Untrustworthy Comments

There is a Chinese national who claim that “Kit Chow” Temmuko which is a black glazed items should have black base which is in lay man’s term the whole item should be black and any white would be wrong. I have good color photos of the items that he mentioned and I am not sure he will carry out the action according to what he had said by throwing away the museums’ pieces for giving wrong information because the black part on the unglazed foot is dirt and not cleaned. There are visitors searching for antique shops, I can only state that you have to wait until one day the shops will be opened for them to buy antiques and this is a reply to visitor 1)Denpasar Bali searching for “malaysia antique plate shop”. 2)Kuala Lumpur – “Penang antique shop”. One visitor from Petaling Jaya searching for “antique dealers Petaling Jaya” which is difficult for me to say what dealers are selling because the search is in the air and nothing concrete. Unless this visitor has a search for example like blue and white double gourd or a piece of antique hall mark silver.

There are visitors from kuala lumpur searching for 1)”nyonya ware and kitchen ching”. 2)”nyonya porcelain mark made in china”. Nyonya ware and kitchen ching are items not to my interest and even I run an antique shop, I will just throw them away. Next is a visitor from K.L. searching for “antique buyers in Malaysia”, if there are antique buyers then there will be many antique shops in Malaysia. Visitors looking for peranakan porcelain ware should go to Jingdezhen to look for the factories as this word “peranakan” was newly heard of and this make nyonya ware older which I know because my grandmother and my mother are daughters of Baba and Nyonya family. One visitor from Shah Alam searching for “peranakan bowl magazine” is something I have not heard of and who the publisher is?

One visitor from Kuala Lumpur W.P. searching for “antique collector malaysia” which is hard to find because antique collectors do not know what are antiques and what are not? I am yet to meet up with an antique collector or collectors in Chinese porcelain from which ever country.

Unwanted and Cheap Nyonya Ware

There are number of visitors 1) From Singapore searching for “nyonya ware”. 2) Kuala Lumpur searching for “Peranakan tea set K.L.” 3) Singapore, “where to buy peranakan porcelain in Singapore”. 4) Kajang “peranakan antiques for sale”. 5) Melaka “fake nyonya ware”. 6) Singapore “nyonya antique shop penang”. 7) London “nyonya porcelain auction prices”.  8) Puchong, Selangor-“antique nyonya ware”. 9)Puchong, Selangor- “nyonya antique bowl for sale” 10) Kuala Lumpur – peranakan antique nyonya ware”. 11) London “nyonya porcelain prices”. Please refer to Star Special titled “Homes”, in this article it tells the shop, address that sells nyonya ware and the prices for the items which order can be made and also repeat order. This shop is still in business. I have to admit that I do not know peranakan ware.

Other visitors from Warboys, Cambridgeshire searching for “nyonya ware uk”, I do not have contacts with UK and I do not know where the Settlement for nyonya families are found in UK. Two visitors from 1) Kuala Lumpur- “antique malaysia”. 2) Malaysia searching for “antique Malaysia” which I do not know what is wanted by these two visitors and I do not want to state anything. 3) A visitor from New York searching for “Malaysia antique store“. 4) Petaling Jaya – “antique shops K.L.” which I had stated earlier that there was no record of any shop or store and explanation was in this earlier blog. 4)Two visitors one from Shah Alam Selangor searching for “antique shop furniture and another second from Petaling Jaya searching for “Chinese antique furniture Malaysia”. 5) Melaka- “nyonya ware prices “. Old and unwanted things are treated as rubbish and if there are takers will make the sellers happy. For nonya set nothing cost more than 300dollars, for a soup spoon is on 10cents, tea cups 15cents, teapots 3dollars and the prices of the items has passed my hands and at that time there are also prices for dealers. The nyonya kancheng which was called pua nguar was 35 dollars. Most of the unwanted things are being sought after by young family members who have gone to overseas for education.

Antique business has been bad for a long time because dealer or dealers do not know what is suitable for sale to customers. For example, when I talk about nyonya ware kamcheng. I was objected by a highly reputable man that in the 60’s there was no nonya ware and was called pua nguar and there was no way for me to win over him because collectors trusted him more than me. I have not heard of peranakan ware and pua nguar. The problem is when I talk about nyonya ware pua nguar came up and to another person when I talk about nyonya ware, peranakan ware or straits Chinese porcelain ware came up. The two problems are nyonya ware fakes are made in Bandung and later Jingde Zhen and the confusing names given to these wares and if you ask any collector to tell how to know theirs are genuine they are sure to have problems not only to nyonya ware but most of the porcelain ware and this has also 1) make buying and selling difficult. 2) Young generations will share the same problem with the earlier generation. Collectors have to search all over to see who wants to sell in order to get what is wanted and no longer from shops. Collectors has been making enemies toward themselves because if they do not know how to tell what they have with them are genuine and not at the faults of others. It is of no use asking where to buy this because good items will not wait for you to come and buy. Earlier the shop which I had mention that was featured in the Star special that sells a variety of nyonya ware.

Nyonya Ware Browser

Most of the collectors in Chinese Antiques have this in their mind that what they have are genuine and valuable. The items or artefacts sold at the shop are fakes and not valuable. To prove this fact wrong 1) I have with me some old beautiful furniture which is thrown away as garbage in Penang and now it is consider recycle furniture. 2) I bought two fountain pens from two different people and when I show them to the dealers they were willing to pay me a good price for them because such items are not easily found. 3) At a car park, I found a piece of raw turquoise stone (unpolished) and this has zero cost on me. My aim is to look for things that are hard to get whether at shops or roadside is not important but not many people having the same thing as I have. The items that are old and can be seen in many places are not my interest.

A visitor from New Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, is searching for “antique shops in Malaysia”. There are no good record of shops selling antiques in Malaysia because the experts named led the collectors to know what to collect and most of the shops in Malaysia closed because the items sold are no good for collection and further that the experts did not make things clear what are good to collect and what are not to dealers. Antique business is different from other business because dealers have to keep stock whenever they come across any good items and not a kind of business that you place an order and wait for delivery whereas antique collectors only browse around to see if anything suits them.

