Asia International Arts & Antiques Fair 2007 Beijing Press Conference

The "Asia International Arts & Antiques Fair 2007" Beijing Press Conference was held at the Beijing Poly Art Building Exhibition Hall on 5th February, 2007 Paper Communication Exhibition Services and Fordwick Ltd, fair organisers, announced the details of the "Asia International Arts & Antiques Fair 2007" (AIAA2007) during the event. AIAA2007 will be held from 25th-28th May, 2007 at the AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong and will be the largest ever exhibition of its kind in Asia. Paper Communication Exhibition Services and Fordwick Ltd expect that the size of the fair will be increased 100% from 5000 sqm. to 10,000 sqm. There will be over 100 exhibitors from various countries and regions, including Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Singapore, Thailand, Korea, Germany, France, Switzerland, the United States of America, Taiwan, the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong.

AIAA2007 Press Conference guest speakers included Ms Yang Jing - Vice-President of Paper Communication Exhibition Services; Mr. William Chak, Managing Director of Chak's Company Limited; Mr Colin Sheaf, Chairman of Bonhams Asia and Deputy Chairman of Bonhams Group; Mr. Jiang Ying Chun, Curator of Poly Art Museum; and Mr. Curtis Evarts, The Consultant of Liangyi Collection: An Exhibition of Ming and Qing Dynasties' Hardwood Furniture. 10 exhibits from the Poly Art Museum with a total value of RMB80,000,000 were exhibited during the AIAA 2007 press event.

AIAA2006 was held in May last year. The fair aroused great interest and attention from the arts and antiques market and brought collectors from all over the world to Hong Kong. In 2007, Paper Communication Exhibition Services and Fordwick Ltd. will continue to enhance the scale and quality of the AIAA Fair, including more elegant and stylish booth designs.

Founded on the success of AIAA 2006, AIAA 2007 will become one of the most important Arts and Antiques fairs of the industry in the world. The organisers have already received overwhelming response from exhibitors since the call for entry started in August last year. Apart from those who took part last year, numerous enquiries for participation have also been received from potential exhibitors. Available booths are limited, interested parties need to apply now.



Bonhams' First Auctions in Asia

Bonhams will host its first three Asian auctions, comprising Contemporary Asian Art, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, and the Green Willow Hall Collection of Jade Carvings on Saturday 26 May at the AIAA 2007 to be held at AsiaWorld-Expo.

Established in 1793, Bonhams today has offices and salerooms in more than 25 countries on five continents and offers more auctions than any other auction house - 700 each year. The company has 50 specialist departments, many headed by world authorities in their field.

Poly Art Museum Exhibition

At the same time, Poly Art Museum will stage an exhibition of Shang and Zhou Dynasty Bronzes during the AIAA 2007. The 10 exhibits have a total value of RMB80,000,000.

Liangyi Collection - Ming and Qing Dynasties' Hardwood Furniture Exhibition

Another highlight of AIAA 2007 is: The Liangyi Collection: An Exhibition of Ming and Qing Dynasties' Hardwood Furniture.

In addition, special exhibits will be featured in the Contemporary Arts Pavilion.

AIAA2007 is the largest arts and antiques fair in Hong Kong. With so many unique on-site activities taking place at the same time, it is destined to become one of the world's most important arts and antiques fairs that collectors cannot afford to miss.

Resources and promotion for AIAA2007 in China and other overseas markets have intensified, ensuring that the fair will be a great success and attract more exhibitors and visitors to Hong Kong.

Media Enquiries:

Integrated Publicity Services Limited
Beijing Office: Mr. Paul Huang
Tel: (86) 13601163262
Email: ipsbj@163.com
Hong Kong Office: Ms Ponny Low / Ms Fannie Cheung
Tel: (852) 28907330
Email: ponny@ipshkg.com / fannie@ipshkg.com

Paper Communication Exhibition Services (Hong Kong)
Contact: Mr. Paul Choi
Tel: 852-27639011
Fax: 852-23410379
Email: paul@paper-com.com.hk
Website: www.aiaa.com.hk

Paper Communication (Shanghai) Exhibition Services Ltd.
Contact: Ms Selina Gong
Tel: 021-63045419
Fax: 021-64181136
Email: selina@xt-sh.com

Brides: Picking Your Fine China

I spent a good part of my life working in ceramics; the major part working with fine china and crystal. A friend of mine suggested that I write an article to help brides choose their china.

