Recently I discover that most of the collectors in antiques
like to argue that their items or artefacts in their collection are genuine
rather than proving that the items or artefacts in their collection are
genuine. By proving there is a chance for learning.
I remember very well that a customer from New York bought
some artefacts from my late father and receipt was issued with “goods sold are
not returnable” which is a universal practice and this American customer who is
an accountant showed it to a museum and confirmed to be modern copies and the
museum’s further comment that my father’s customer has no right to complain.
This customer came back and see my late father and said that, it look like the
deal is not fair because the receipt states that the items are antique and when
an expert confirm that it is not, he can’t complain because “goods sold are not
returnable” doesn’t give him the right to complain. I then took over the
receipt and add in these words “but returnable on the condition that the goods
mentioned are modern copies and there must be written remarks from experts” and
counter signed which makes it my personal guarantee for the items. This
customer was informed that I want to know who the person in the museum he
showed the items to and not the museum’s sweeper who faces the items
daily. He then went back to the museum
and demanded for a written remark but was turned down. He then came back to
tell us that your sale condition works and that he told the expert that he is
willing to buy a report for confirming that the items are modern copies so that
he can get a refund and further bought a few items. This shows that experts who
do not write reports are failure because it confuses collector not only locally
but also internationally.
I found a good book titled “ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF CHINESE
GOVERNMENT EXHIBITS FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF CHINESE ART IN LONDON” in 1936 which came in four
volumes and written in bilingual (Chinese and English). These set of books are
informative because I have only one book that was written about bronze ware.
There are a number of good items floating in the market at
present and it require experience to buy a correct item. A colour photocopy of
the mail order catalogue or brochure of the lousy ware (call it what you like
Nyonya ware, Straits Chinese Porcelain or Peranakan ware) will be shown at a
coffee shop opposite Pearl Point Hotel at Old Klang Road and Taman Desa Food
Court.