There are three visitors, one from Ampang searching for “nyonya ware sales”, second from Kuala Lumpur searching for “+nyonya porcelain wall paintings”,  the third from Singapore searching for “BUY AUTHENTIC NYONYA WARES” and the fourth visitor from Kuala Lumpur  W.P. searching for “antique  famille rose nyonya ware for sale”. I am sorry that I am unable to furnish you all with the “lousy ware” information. I am not interested in nyonya ware. Ng Ting Kau used to have dinner sets and even a piece from a French lady Madame Lopez was said to be fake or copy from Bandung that make me to give up talking about nyonya ware items. The brochure for the mail order for nyonya ware will be posted in this blog. Situation like this will make your blood pressure high because artefacts kept for a long time and a good hobby for making money turned out to be fakes and can be ordered from factories. My late father was good at cutting losses by throwing them away.

A visitor from 1)Puchong Selangor searching for “peranakan ware”. 2)  A visitor from Singapore is searching for “how do you know if peranakan bowls are real antiques?” and 3) A visitor from Singapore is searching for “how to check authentic peranakan bowls or not. This word “peranakan ware” is a new word and is new to me and I do not understand “peranakan ware”

Another visitor from Kajang Selangor is searching for “antique authentication Singapore”. There are a number of experts in Singapore and one is an advisor to “Ku Tong Wong” in Ipoh.

1)A visitor from Penang , Pulau Pinang searching for http://ngtingkauantiques.blogspot.com and 2) A visitor from Kajang Selangor searching for http://ngtingkauantiques.blogspot.com which I do not know what he or she wants and has made me to guess what is wanted.

In the world of antique trade, dealers and collectors who are not knowledgeable usually practice 1) rumour buy, rumour sell. 2) guessing buy, guessing sell and to get involved in this confusion will make life miserable and these misery is sought by collectors who is fond of chasing after rainbows. Experts claim themselves to be good at authenticating antiques and their best answer given will be “imitations can be made exactly the same as originals” which made me lost out to experts and collectors. This problem is forwarded to all experts and collectors not to keep something that is “no genuine, no fake”.

This recent weekend, I met a dealer in antique and collectible items from Penang and I told him of my good time searching for antiques that I had in Malacca and Penang. I even told him that Mr. Bah Chong Seang, a Thai national who rented a room at 58, Lorong Selamat, Penang searched antiques for my father to sell and anything that involve large sum of money, my father will go with me to Penang. My good chance in a lifetime was to see a twenty two katies (Malayan weight measurement used in the earlier days) silver vase in a special case with mahogany wood frame and also three bronze items a bull, a lady and a bear which Mr. Bah took us to see. He told us that he has customer interested in cast iron eagle which was removed from gate pillars of bungalow houses. We do not have customers for the items shown to us but have a chance to see and know that such items exist.

Mr. Bah knows what my father saleable items 1) from Penang Furniture, nyonya porcelain ware and from Thailand, bronze Buddha, wood musician figurine set for wall decoration, Angkor Wat sandstone items, old swankhalok and sukhothai items. Mr. Bah also deals in other things, while in Penang, he extracted a lot of intan (diamond chips) from nyonya gold kerosang (nyonya brooches) and take it to Thailand and to be refacet and sold there, the gold is sold as scrap and from Thailand he brings in silver brooches, brass forks and spoon with cow horn handle, Angkor Wat panels, bronze Buddha, gem stones. I remember this man very well because he and his son attended my wedding dinner in 1983 and he has given me a beautiful embroidery banner with Eight Fairies ushering good luck and my name written in gold paint on the side. Mr. Bah also taught us how to test silver and gold because we also deal in silverware like pillow ends, mosquito nets’ hooks and English hall mark silver with a lion. I am having three solid silver propelling pencils. There is a dictionary for the place and date of manufacture.

In web site shows an irregular reign mark of a Ming dynasty and this irregular reign mark was found on a piece in a world famous collector’s collection. I do not depend on reign mark to tell whether the piece or artefact is old or important.

These are my experiences which I can share 1) This Chinese customer of my father passed my shop many times and I invited him and he refused. The second time I invited him to have a cup of coffee and he refused. Now that I have this blog to deliver my message, he wants to invite me a cup of coffee. 2) Another is a friend who kept his distance many times trying to get a better relation after reading my blogs which I have no time for gathering. 3) I receive threats to the extent “no need to prove and you have to admit that you are selling fakes.”

Now that I leave this matter on genuine or fake to collectors and experts because after I caught collectors and experts celebrating my father’s death and I also celebrate “all artefacts are fakes until and unless proven genuine”. If you have any good result to share with me that the artefacts are genuine I can be found at Sun Kee coffee shop opposite Pearl Point International where I have my lunch and dinner at Taman Desa food court.

A Good Laugh

I have a good laugh when I meet with people who are conmen in antique field like collectors and claimed to be experts. The three Chinese men that I met, all have to go embarrassed because they wanted to be somebody who is said to be knowledgeable. The first was a person whom I don’t know him very well. It doesn’t matter because a person is judged by the facts he talked about antiques. During the exchange of knowledge, I showed him two Tang dynasty items and he told me his doubts on the items and I was able to reply. He then said that to authenticate the items, the items must be brought to the museum or museums to check. He then showed me a clip on his hand phone which is a Chien Lung Blue and white pilgrim flask and claimed to be genuine and whether he has brought it to the museum to authenticate is not known to me. He also tell me that there imitations made by very high class makers which is exactly the same as originals. I then replied that your Chien Lung  piece can be ordered to make which means “no genuine and no fakes”. I didn’t my time in sharing any further.

The second knows one friend of mine. He was talking about “fei  chui” jade and the good one has to be tested in the reliable laboratory and my reply to him is that Burmese jade is cheap and expensive when green that is the reason for people to dye the colour. My friend then talked about porcelain. He said that potters in China uses old kaolin from shards to make porcelain and this prove successful in authentication, I then ask why do they want to heat up the old kaolin when it has cooled down. I then told him that good Yi-hsing teapot must leak in order to be good and the reason for leakage.

Third was a Sarawakian who was introduced to me by a friend who has retired from gold business. At first I was looked down by him who thought that I know nothing which I always pretend. From the hand phone clip was a “martaban jar” which was left down by his father who was an antique collector and making his family knowledgeable in antiques. He said to tell genuineness the genuine old jar should be light in weight and imitation ones are heavy. I then ask him for the correct weight which he was unable to answer and further say that in Sibu, Sarawak , he was told that imitation can be made and either buried and dipped in chemical to make it to be genuine and he was confident with what he had said. I then told him that I am looking for items which can pass the test this way. He then admitted that he doesn’t know antiques.