It’s funny, but I seldom write about ceramics anymore. I wrote a couple of books on the subject and I was editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine so it’s not that I’m not well practiced in the subject. Writing is always an avocation with me and separate from my profession.

I wrote novels in my spare time. I did write one novel that was centered in a pottery in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. The novel is Bone China. Bone China is a complex detective story where the detective wonders what’s happening to missing people from a small Pennsylvania town. Are they being cremated in an abandoned ceramic factory and being used to make bone china? Nazis? That’s as close as I got to ceramics.

Well let’s get to the point. Let’s cover some of the factors you should consider when selecting your fine china. First, remember that porous china is not covered here. It is called semi-vitreous ware, queen’s ware, and such. Stoneware is not covered either.

Definitions

Bone China

There are several kinds of fine china in which you will be interested. The first is Bone China.

Bone china is made from bone ash. Bone ash is made from the high-temperature calcinations of animal bones. Bone ash is a commodity. That means it comes from a number of different countries and the bones of many types of animals are used. The bones used to make bone ash come from camels, horses, cows, hogs, llamas, and other critters.

The question here is: Does it matter to you?

If you are Jewish, it might.

I can only say this: When the bones are calcined all organic matter is destroyed. The bone ash becomes exactly like the natural mineral found in phosphate rock. You can’t tell the difference once it is in the ceramic.

I’ve been a consultant to Jewish Rabbis over the year. The consensus has always been that the high temperature purification of the bone ash makes it kosher. If you are concerned about this, talk to your rabbi.

Remember this: The bone ash used to make particular china may not have been made from hog bones. Most large china companies specify that the bone ash not contain hog bones. However, from my experience in the industry, most bone ash suppliers can not always guarantee that some hog bones might creep into their process.

Many Jewish brides have decided that bone china is kosher. I agree with them for one reason, most Rabbis agree with them.

How much bone ash should be in bone china? The classical formula is 50%. If the content is below 47% you might lose one of the most important properties of bone china. Bone china should be white, not off-white to any degree.

Bone ash contributes translucency to the composition. If you put your hand behind a bone china plate, you should see it vividly. The reason is that the refractive index of the phosphate compounds formed is the same as the glass formed in the ceramic. Since they are the same, light is not diffracted.

Just remember this. Bone china should be stark white and translucent. That means that there is very little ball clay in the composition. Fine English kaolin retains the whiteness of the body. Chinastone is a flint / feldspar mixture used by British bone china potteries for the same reason.

Bone china is made by the china process. This means that the body is fired to a high temperature until the body is completely dense or vitreous. This first firing is called the bisk fire or bisque fire. After the bisque fire, the ware is heated, glazed, and fired at a lower temperature. Decorations are applied by decalcomania, hand painting, embossing, etc. More on that later.

Non-bone Fine China

Most manufactures make an Ivory grade of china. Ivory is very popular and also very beautiful if the body is formulated correctly and the body matured completely during bisk firing.

The composition is what we ceramic engineers call “feldspathic.” That means the body contains the mineral feldspar. The concentration of feldspar is high to guarantee that the body will be vitreous. Canadian feldspar (nepheline syenite) is sometimes used to lower bisk firing temperatures.

English kaolin guarantees the desired degree of whiteness and translucency. Only small amounts of ball clay are used. The remaining ingredient is flint. For both fine china and bone china the body must be ground to fineness to develop the desired properties. Glazing and decorating are the same as for bone china.

Porcelain

All of this got started by the Chinese. The word “kaolin” (china clay) was derived from the name of a Chinese province. Maybe the province still exists under the same name for all I know. The classical composition is 50% kaolin, 25% flint (silica), and 25% feldspar.

European Porcelains are popular with brides. Some manufactures have been able to approach the whiteness and translucency of Chinese Porcelain. Note that bone china is the closest match to Chinese Porcelain.

