowl and as such I cannot confirm that it is Cheng Ho Porcelain bowls. As to arahats blue bowls, sung ting bowl-singing and kangxi vase color nyonya ware which I haven’t come across and I do not have knowledge of what other collectors had.

Visitor searching for kutani made in japan tea cup which I have not come across but I have two sets of kutani sake set comprising of a double gourd bottle and two cups in one set. These sets which are not for sale and I do not like to post the photo for the set but only for one sake cup. Another visitor searching for experts in Chinese Imari for Kang Hsi Emperor.  Emperor Kang Hsi is in China and what was found in his possession and who actually knew about Chinese Imari for Kang His Emperor is not known to me but the expert mentioned can only be found in Peoples’ Republic of China today.  

Thermoluminescence tests is available at an institute in Bangi, Selangor and please check with specialist for more information. There are tests namely carbon 14, carbon 12 and non destructive scientific test.

Collectors know that there are a lot of fakes sold in the market but there are also genuine antiques in the market. There is a visitor accuses someone being cheat.  Why do collectors want to collect items that are so easily faked or imitated? An article that appeared in the Chinese daily, experts has broken thirty genuine artefacts after mistakes made in authentication.  Two months ago I bought a genuine Tang Dynasty (AD618-AD960) three colour horse for Rm100/- and I used my experience to authenticate it which I found it to be genuine and made it affordable for me to keep. All artefacts are imitation unless and until proven genuine.

This will be my last reply to visitors because I have antique exhibition to organize. The way that I answered was not clear to visitors and English should not be used. This blog has advised that do not be a collector because treasure can turn rubbish and rubbish can turn treasure. Another thing is when experts claim that imitations can be made exactly the same as originals then we do not need experts to authenticate. Wealth never passed three generations is when collectors with genuine artefact passed to next generation without telling the next generation, how to know that it is genuine will have trouble when the next generation shows to experts with the intention to sell and was told that is a fake. The next generation will scold the ancestor for giving them rubbish. Good collectors make good teachers by able to share the knowledge that tells what is genuine and fake. Good antiques are not judged by its prices but based on willing buyer, willing seller and knowledge.

Why a genuine Tang Dyansty three colour horse is sold for Rm 100 is because collectors could not see the value in the genuine horse thinking that it cannot be genuine. The vendor also have problem selling  at that price which browsers couldn’t believe that it is genuine.

One last reply for this year to a visitor searching for nyonya furniture of penang. Nyonya furniture is a mixture of Chinese and Western. Mahogany or blackwood furniture, red and gold furniture are the Chinese and the Dutch styled furniture. Mahogany furniture comes in sets of eight chairs and four side tables which come in square or rectangle, there is one type that is without armrest, bench, opium beds, half-moon tables and lower stand, with and without mother of pearls. Red and gold are guilded with goldleaf, single and double posted beds which means that mosquito net could be hung, seven carved panels with flower baskets in the front and a chest of drawers is placed at the back. Dressing table with five drawers with the beveled edge in green and flakes of mother of pearl., cupboards with two drawers  and below the drawers are two panels on the left and right and in between the panels are two doors and on top of it is another cupboard with two doors. Washstand and mother- in- law chest. Red and gold doors are of two type main door and side doors, side doors are the slim tall doors.

Western furniture which I came across are cupboards with two doors on the top section, at the lower section are two drawers curved and doors at the lower section. Dining furniture set, with one dining table with eight carved chairs rattan netting at the seat and back and also with arm rest. Side-boardes  with beveled edge mirrors and beautifully carved balustrades shelves to put decorative items on the top section and lower section usually Italian marble top with one long drawer and two side drawers, the specials ones has the middle drawer half -moon shaped. Side boards will not fit into modern homes with low ceiling. Balustrades taken from sideboards were modified into legs for piano stools. Another is that I find it difficult to describe is two slim cupboards with a panel of carving on top and in between is a drawer and a base plus a mirror to hold these three items. My late father has a restoration workshop at Old Klang Road in the earlier days.