Fourth was an antique shop newly opened which has some display cupboard and some shelves. There was a polychrome vase at eye sight level on the shelf and I lightly ran my fingers over its glaze. The owner showed me the sign “Do not touch” which was in a hardly noticeable place and said that I should ask him. I then on the spot in front of his customers ask why is the glaze rough when it should be smooth plus the reason. He quickly replied saying “No comment”. I then left with laughter knowing that there are dealers with much knowledge.

There are about twenty plus visitors making searches and I must apologise to this visitor who e-mail to me looking for carpenter to restore antique furniture because I haven’t found one. The one that I know is about 70 over years of age and he can’t squad and having vision problem. He can be contacted but he cannot do anything. He made a red and gold stool to match the red and gold dressing table with parts taken from the red and gold bed’s mosquito net posts and this item appeared in an old magazine. At present I am having a new (made by this carpenter) red and gold two drawer cabinet set with old carvings.

A visitor from Las Crucas, New Mexico searching for “authentic xu beihung “.  This artist was known to be in Malaya before the Second World War and I was told by an elderly Chinese doctor in Kuala Lumpur that this artist held an exhibition at the Selangor Assembly hall to raise fund for Second World War which means that this artist’s painting is floating around Malaya (Now Malaysia). The same goes to Picasso and other famous paintings are not found in Asian countries. Next visitor from Kukke, West Vlaandaren, Germany searching for “Swatow porcelain marks”.  From my experience, Swatow ware has very few marks but with impurities on the base and the drawings are with outlines and are with sketches.

A visitor from Puchong Selangor searching for “antique malaysia” did not tell what antiques is of his interest and I will leave the search back. From Petaling Jaya, Selangor – “China antique shop in Malaysia”, which I do not know if they were to sell a mixture old and new items then I will be accused of giving the wrong direction. From Singapore “antique bowl sales Singapore”- I did not check Singapore market and I won’t be able to tell and another from Singapore – “manufacturers in China for replica of peranakan porcelain wares” showed that there is no market and no importer. One visitor from Malaysia searching for “angkor mall antique furniture shop K.L.” which I have not heard of this shopping mall.  A visitor from K.L. Wilayah” where to buy affordable antique furniture in Penang” and another visitor from Kuala Lumpur searching for “Kuala Lumpur where to buy antique chest and cupboard.  I had given up antique furniture business when I couldn’t find restorer. A visitor from Mambar Maharashtra India searching “penang antiques buyers” did not state what are the penang antiques available for sale. Another visitor from Kuala Lumpur searching for “antique nyonya” which is not clear what are the nyonya items?

 The rest of the visitors searching are all about nyonya ware and peranakan which I don’t know whether they are the same wares but however I will list it in differently. Visitors from Kuala Lumpur 1) “nyonya wares”. 2)”nyonya ware malaysia”.  Visitors from Singapore 1)”BUY NYONYA WARES IN PENANG” 2)”authentic nyonya ware” 3)”authentic nyonya wares Singapore”.

Next are the visitors from Singapore. 1)”antiques peranakan things for sale”. 2)” peranakan antiques for sale Singapore vase”. 3)”PERANAKAN WARE”. 4) “antique peranakan things for sale”.

My late father used to sell old crockery items from Penang and Malacca and at that time active dealings took place until Bandung copies came into the market that many were thrown away for road levelling because those items are no longer of importance.

A visitor from Petaling Jaya searching for “antique ceramics authentication Malaysia” I have heard about Professor Peacock, William Young Willetts, Mr. Mohammad and Peter Clague Malaysia and I do not know whether Peter Clague Singapore and Peter Clague Malaysia is the same person and to avoid confusion I will make it clear. These are the named experts who will authenticate antique ceramics in Malaysia.  

I have known many cunning collectors who want to return the items and get refund as when they like even you can prove genuineness and this made this business difficult because the money from the sales need to be kept aside waiting for return. Due to this I prefer sitting at the coffee shop busy stirring coffee with no time and no energy to waste. Collectors are the ones that brought down this trade due to lack of knowledge and want to comment on others’ item which I had seen my late father suffer. Time and tide waits for no one but I have a chance in my life time with a collection of watches, coins, old Penang furniture and fountain pens. The bad feelings that has happen to me was a browser claim that I do not have fountain pens, I told I have but not for sale. He asked me to show him and after I brought out, he took a few and wanted to buy, I told him that they are not for sale and he got angry. The next thing is that I hate to post photographs of my items in this blog because I notice someone has been using photos from my blog. With age catching up the only thing to do is to declare that “ALL ANTIQUE ITEMS ARE COPIES UNLESS AND UNTIL PROVEN GENUINE”.    

American Customer

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. 

Ng Ting Kau Antique Shop

This word “NgTing Kau “ is a Chinese name (read in Teochew dialect) and belong to an antique dealer at Kuala Lumpur, Malaya who was born on 27^th October 1933 and died on the 27^th July 1995 and his obituary can be found in the Star newspaper dated 28^th July 1995(see exhibit). Mr. Ng Ting Kau left Methodist Afternoon School in 6^th December 1951 (see school leaving certificate) and was an antique dealer widely known as a “crook” for selling imitation antique Chinese Porcelain items made in Bandung as genuine.

After his death, I took over the antique business with the name “Ng Ting Kau antique shop” at off Old Klang Road and later shifted to Amcorp Mall. At that time collectors were not interested in what Ng Ting Kau antique shop was selling because of his bad name and there was no way for me to get collectors and tell them about genuineness sold at “Ng Ting Kau Antique Shop”. The word “antiques” was not understood by collectors but in this blog “antiques” has to be genuine in order to be called “antiques”. This word is a quote from answers to visitors dated 24/7/2011 found in this blog and it requires antique dealers and collectors who want to sell to prove antiquity the items they are selling.

I have not learnt computer because spending time to run the taxi until three years ago. In year 2010, a schoolmate of my youngest son who taught him to set up this blog. “ngtingkauantiques. blogspot.com” is known. The business registration is used to keep as memory for this business that he has started (see exhibit of business registration). However any collector who wants to collect must ask the seller to lay the facts for the items so that confirmation that the piece is genuine and not fakes or copies and at the same time these facts can be shared with any other person or persons or transfer to the next generation.