Porcelain is made by the porcelain process. While the china process starts with a high bisk fire, the porcelain process starts with a low bisk fire. The ware is easily grazed because it is porous after bisk firing. No heating is required. The final glost fire is a high-temperature fire in contrast to the low-temperature glost fire in the china process. In the porcelain process, the body and glaze are matured together. This adds strength.

Because of the higher temperatures required to decorate porcelain, the result is not always as desirable as with fine china (often the best decorations) and bone china.

Parian China and Frit Porcelain

Low-temperature porcelains are made are very attractive. These are less popular than bone china, porcelain, and fine china for American brides.

Evaluating Your China or Porcelain

I don’t want to frustrate you with more technical details. Let me just list a few items to consider relating to the desirability and life of your china.

The Foot and Back

When ceramic engineers go out to dinner, the first thing they do is turn the plate over. Why? Well, first they can see who manufactured it. Some fine restaurants use fine china (includes bone china). Most others use Hotel China, an American invention designed specifically for restaurant service. What is suitable for restaurants is probably not suitable for your china cabinet.

Looking at the foot, and I suggest that you look at the foot first, see if it is glazed. If it is unglazed rub your finger carefully and slowly around the foot. Watch for sharp glaze projections as you do this. I don’t want you to cut your pretty finger.

Is the foot rough?

If it is rough, it should be buffed until it is smooth using a buffing stone. An unglazed foot will require that you keep doilies between the plates in your china cabinet so that the foot does not rub the glaze on other plates. You will have to be careful while washing the dishes and while clearing the plates from the table. You don’t want scratches on your glaze, do you?

Most fine china and bone china has an unglazed foot. The foot is polished at the factory before you get it, but make sure you check every piece.

If the foot is glazed, look for pin marks on the under surface of the glaze. Such ware can not be fired on the foot because it will stick to the kiln setters. The pin marks may be hardly noticeable. Some manufacturers set the ware on tiny ceramic spheres rather than on pins. The marks are hardly noticeable. If there are pin marks, make sure they have been polished to remove rough edges.

Look at the manufacturers mark on the bottom of the plate. Is it centered? Can you easily read it? Does it have the name of the pattern? Now decide if you care about such features. Take one last look at the back of the plate. Are there any glaze flaws? Does the glaze application look uniform on the back of the plate? Are there any pits, inclusions, or blemishes? Any rough spots?

The Front of the Plate

Turn the plate over and rub your finger around the rim. Is it as smooth as silk or is it rough? Any thin spots? Look at the surface of the glaze for any pits or impurities. Remember that different manufacturers have different inspection standards. A very small pit might be considered allowable. One manufacturer might have a standard that says no pits except a tiny one on the back of the plate.

Most fine china and bone china manufacturers use lead glazes. The reason is the brilliance of the glaze. Is the lead a health problem? Not under normal circumstances. Most people only use their fine china nine (9) times each year. It could be a problem is you give your child his or her orange juice in a fine china cup every day. Don’t do that.

So, is the glaze brilliant and free of defects?

The Decorations

Although manufacturers have reduced the number of decorating firing by combining functions, traditionally there are three decorating firings. The first decorating firing is called the “decal fire” and that is when decals are placed according to design. Decals come as screen printed or lithographic. The color in screen printed decals is thicker and often more intense than in lithographic decals.

The enamel or heavy color is placed next in the “enamel fire.” Now days, enamel may be placed on the decal and combined in a single firing.

The last firing is the “precious metal” firing or “geld firing.” Gold or platinum is applied to the rim and certain areas of the design. This too is sometimes applied to the decal and omits all but one firing.

Here are some decoration considerations. Are the decorations positioned properly on the plate? Rub your finger over them. Are they sitting on top of the glaze or are they buried deep into it? Decals should sink into the glaze so that they do not wear off. They should not sink so far that they are no longer attractive. Hard gold is gold that will not buff that has sunk too far into the glaze. Soft gold is gold that is sitting on top of the glaze and is easily rubbed off. Watch for soft gold on porcelain. The glaze is very hard and it is hard to get decorations and precious metal to sink into the glaze. (“Hard” in this sense means not very fusible during deco fire.)

