How to Start a Chinese Antiques Collection

If you are new to the world of Chinese porcelain, there are important pointers you must always have in mind to build yourself towards a successful personal collection. Collecting Chinese porcelain antiques has the potential to be the most rewarding or the most frustrating venture you undertake depending on your approach. What you always want to keep in mind is that the further back a genuine piece dates, the more expensive it’s likely to be.

Here are a few pointers you always want to have in mind the course of your quest:

1.Knowledge is paramount.

Before your start collecting Chinese antiques, it is useful to conduct some research and zero in on what you want to collect. The scope is vast, so that while you may aim to have a broad collection, in order to gain maximum advantage, reducing the scope of your focus might serve your ends better. Once you decide, take time to grow your knowledge in the area of interest. Read books, search through the Internet, visit museums and galleries – be careful to note the pricings against the value of the pieces. Ultimately, provided you invest in genuine Chinese porcelain antiques, the value of your collection will appreciate over time. So take your time and grow a worthy collection, it isn’t a race to the finish. As you grow in research and hands-on experience you will discover that the market is flooded with fakes, and you will learn how to identify these for yourself.

2.Start small

Before you delve into more valuable antiques, start with small purchases, but try to be sure of their authenticity. The more antiques you handle, the more experience you will gain.

3.When making significant investments, buy from reputable sources

If you suspect there is a genuine piece whose source you cannot ascertain, always take an expert with you for advice. Spending huge amounts on fake pieces is where the frustrations of many collectors begin. Work only with honorable and reputable dealers, who have the eye and experience to know what’s real from what’s not.

4.Exercise caution when making online purchases

When working with online vendors, more Chinese porcelain pieces tend to be fakes or incorrectly described than not. Sometimes even the seller may not be aware that what he has is not genuine. Unless you are positive that you have spotted something valuable, avoid making purchases of items not expertly vetted.

5.Pick a collection scope of items readily available

When choosing your scope, don’t go for extremely rare antiques, because unless you have a mass of wealth at your disposal, you are likely to fail in your quest. For instance, you don’t want to go for the Ru ware, which is a very rare type of Chinese porcelain, with only around 70 pieces known to exist.

6.Don’t spend large sums on items you don’t recognize

Don’t just buy items because they ‘look old’ but are really not. As a rule, you always only want to make huge investments on items you can positively identify.

Paul Hartford is the author of this article on Chinese Porcelain. Find more information, about Chinese Antiques here

Paul Hartford is the author of this article on Chinese Porcelain. Find more information, about Chinese Antiques here