At a relative’s house to celebrate Chinese New Year 2014, a couple (guest of my relative) was seated at the same table with my first and second son who happened to be my father’s customer recognizes me and was asking about antiques. In the short time, I asked 1) Why do you want to collect old porcelain and why are the Jingde zhen items claimed to be antiques at shopping mall no good? 2) I told them do not buy on “rumour buy, rumour sell” basis. 3)The reason why Yi-hsing teapot must leak when water is kept overnight. It was then they understood and this lesson was taught in the presence of my sons. It is honourable to show the truth and also for experts cum collectors in antiques to show and tell others what they have collected are genuine and worthwhile to collect.

It is good to do sharing only with knowledgeable group of people otherwise 1)What is genuine and what is fakes or copies is not known. 2) The important way is to identify Bandung copied Nyonya ware, Jing dezhen modern made Nyonya ware and genuine Nyonya ware and other wares as well. 3) All artefacts are fakes or copies unless and until proven genuine.

Ng Ting Kau’s School Leaving Certificate

Ng Ting Kau’s Obituary Photograph

Ng Ting Kau's New Business Registration

                           

A Chinese Proverb

A Chinese proverb says “give a man a fish, it will feed him for a day. Teach him to fish, it will last him a lifetime. Most of the Chinese antique collector has known what are genuine and what are copies or fakes by now. I am very sure that collectors wants their collections to last them a lifetime and also to the next generation.

My late father was known as “George” by some of the English people who were here in the earlier years and there was one case that he sold some ivory items before wild life law was enforced to a British Colonel in Green Lane, Seremban and he claim them to be plastic. Years later this British Colonel was at his friend’s house and he met my late father asking why he didn’t go to Green Lane because he knew he was wrong in the accusation. My late father said that all Green Lanes’ customers close the door at him in front of his friends and he felt so embarrassed. My late father told me this happening and said that with business like this won’t make you a millionaire and without won’t make you a beggar. A lesson well learnt.

Last year there was a talk by a Chinese lady expert and when I asked in mandarin on how to tell the difference between the old and new so that rubbish do not turn treasure, the audience started to laugh at me but the expert told to sit down and when my question was answered, the audience kept quiet. The answer is for you to find out and I will keep it my secret which tells me that I am on the correct way learning to keep Chinese antiques. The Sinan cargo found in South Korea was said to be imitation by some experts and later it was discovered to be genuine. (From reader’s digest Aug 1980).

A book written about antique Chinese porcelain by an English author, dedicated to H.R.H. The Crown Prince of Sweden has been very helpful but not many collectors took interest. Books are like road maps will lead the way. Singapore has a number of Chinese experts in Chinese porcelain and I have been told ku tong wong in Ipoh has known the Singaporean experts who are good at authenticating Chinese antique porcelain and yet there is a visitor looking for experts and cannot find which is something amusing. I came across blue and white shards of a few plates found in a book written in Japanese named “Ceramic Art of the World Volume 13” by Tsugio Mikami. The shards were from Archaeological Survey of India, E. Smart and I found that I have the few plates in my collection which is not found in other places. These items will be my family treasure because I have recorded them in my journal for children. 

A visitor from Leeburg, Virginia searching for “How much is a Wai Ming H.K. bowl worth?”. It depend on how many collectors know what “Wai Ming H.K. bowl” are and interested party are always ready to pay in order to own it. I don’t know what is “Wai Ming H.K. bowl” is and has not heard about it.

Another visitor from Central district Hong Kong searching for “Singapore antique shop” and the answer is in this blog already.

I am waiting for the photographs of the new batch of “nei siau for” from the experts who claim that they are more valuable than ‘wai siau for”.

Iron Rust Color Spots

          Recently there has been argument about iron rust colour spots (translated in mandarin as tieh siew pan) found in Blue and White porcelain are genuine antiques. I have a good laugh because the collectors and experts only know that blue and white items are only good when iron rust colour spots are found and  whether the iron rust colour spots are manmade or appeared due to aging and this is not known to collectors and experts. When such collectors and experts are put on stage to give talks, it will be helpful to find out how well they know their homework.

A visitor from Batu Caves, Selangor searching for “Malaysia Chinese antique furniture supplier” which I can state that there is no factory for any antique items. My late father’s carpenter is now helping his wife selling noodles at Old Town Petaling Jaya after his retirement and his special tools for shaping wood was given to me. There were buyers for his tools which I want to keep. This is the same carpenter who restore and extracting the old carving parts from incomplete furniture to make complete furniture. This has been going on at Klang Road. It is very difficult to get restorers today and it will go back to the earlier years where gas and kerosene stoves were not in the market, most of the broken furniture are used as firewood for cooking. 

Wai Siau For

A friend of mine who visited antique shops in Peoples’ Republic of China and put forward the same question that I would ask to one antique shop owner and he seem to be confused. At the same time my friend showed him the photograph of Yuan dynasty Blue and white item and his reply was that if that is genuine, you can buy up the whole street. He also mentioned about “Nei Siau For and Wai Siau For” Most of the experts in the Peoples’ Republic of China always think that “Nei Siau For” is only found in China.

Mr. O Kai Seng , a businessman who runs his business at Penang Road. He sent a friend, Mr. Bah Chong Seang to China to choose the “Nei Siau For” vases. These vases were taken from families and sold to raise funds to fight Korean War. Mr. O Kai Seng then priced the vases at a high price and he rented a store at a place called “Tai Gu Ow”  in Teochew direct translation is ”slaughter cow back” for about eight months. Later he personally came to my house to invite my father to Penang to buy his vases and has set his condition that if my father fail to buy any of his vases, he will pay for my father’s expenses because he has stock and no customer and my father has customer but no stock.

At present I have been looking for photographs of the new batch of “Nei Siau For” found in the Peoples’ Republic of China which was brought up by experts and dealers because I came across the “Nei Siau For” items sold by the Communist China government. Some of the “Nei Siau For and Wai Siau For” items were said to be copied in Bandung.

The meaning of “Nei Siau For and Wai Siau For” can be found in this blog dated February 2, 2012.

Unfriendly collectors

There are many boastful, arrogant and unfriendly collectors in Chinese antiques that I met will be well remembered in my lifetime.

One who was introduced by my younger sister who wanted some items which at that time I did not have stock of his interest. I told him to be careful of imitations and my experience in the court case and certificates wanted by collectors to prove authenticity.

