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Published on September 2, 2007

Cat says

Collectings antiques has been a hobby for people in the West for generations. In Asia, however, it's still only a pastime enjoyed by a few rich people. On the whole, Asians prefer to buy things new. Most don't like the thought of using other people's old stuff, especially where there may be unlucky history or bad omens associated with the items. Conversely the Europeans regard buying antiques as an investment.

Nevertheless, increasingly, there are more and more Asians with money who have learnt to appreciate fine antiques, and realise their investment value.

With the economic boom in China during the past two decades, there are now hundreds of thousands of Chinese dollar-millionaires who will soon will come to realise that there are finer things to spend their money on than designer clothes, extravagant timepieces and fast cars.

China, with its rich history of art and culture has a wealth of beautiful antiquities. Since the rest of world has been collecting Ming vases, antique Chinese furniture and ancient Chinese scrolls for hundreds of years, it's logical that the mainland Chinese will want to buy back many of these pieces, as well as opening their wallets for fine Western art.

Like most Asians I wasn't particularly interested in browsing antique markets and bidding at auction houses - until I moved to England, that is.  The British are especially obsessed with finding fine antiques at bargain prices. Programmes such as the "The Antiques Roadshow" have vastly popularised antique collecting in the UK, to the point where it's now become a national treasure hunt.

I've spent many a weekend visiting cold, drafty auction houses, waiting for hours for the appropriate lot number to come up and then suffering the disappointment of missing the bid by a few pounds - then wondering if the prized article could have been mine if I'd continued bidding for just a minute longer. The other side of the coin is winning too easily and wondering whether you've bought a fake! 

When it comes to collecting antiques, I'm not such an expert. But after years of hunting, I've come to the conclusion that anyone can become an antique collector, given the right guidance. From experience, I've found that studying books and catalogues on the type of items that interest you is invaluable. Attend a few auctions, and talk to a few dealers on the subject. From them you'll be able to get information on the quality of the latest pieces available, and a guide to their current worth.

There's no need to rush into buying the first thing you like. Take your time to look around for similar items on offer at different dealerships, which will allow you to get a more accurate sense of quality. There are many fake items on the antique market being sold as genuine pieces, so it is vital to make a correct assessment on the object you're interested in, otherwise costly mistakes can easily be made.

One good piece of advice is to buy from reputable auction houses, since the items have already been valued by experts. Bargains aren't so easy to come by nowadays. However, collect for long enough, and you'll realise that the finest and most expensive pieces are often the best buys.

I have to admit that there is enormous pleasure to be derived from antique collecting. Aside from fascinating information about the objects, your life is enriched by meeting people from all walks of life who share the same interest. For most people who live in big cities, there's little to do beyond work, socialising with friends, and the odd sports activity. Antique collecting is definitely another fun option!

Nat says

 I am not a rebellious person by nature but when it                                                              comes to collecting, I have found my cause. My mother falls in love with various types of antique objects and, every few years, a new fascination will grip her life. At one point it was Thai monochrome pottery. After that came pentachrome pottery. Then it was Persian carpets… Anatolian bronzes… African masks… Pre-Columbian figurines… Central American textiles… Russian boxes… Louis XV furniture… Venetian glass.

My mother's house is pretty crowded.

Although I didn't inherit my mother's collecting impulses, her love of objects has had its impact on my life. Through her, I've come to appreciate beautiful objects and the workmanship that went into creating them.

My own obsessions are different. I will walk in circles for an entire afternoon to find a hole-in-the-wall in Hong Kong that serves the best braised Chinese eggplant with ground pork. I have walked up and down New York City's Lower East Side hunting for a great pastrami sandwich. The best scrambled eggs in the world were tracked down at Café Richoux in London.

My mother will point out, however, that all I have to show for my obsession is a need to go to the gym, whereas she is surrounded by beauty. And my mother is right. 

She has a house full of beautiful antiques to show for a lifetime of collecting. Along with the Louis XV marble-topped commode she has in her entrance hall, she has exquisite 19th-century Thai furniture in her living room. The original gold leaf covering the intricately carved surfaces of the low benches has dulled to a patina of burnished brown and the effect is breathtaking. 

I have no need for any of that. It's beautiful to see when I go for a visit but I get nervous. I find myself walking around with bated breath, fearful that my eggplant, pastrami and scrambled egg-fortified frame will bump into stuff and break it into a million pieces.

Those Persian carpets, whether they are Bukhara or Nain, don't really mean anything to me when I can't walk across them while holding a glass of Diet Coke. What if some were to spill?

I want durable, comfortable furniture. I want to be able to sit down and put my feet up without worrying about scuffing up the tabletop. And if my feet aren't up, they are most likely inside my modern, utilitarian electric foot massager while I'm drinking my Diet Coke.

I don't particularly care about delicate porcelain or two thousand-year-old figurines but do appreciate a good, durable plastic glass that won't break if I knock it over.

My mother's house is perfect and I admire her for putting it all together. Everywhere you look there is something that not only has a history of its own but has a history with my mother. In pursuit of those Central American textiles, she insisted that a driver take her into the heart of rebel territory in Guatemala. She combed the bazaar in Istanbul and bargained her heart out for some precious bronze antelopes. And there is much more.

If I were to emulate my mother and collect anything, I suppose it would be experiences. Although that leaves me with nothing to pass on to my nieces and nephew, I don't really think I need to live a life surrounded by objects of beauty. I'd like to believe that, for me, beauty is in the living.

But still, I'm left wondering if the beauty of my experiences will ever match those of my mother's.

Want an opinion on something? Cat and Nat can be contacted at

NnaSWild@aol.com.