The look alike paintings of Xu Bei Hong are woodblock prints extracted from the catalogue.

Front cover for the wood block print catalogue.

Kutani Cup from Sake Set.                        Kutani Plate with four Kanji characters.

There are a number of visitors who was searching for clarification in this blog.

On 11/2/2012- a visitor from Zurich searching how to find out if a piece of Chinese porcelain is valuable. The valuable porcelain lies with the items with beautiful drawings and other factors that money can hardly buy. If you want something old you can go to the roadside to take a stone which is one of the world's oldest items because stones are formed by earth's movements.

On 15/2/2012- a visitor from Ipoh,Perak searching for Xiu Bei Hong paintings. Xiu Bei Hong painting which is with one horse is easily duplicated even with wood block print.

On 22/3/2012- a visitor from Singapore searching how to define original Nyonya ware. Ask Nyonya ware collectors for more information because there is a difference between the old and new Pua Nguar mention in my blog. e.g. A collector invited me to see alleged Yuan dynasty items and there was a vast difference between mine and the alleged items. The difference was made known to him because there are not many Yuan dynasty items shown by collectors to make comparison. This method goes for Nyonya and Pua Nguar ware.

On 29/2/2012- a visitor from Brooklyn New York searching for celadons, Sung dynasty. Celadons are items resemblance to jade and brown celadons were due to firing temperature. Later period celadons have grey green and pale green.

On 29/2/2012- a visitor from Calgary Alberta searching for Sung dynasty bowls. Sung dynasty has conical bowls, bubble bowls and others.

On 1/3/2012- a visitor from Singapore searching for antique shop Penang. I haven't visited Penang for a long time. In my younger days, my late father (my present antique shop is named after him) took me to Swatow street and Hong Kong Lane to source for antiques and many agents called "Cheng Kao" will take us to see the items in old houses and these Cheng Kao gets commission from both sides when deals are successful.

On 4/3/2012- a visitor from P.J. searching how for authentication Nyonya ware. Please refer answer to visitor 22/3/2012.

On 4/3/2012- a visitor searching for Ng Ting Kau Amcorp Mall Business Hour. I visit Amcorp Mall to do treasure hunt and visit friends who operate stalls at Flea Market when I am free. A few years ago, I learnt a lesson that Malaysia does not have good collectors only based on rumour buy, rumour sell and this compelled me to take some of the items out of Malaysia after my shop at Amcorp mall shifted out.

On 6/3/2012- A visitor from Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest searching for porcelain mandarin che christie's. I haven't heard of what is porcelain mandarin che christie's but guess that Chinese porcelain for European market.

On 9/3/2012- A visitor from Bicester Oxfordshire searching for peter clague Singapore, I don't know peter clague Singapore but Peter Clague Malaysia is a famous antique dealer cum auctioneer. He was interviewed by Malaysian business magazine in the 70's. He was a material witness and not called by the parties concern to testify against a Chinese antique dealer who was accused of selling fake antiques. His absence in court ( Civil Action 5934 of 1978 in the Magistrate Court , Kuala Lumpur.) was a great loss and to the down fall for antique dealers and antique collectors. The important facts and information in antique authentication brought up by him during the trial at the court case will be made known to dealers and collectors and would have saved confused dealers and confused collectors. Interested parties can help to find out why this happened and also to retrieve the important facts and information.

A friend of mine brought his friend to see a few items in my antique collection and this person was a bit of self-importance and pointed to me that imitation can be made exactly the same as originals. I then said that in your collection, all can be made today and have no longer of high value. I also mentioned to him that in my blog I never encourage anyone to be antique collector. He is Chinese educated and the subject to scientific tests by drilling samples from given pieces and then process the samples before putting the samples into machines for tests. I then asked him whether he knows of the place in Malaysia which such test was carried out, he was blank. I then told him that I know the place and the accuracy and also the people who handle these machines. My advice to him was " Do not be an antique collector but be a handicraft collector" and this was found in this blog. In Malaysia there are some called antiques which can be easily bought at other countries.