Later my father, Mr. Ng Ting Kau died, he came to celebrate his death because the famous crook who sells fake antiques has died but to me I had lost my father and a good teacher in authenticating Chinese antiques. It is good for every one without this crook so that there won’t be much Bandung copies in the market because some collectors will fall into his cheat. I met this man later at a seminar on sunken vessel and he was not friendly at all. When I came to know of this, I can celebrate for collectors and glorify them for having antiques without certificates and also Bandung copies being treated as genuine. I am very happy that my father’s knowledge was transferred to my boys.

Another who has seen two wall clocks and was told that one belongs to a Dato and cannot be sold because he sent it over for safe keeping and the other is for sale. This customer paid a deposit for the clock which is for sale and later phone up to say that he wanted Dato’s clock and I can only say that you can only take for the item that you had pay the deposit for. He did not turn up to collect the clocks. Later when we met we were like enemies.

One accused my late father of using black magic to make customers buy antiques from him and he is somebody known in society because he wants to protect his collection. Now that he has use the non- black to teach his successor how his collection are genuine.

Three years ago I met this Indonesian antique dealer who runs his business in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. I was with my friend seated at this food and coffee place and he and his friend looking for a place to sit. This place has long tables which can be shared by customers. Since there were empty places, I then invited them to sit. They sat and I asked him whether he is still running his shop at the hotel and his reply was “no’ I then asked him whether is he doing freelance and his reply was that “Yes, my things you sell your car yet you cannot buy up.” I then said that I am looking for celadons with six fishes and another with two figurines, he then change his subject by accusing me of disturbing at talks. I then told him and his group of friends who was seated around me dealing in semi-precious stones and old watches that I asked the speakers “can imitations be made exactly the same as originals” and the speakers said can and now that you claim that I was there to disturb then you can tell us how your good and old because your friends around here wants to learn from you and not from the “kurang ajar” (a word hated by malays which means lack of education.) person. He was at the loss of words and before I left, I went over to shake his hand telling everybody that I want knowledge on items that are claimed to be antiques and if you are not happy, we can continue next week or some other time. I notice that his friends have distant themselves.

 Due to attacks on antique business has made it difficult to survive and even you have good knowledge it won’t help to bring up good reputation. From then till now these attacks has also been directed at collectors.

Recently I was accused of being egoistic and this was spread to my boys. I would say thank you for high lighting because I have been a looser and there was no match for me against the high level of ego found in the rich, famous and powerful collectors. A common problem which is collectors are fond of is that after they kick the bucket they do not know and understand what are antiques.  

There is a visitor from Kirkland, Washington who asked whether my Kutani ware are genuine, after all the items are not for sale and to share further is that potters do not fire one or two items which is costly. Secondly who would want to make fakes and sell to small number of collectors. There are not many collector in Japanese porcelain but my late father bought them with other items and knowing what it is, there was no worry in keeping them.

A local collector used his handphone to show me the photo of his collection and in his collection there were “Swatow Ware and kitchen Ching “. There was a piece of unpainted Swatow ware which is of late Ming dynasty and he dated it as Sung. When I said that it is Ming and the other item as kitchen Ching , he wasn’t too happy. Kitchen Ching are fired in pile and Ming Swatow has fine and rough ware.

There many visitors searching for shops selling antiques which I am unable to tell them because what they are selling is not known to me like Bandung copies being sold as genuine will bring me a bad name for getting visitors to get cheated. At present my father’s name is already bad and I do not know how to repair but I will be organizing exhibition based on part of his collection and knowledge. Watch out for the dates and venue.  

Nothing Further To Add

There are 1) Visitor from Penang, Pulau Pinang searching for “antique cupboard straits peranakan imported overseas 100 years old. 2) Visitor from Houston, Texas searching for “nyonya furniture” 3) Visitor from Kuala Lumpur searching for “Ching antique furniture Malaysia”. I do not know or hear of any shop selling such furniture now.

 3) Visitor from Kuala Lumpur searching for “antique porcelain repair in penang” which I do not know whether the skill for porcelain repair has been imported from China to Penang . 4) Visitor from Singapore searching for “Chinese antique ting” which I do not know what he or she wants?  5) Visitor from London searching for “Chinese antiques Kuala Lumpur”. There were shops selling items called “curios” and that kind of shops has a mixture with antiques, later these shops closed down because collectors demanding antiques with certificates. 6) Visitor from Kampar searching for “buying authentic nyonya porcelain wares” which is a difficult deal to handle because most of the authentic nyonya porcelain are without certificates which most antique collectors wants the certificates to go with the authentic nyonya porcelain wares and other wares. 7) Visitor from Butterworth, Pulau Pinang searching for “Malaysia antique collector”. So far not many Malaysia antique collector is heard of but I heard of a “Ku Tung Wong” (in Cantonese means antique king) whether he is a collector or dealer which I am not clear is found in Ipoh. There is one thing that I am certain is that if collectors who owned 1) items without certificates.2) items which he or she is unable to prove that they are genuine are at a high risk and can cause riches or wealth never pass one generation which I can be very sure of. 7) Visitor from Seri Kembangan searching for “value of Blue and white nyonya ware”. I do not know which type you are talking about “batik blue and white” or “butterfly pattern”. Everything has a value and it is whether of high value or low value. The original ones are of high value because at that time when it was mass produced with good workmanship. Later mass produced in Bandung can be easily bought or order to make. There is a difference between the ancient and new and also that tests can be carried out. Ancient artefacts cannot be produced in modern factories and if ancient artefacts can be produced by modern factories, then new made ancient artefacts will flood the market making bad values for old made ancient artefacts then you and I will not hear of what is term as “museum piece”. TL test will damage porcelain artefact and before you send your item for test, do more research on the test. 8) Visitor from London searching for “penang antiques” which I do not know what he or she wants because there are so many different kinds of antiques. 9) Visitor from Singapore searching for “peranakan porcelain Singapore” puzzled me because being Singapore based has to ask foreigner for direction. 10) Visitor from Canton, Ohio searching for ”nyonya  porcelain ware”, and another from Northwich, Cheshire searching for “nyonya ware porcelain” should look at my earlier blog stated. 11) Visitor from Diamond Bar California searching for “old shops in Malaysia photo” which I do not know whether there are any shops that sells such items. 12) Visitor from Kuala Lumpur searching for “Chinese antiques in old klang road. Please look into the earlier blogs because you are not the only one looking for these places and there is one family run business has shifted most of the artefacts out of Malaysia after the founder of the business died and the address of the business is in the earlier blog.

