International Symposium

A good start at the for studies about antique porcelain of the “Blue and White Porcelain In Late Yuan and Early Ming Dynasties Maritime Tour Exhibition”.  I was looking for someone who can help me to know what is old and what is new and I was turned down. I then asked around and there was a International Symposium and I was told to sit at a corner by one of the person in charge and later a lady ushered me to a place for conference and the person seated beside me was Mr. Mah, a Chinese national who after he got Ng Ting Kau Antique Shop name card, he showed me the items from his collection hand phone photo clip.

At the talk which I like to research in, it was all about artefacts  excavated  found in China and also discoveries found in Philippines and Indonesia.

I have been and am living in two worlds about Chinese artefacts, one world is about artefacts excavated and another world is how to know that it is genuine of that time which till now no one has given me answer which make a problem.

At the symposium there was a suggestion for scan to authenticate artefacts which I do not know how reliable it will be because scientific tests has caused an antique dealer to pay a fine of US$350,000 and also to crease business in Seattle.

 I met a collector whom I don’t know but he has some artefacts on show and when I introduce myself, he said he has heard about Ng Ting Kau. I told him that most of the collectors collect based on rumour buy, rumour sell and if they collect the wrong artefacts which mean fake or imitation, it can cause wealth never pass one generation or loss of coffin capital (in Cantonese) .

There is a vast difference in interest which I have discovered and that is not so much in authentication but the support by status. If you have the status having the piece then you can be comfortable and to pull string with someone of international figure but if he is there then you can be somebody and if he is no longer there then you are no body.

 I got to know a number of experts while having lunch and we shared our knowledge and I brought five items from my personal collection to share and not for anyone to authenticate otherwise it is too boring and they asked me to take photo to e-mail which is a problem because I have items in another country and at the same I want to keep them for my generations to come. The next problem is I am English educated and a there is a communication problem. It is not because you have a lot of money and you can own them. Knowledge on the artefacts owned by collectors is important.

I am semi-retired after many years as a dealer and looking forward to full retirement to see the market “rumour buy, rumour sell”, to declare “all artefacts are fake or copies unless and until proven genuine” and to advise “do not become a collector if you have not started to be one”. Further reading in these blogs will tell you history and stories and not grandfather and grandmothers’ stories in antiques like most collectors do.