In collecting antiques, everyone has to learn to know which is the most important. Late last year I bought a beautiful 400 days clock at this Chinese coffee shop opposite Pearl Point Hotel where I frequently have my breakfast and lunch. This kind of clock, I had been sourcing for almost 35 years.

I have good laughs at experts and collectors in porcelain items. The first was a friend who took some samples to the Peoples' Republic of China and shown the experts, whoever they are which I am not bothered and their comments was that the items are "WAI SIAU FOR" which in Mandarin is for outside China's market. I then requested for photographs of what is known to be "NEI SIAU FOR" which in Mandarin is for inside China's market. This matter is still pending because I admitted that what I have is "WAI SIAU FOR" for the reason that if the items in my collection were to be in China, it would be used in rough way, broken and thrown away. The Imperial wares that were brought overseas as gifts to royalties were also well preserved because food containers were not easily available as today like melamine, plastic, aluminium, stainless steel etc.

Second joke is a lady told a friend of mine that I have a lot of plates and my answer is that I have to cross the bridge when I come to it unlike collectors called handicraft items as antiques which can be ordered to make e.g. you want Ming dynasty items, you get it from the factory, you want Sung, you get Sung, want Ching, you get Ching.

Third joke is about Nyonya ware, in the 70's till the 80's "Bandung copies" in antique ceramics was known and "Jingdezhen copies" were not heard of. Nyonya ware were also sold by mail order (I have the brochure and price list) and this was well aware by most collectors themselves.

Fourth joke is about a company in the Peoples' Republic of China authenticates for antique collectors and can sell at a higher price. I had in this blog which I had stated that I have no trust in them. In Malaysia, unwanted bricks from old building were shipped to Japan to build houses and also why do collectors want to collect old porcelain items. ( there must be a reason to it but collectors and expert had known). Old Yi-Hsing teapot must leak in order to be good (when water is kept in the teapot water must seep through the wall of the teapot) and this is known to tea drinkers cum collectors. Makers of imitation porcelain items will put on the most valuable reign mark on the items to attract buyers and this is known to collectors.

Fifth joke was that at Amcorp Mall, dealer asked me whether I have Xi-Bei Hong painting on horses and I said hat Ma-Bei Hong painting is better. The complaint is on the brush strokes in Chinese paintings.

Sixth joke is about a collector from Penang, claim that he will throw away the items in his collection when experts tells him that the items are no good, my answer to him is that you are practicing wealth never pass three generations because old man doesn't teach the son and the son doesn't pass the information to the next generation. A number of collectors were stunned by this statement of mine but I had solved this problem of mine and some of my items are overseas.

All these years there were a lot fun in my research and enjoyment never cease, unlike whistle blowers ended like the fifth joke. Some comments from expert like authentication by weight and shape is not reliable and others need to be checked. Recently there was an article in the Star Newspaper dated 28th Jan,2012 that shows a boy looking at a Ching dynasty (A.D. 1644 -A.D. 1911) plate in China. It is common knowledge that most of the enamel polychrome are from the Ching dynasty which include the early Pua Nguar and Nyonya ware. Famille Noire, Famille Verte, Famille Jaune and Famille Rose are the names given to the coloured enamel wares. With a number of Ching dynasty emperors, the difficult part to identify lies with 3 emperors, the rest has a vast difference in many ways. This is known to experts and was not brought out for lectures leaving next generation lack of knowledge and also making those important artefacts in famous collectors becoming unimportant.

This plate of the Yuan dynasty (1279 A.D to 1368 A.D.) Mohammedan's Blue and the Koranic script are rare.

The pot in Tang dynasty (618 A.D. to 906 A.D.) The three colour pot have fine texture of glaze after come in contact with mud.