Recently I met a lady who told me that my late father was sued for selling fake antiques or copies, there are the people who want to get facts twisted. My late father was the plaintiff in this case and I was the witness to this case which lead to 1) Experts namely William Willetts, and Peter Clague whom I do not know whether he the Singapore Peter Clague or Malaysia Peter Clague did not show the difference between the old and modern copies at the trial. 2) Learned Magistrate, Che Mokhtar Bin Che Ali who disappeared from the trial while in session must have known what is genuine and what is imitation otherwise how is he to pass judgement. I am taking this opportunity to congratulate collectors that has been attacking my late father for selling Bandung copies and that I longed for retirement (after my wife passed away) in buying and selling Chinese Antiques so that 1) There will be no further accusation of Ronnie Ng’s father (Mr. Ng Ting Kau) and later Ronnie Ng for selling fakes or Bandung copies or modern copies. 2) To make way for collectors to making wealth can pass three generations and at the same time there are many collectors around the world who are able to make good authentications. 3)To make way for a request in Heritage Asia Magazine is to invite one Mr. Mohammad to give talks on antiques which I can agree that experts from Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Europeans including Malaysia will be able to help in authentication.

There will no more reply for visitors’ searches because I experienced the truth about collectors and there is nothing further for me to add.

Imitation Nyonya Ware

These recent visitors searching for: 1) From United Kingdom searching for “kuala lumpur + oriental tea sets dealers. There are many Chinese tea merchants in Malaysia and the tea sets available are Yi Hsing tea set, red clay and glass tea set. 2) Visitor from Bangkok Krung Thep “@ Hotmail + Singapore antique seller buyer”. This visitor should advertise his search in the Singapore newspaper classified advertisement so that people can respond to. 3) Visitor from kuala lumpur searching for “cases of ~fakes “antiques” “Malaysia”. There are a number of cases. A) A local dealer cum owner of a shop and a peddler was negotiating the price of a Sung dynasty Chun ware bowl and a European lady walked into the shop insisting to buy the bowl. The peddler followed this European lady to her house to collect the money. After some time this European lady went back to the shop and complaint that the bowl was a fake and demanded for refund. This shop owner told this European lady that the deal was between the peddler and her but he is willing to contact the peddler. To cut this story short, the European lady agreed on the term that instalment for the refund. This peddler then remitted the money from Singapore until the last few payments that this European lady sued the shop owner. The shop owner died due to fear. B) In year 1994, A Singapore dental surgeon bought some artefacts from a shop in a hotel and found that they were fakes and this was told by a Singaporean antique dealer. Enforcement division of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry had initially wanted to charge the dealer under the law but both parties reached amicable settlement.  (Extracted from The Malay Mail, Tuesday July 12, 1994) C) During the time when my late father was handling his antique business, I have been observing his customers and how to overcome genuine and fakes problem.  Most of his customers are no longer customers but browser searching for artefacts with certificates and they are more of a disturbance. Some of the collectors came over to my house and shouted at him and calling him “old crook” because he was accused for selling Bandung copies. Most of the collectors are looking for what I call “lousy ware” and they call it whatever “nyonya ware, peranakan ware, or straits Chinese porcelain” which are Bandung copies and also sold by mail order.  Now I would like to see a certificate issued by expert.

4) Visitor from Singapore searching for “blue with white colour nyonya bowl”. 5) Visitor from Chicago Illinois “collecting straits Chinese porcelain”. 6) Visitor from Petaling Jaya, Selangor “where can buy nyonya plate”. You can order these items from Jing dezhen , world famous for these items.

7) Visitor from K.L. Wilayah Persekutuan ”where to authenticate antiques”. When I say there is a difference between genuine and fake, objection against me is that there are no experts. It is up to collectors who want to have wealth or riches to pass three generations or wealth can’t pass one generation. (Wealth can’t pass three generations is a Chinese common saying.)

8) There a number of visitors from France, Penang, Singapore, Hong Kong and different parts of Malaysia “antique shops in different places like Penang ,Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor. I am sorry to say that I do not know what they sell and I do not want to point to the shops otherwise arguments may arise.

9) Visitor from K.L. W Persekutuan “antique shop amcorp mall William,” This visitor has shown that he has heard about this shop and for him to find , he need to go to the directory desk at the shopping complex  which is situated at the main entrance to get assistance which is not too difficult.

The future reply for my visitors search will be on hold because I have many other things to do.

Answers to Visitors

There are many visitors searching for many things. Visitor no.1 from London searching for “xu beihong galloping horse glazed”.  Sorry to say that I cannot find glazed horse on paintings

Visitor no 2 from penang, pulau pinang searching for “how to spot fake peranakan ware”. It is very easy, it only require the skill and knowledge even Bandung copies can be spotted.

Visitor no.3 from kuala lumpur searching for “vintage shop penang” which is easy to find because many of the old shops are considered heritage building.

Visitor no.4 from kuala lumpur  searching for “cheap antique Malaysia”. You will have to wait for your chance in your lifetime because collectors want to buy the items of your interest at the price you are looking for.

Visitor no.5 from Rockville Centre, New York searching for “names of collectors who buy kutani”. I do not have the list and also I have not heard of association for collecting kutani ware.

Visitor no.6 from kuala lumpur searching for “aliexpress  jingdezhen young buy reproduction antique wares”. This visitor confuses me which I am unable to answer.

Visitor no.7 from papar, sabah searching for “peranakan porcelain makers”.  There are two factories one in jingdezhen and another in Bandung which I do not know whether they are still making beautiful copies.

Visitor no.8 from Espoo, southern Finland searching for “where is the oldest antique shop in Singapore” and another visitor no.9 from Singapore searching for “antique Chinese vase boutique in Singapore”. I am lack of information and as such I am unable to answer to these two visitors’ searches.

Visitor no.10 from Singapore searching for “Chinese antiques Singapore experts”.  Singapore has many Chinese antique experts before the starting of auction business in Chinese antiques in Hong Kong. South East Asian Ceramic Society was also started in Singapore and an American Lady who stayed in Singapore collected porcelain items and later donated to a museum in America. Bandung copies was also spotted by experts in Singapore. I am very sure that there good experts in Singapore who are students at that time to carry on with authentications.

Visitor no.11 from kuala lumpur searching “ng ting kau” which is very easy, first you must get a certificate and then go to Semenyih  and you will find him there. The place that he stays is a well known place.

Visitor no.12 from Nokia, Western Finland searching for “antique buyer in Malaysia”. It is not known what type of antique that you are talking about and this make you difficult to get answer.

Visitor no.13 from London  searching for “nyonya for sale in uk”. I am not sure whether there are any importer for nyonya ware in London but in Malaysia, there are importers.

Visitor no.14 from Concord, New south Wales searching for “peter clague, Singapore”. Please refer to same blog posted on March, 27/2012.  

Visitor Search

There are two visitors with interesting searches 1) visitor from P.J. Selangor searching for “chinese ceramic shop in old klang road”. The Chinese ceramic shop in old klang road that I know was demolished and it is near the market. The business was shifted to a new place at Jalan Kuchai Lama, opposite Full Gospel Assembly Church and years later I am not able to tell where the business went.

2) Visitor from Saint Louis Missouri searching for “ming dynasty famille jaune ware”. What is famille jaune and when it was first made? From when did this make of Chinese porcelain get the foreign name like famille rose, famille noire, famille verte, famille jaune and other names with the word famille which I may have left out. Famille rose, famille noire, famille verte, famille jaune are overglaze enamel items. Beautiful crafted items are traded with overseas including yellow colour glazed which is a royal colour and cannot be used by commoner. This colour is also used by overseas royalties and was prepared by the Emperor of China at that time. I have not heard about famille jaune of the ming dynasty and I do not know how famille jaune of the ming dynasty look like.

Arrogant Collectors.

There are many arrogant collectors and experts who do not want to share with me certificates issued by famous experts or famous collectors.

There are some visitors with special searches 1) A visitor from Genova Liguria Italy searching for”old Japanese porcelain with bubbles”. 2) A visitor from Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang searching for “china antique dealers”. 3) A visitor from Segamat, Johor searching for “Chinese antiques shop in Klang”. 4) A visitor from K.L. W.P. searching for “nyonya ware in Hong Kong”. 5) A visitor from Indonesia searching for “antique collector malaysia”. 6) A visitor from K.L. WP searching for “peranakan antique stores in medan”. 7) A visitor from Seremban, Negeri Sembilan searching for “I bought from mr. ng”

The visitor from Genova, Italy did not mention which type of Japanese porcelain that he is referring. I love what I have a) Imari ware, a Japanese lady in kimono the red, blue and gold glaze. B) Ko-Kutani ware has fine crackle with green, blue, yellow and a special brown. The colour glaze found in Imari ware is not found in Ko-Kutani and Chinese porcelain ware. The glaze colour is not found in Ko-Kutani ware is not found in Imari ware and Chinese Porcelain, the same goes to the colour of Chinese celadon, Korean celadon and Thai celadon. However I love the Japanese porcelain that I have which has given me knowledge by proper studies by touching and not by hear-say. An expert had stated that one must learn with “authenticated specimen”.

The second visitor has to look for a wide area because most of the good items may not reach you as they may be sold out before you discover the good items.

The third visitor should follow the second visitor has to look for a wide area to search for Chinese antiques shop in Klang and whether there are Chinese antiques shop in Klang or not, I don’t know because I am not from Klang.

The fourth visitor should know whether there are prawn foodstuffs found in Hong Kong and as such I do not know whether you have come across or just being told.

Answer to fifth visitor, many collectors does not want knowledge but depend on experts to tell them whether the items are old or not. I do not know any knowledgeable collector in antiques in Malaysia.

As to the sixth visitor I have not heard of peranakan antique stores in medan but I see peranakan wares in local antique shops in K.L. and P.J.

The seventh visitor has not identified himself or herself and I cannot say that he or she was a customer of Ng Ting Kau Antique Shop at Kuala Lumpur and whether he or she has bought the items from Mr. Ng Ting Kau or Mr. Ronnie Ng Poh Heong and what are the items. There are many collectors who claim for certificates and I am sure by now there are many certificates issued by experts and the only way that Ng Ting Kau Antique Shop sell antiques are without certificates but for experts to issue report to prove any judgement that is wrong. Ng Ting Kau Antique Shop is registered with the Registrar of Business and not a road side peddler where the seller turn his back and the buyer turn his back, the buyer could not find the seller. I had earlier stated that the call it what you like Nyonya ware, Straits Chinese, Peranakan ware or Pua Nguar item owned by Madame Lopez, whether the ownership is important or the fact to tell the item is genuine or fake is important? Collectors will want to gain importance to their items by claiming that I bought it from this well- known dealer or from this famous family. The late Mr. Ng Ting Kau will always give details to the buyer but many do not want to know and that is all I know.

In The 70's

In the 70’s, Bandung copies was known and most of the collectors insist that only genuine ones are with certificates. At that time expert cum antique dealer, Peter Claque is the owner of Asia Antiques and have a business place at Loke House, Medan Tuanku, Kuala Lumpur., William Willetts and few other dealers (few Chinese, a Korean, and an Indonesian) must have issue certificates to support what is genuine which means that the item is not bought and sold by rumour (rumour buy, rumour sell basis). My late father has been told by browsers that genuine items has certificates and till today I have not seen one certificate which means that there are no good collectors.

Japanese collectors must be well congratulated because a Japanese couple bought some items and shown them to Peter Clague and they were said to be fakes and tried to return without proof and when my late father refused, they got angry and news spread around that my late father wasn’t fair. After all I have been equally angry with the Japanese Imperial  Army  for torturing my grandparents during the Second World War. I make sure that Japanese art will not be sold to Japanese like Ko-Kutani, Imari , Netsuke (signed) and whatever I come across to be kept away. It does not mean that Europeans has to be expert and I am searching for genuine items with certificates from them.

There are a few visitors searching 1) a visitor from Sg. Buloh “ the most beautiful nyonya ware in the world. 2) a visitor from Netherland searching for reproduction  Chinese opium bed.3) a visitor from Kuala Lumpur Chinese antique furniture old klang road

1)The most beautiful nyonya ware in the world is a garden table with six barrel stools for sale at a shop in Taman OUG, Kuala Lumpur whether it has been sold or not has nothing to do with me.

2)The reproduction Chinese opium bed which can be found in Peoples’ Republic of China because there are importers in Malaysia for Chinese furniture but I do not know if there are importer in Netherland.

3)There are two Chinese antique furniture, old klang road with one at 14H.D. Hock Ann Estate, 4¼ Mile Klang Road, Kuala Lumpur and another has been demolished to make the bridge next to Tesco  4½ Mile Klang Road and the second mentioned shop which I believe is still running antique business.

The rest of the visitors searching for nyonya ware, antique shops, antique shop facebook penang, straits chinese antique shop are a waste of time because nobody will want to share the secret location of the Ali Baba’s cave including the knowledge in authentication and if they share the location with you, you may not have the chance to see, touch or feel it because you are not the only person searching for genuine antiques.

Studies for the Genuine Antiques

The Yuan dynasty Mohammadan Blue plate.












Late Ming copy of the Yuan dynasty plate.

The photo of two yellow-ground dishes : that on the right is a Ming original, and that on the left a Ch'ien-lung copy is extracted from a book 'Chinese Porcelain' which thought me to know the difference between the original and a copy.

This is the Ming dynasty bowl that was claimed to be a modern copy by William Willetts and Peter Clague.

There are too many visitors searching for antique shops in Penang, Singapore and other places. The only way to look for these places is tourist information center and where to get kamcheng, basin, ladle, spittoon in Malaysia.

There are not many people who want to set up antique business because 1) the genuine items is here today and gone tomorrow.  2) Dealers do not know what to buy and sell due to complaint from customers that so and so expert claim that copies can be easily made in China. 3) Keeping the stock for too long and selling at a later date with low profits.

There are a few visitors who want to know whether what they have are genuine. The first thing to check is the ability of the expert in telling whether your items are genuine or fake. Don’t just go away happily when he or she tells you that your items are genuine and sad when he or she tell you that your items are fakes, find out how he conclude in order check any mistake is made by him. The photo of my Ming dynasty Blue and white bowl with lotus pond was claim to be a copy and comparison was made at a museum which left the William Willetts to embarrassment and Learned Magistrate to disappear from the court without calling for adjournment. There is a dealer cum expert claims that there are a lot of “bullshit” which I am about to find out whether he is a “bullshit” or not. Recently I check with one dealer who talk bad about my father’s collection to a friend and this friend brought me to see him. All I need to know is to see how he state his facts to conclude that his items for sale is genuine and being his customer will be at the wrong end and this incident was spread around Kuala Lumpur.(Chinese educated).       

The simple way to gain knowledge from experts is to ask for the difference  between Pua Nguar and call it what you like Nyonya, Peranakan, Strait Chinese porcelain ware and from this you can learn the difference between the two wares  and also the important requirements “genuine and fakes”. Pua Nguar and the other was told by a famous expert and the difference is not known to me yet. The dates between the genuine and fakes of Pua Nguar and the other are not too far apart and skill in telling will be valuable.

The reason for collecting old porcelain was not known to many collectors. I asked collectors why do you want to collect old porcelain items?  There are many banners hung on the roadside in various parts of Malaysia selling Jingdezhen porcelain, why are they no good? They should be good because 1) good condition. 2) no need to source. 3) buy it as the age you wanted it.

There are three visitors 1) from Hong Kong- searching for Nyonya ware price. 2) from Asia Pacific Region- on bubbles and authentication. 3) from Indonesia- the most rarest antiques and expensive Mohammedan Blue.

1)      Nyonya ware price is zero because it depends on whether the item a plate, tehko, spoon, cups, spittoon and others. When there is a chip on the item, it will bring bad luck to the collector unless it is something not from dining table.

2)      On bubble mentioned in one of the book and in another painting on the items are also important. A photo extracted from a book showing 2 plates of different periods, one being original Ming dynasty plate and the other a Ching Dynasty copy.  I have photograph of my Yuan Dynasty plate and A Late Ming copy of the same motifs. Spot for the difference.

3)      Yuan dynasty (A.D. 1279 to A.D. 1368) has the finest Mohammedan Blue items like foliated edged plates, bowls, double gourds vases, ewers, meiping vases, kendi, pitcher, temple vases and others. Its beauty has attracted potters of today to make imitations. In a kiln to fire porcelain, there are defects and the nearest to perfection will be good to collect and the ones with defect  are good for study purpose Price has nothing to do with collecting antiques but knowledge is important. Most of the comment is that imitations can be made exactly the same as originals and if a product with many processes can be easily imitated then we don’t need experts to authenticate and at the same time we can order to make and that make porcelain items cheap and my question is why do we want to collect porcelain that is so easily imitated. When we can easily get old porcelain from factories, we do not need to dig graves and salvage things from the seabed. Many collectors are afraid to collect porcelain and has interest diminished in collecting old porcelain wares.

The world most expensive Mohammedan Blue is unknown to me. It can be said to be cheap but involve a large sum of money. Expensive or high priced has something to do with the buyer because when the item is up for sale and the buyer interested in and able to pay for the price (record breaker price) is important and these record breaker price can further be broken. No high priced item or record breaker price sold by dealers in the market is heard of. It is of no use to dealers to have browsers who is interested in the item and cannot afford to pay for the high price. Selling at a price too high makes things unaffordable and selling things too cheap may raise suspicion that the items are no good (Too cheap to be genuine). There are experts who authenticate artefacts by price and further claim that the price is not correct to be genuine but then what is the correct price which makes artefacts genuine need to be specified. A very good piece when on sale in the street will not fetch high price without grandfather and grandmother stories.

For almost 35years,collectors hasn’t seen what I have and when I  opened my shop most of the collectors brushed me aside which made me to shift out. The fact remain that collectors will have to prove what they have are genuine when they wanted to share knowledge with friends or family members or customers when they wanted to sell.

Don’t be a collector if you are not one because depending expert for knowledge will end up telling you that imitations can be made exactly the same as originals. In the 70’s it was said that copies from Bandung was made exactly the same and nyonya items was sold by mail order. I told some of the collectors that don’t keep bad education because it can cause wealth never pass one generation. There are items in some collectors that multibillionaires cannot afford to buy it because it is special and not for sale. A good collector will look for something special (with knowledge) to keep with no worry of selling and such items money could hardly buy.

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.