Service Problems for Fine China

Fine china faces your eating utensils, your dish washer, and storage.

Yes, fine china can be damaged in your china cabinet if the foot of one plate rubs on the surface of another plate which scratches the glaze. Once scratched, it is scratched. Glaze hardness is highest in high-temperature porcelain and lowest in low-glost-fire fine china. Bone china is in between. Bone china is a good choice for beauty and durability.

Knife marking is the worst from the utensils. The marks can actually be cuts in the glaze and can’t be removed. They also can be metal rubbed from utensils which can often be removed by SoftScrub®. Here, I suggest that you do not use extremely hard steak knives in fine china service.

Cups and Other Shapes

Look at the handles of the cups. I said, “cups,” not “cup.” You must look at several to tell the quality.

If the cup handle is formed with the cup by slip casting, it should look perfect.

If the cup handle is stuck to the cup after the main body of the cup is formed, it may not be perfect. Stuck handles sometimes fall off in service. This is a manufacturer’s nightmare.

The problem is that a plastic formed handle does not “fit well” (during shrinkage) on a plastic formed cup.

There is not as much of a problem with cast handles being placed on a plastic formed cup. (The problem is technical and I’ll not explain it here. E-mail me if you really want to know.)

Look at the join where the handle meets the cup. Does it look neat and clean? Is there excessive glaze buildup where they join? You don’t want anything ugly do you?

Check the bowls and see if they will stack. If they will not stack, I have a suggestion: run! (Well, if you can put up with the bowls not stacking and you just love the design, go ahead and buy them.)

Teapots should have their handles checked as with cups. Check the knobs on the lids of teapots and casseroles. Do you think they will stay on? Are they attractively applied?

The Guarantee

Read the guarantee carefully. (Well, have someone read it.) Ask how long replacement for your pattern is guaranteed. You don’t want to have to go to Replacements Inc. (http://www.replacements.com/index.htm?s1=kx&896&), if you don’t have to.

Yes, you can e-mail me with questions.

Oh! Congratulations!

The End

Bride, china, how to choose china, bone china, porcelain, china care, china defects, fine china, parian, frit porcelain, processing, storage

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine. He calls himself "Taylor Jones, the hack writer."

More info: http://www.tjbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.dumbincome.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_T_Jones,_Ph.D.

Antiques - Bronze, Silver And Gold

The earliest civilisations of China, Egypt, Greece and Rome made bronze coins and statues, ad bronze was later used to cast bells and cannon - the original Victoria Crosses were made from bronze of Russia cannon captured in the Crimean War. It finally became extremely popular with British and Indian craftsmen in Victorian times for casting small statuettes and art objects that today, have become rare and sought after antiques.

Bronze ages well and acquires its own patina in various shades of brown or blue-green. It needs no polishing, but wipe it occasionally with a soft, dry cloth. Corrosion, however, is common. Bright green spots - sometimes called bronze disease - starts in a small area and spread swiftly like a rash to cover the whole object. Remove the corrosion either by scraping carefully with a knife or by heavy rubbing with a brass brush. Do not use a steel or wire bush, which can damage the antique surface and cause the corrosion to reappear later. Swab heavily corroded areas with a 10% solution of acetic acid solution in water. If the antique has a broken piece, soft solder it and colour the shiny solder joint with a bronze-coloured lacquer until it blends in with the adjacent bronze. It is also possible to use bronze wax gilt, but this is not as durable as lacquer.

Silver has been used for making jewellery, ornaments and utensils for at least 5000 years. Valuable antique pieces should be taken to a specialist craftsman for repair or re-plating. Silver is usually hard-soldered at the joints, but the soldering temperature, especially of the surrounding metal and the base metal under silver plate, is crucial. The work is tricky and much damage can be caused to antiques by inexperience.

Both silver and silver plate tarnish and corrode quickly, especially in coastal areas: salt in the atmosphere causes silver chloride to form. Corrosion can be treated effectively with a proprietary silver dip. Great care should be taken when cleaning the antique with silver dip, especially when the base metal is exposed. Just a quick in-and-out dip and rinse with clean warm water. Clean any remaining bad spots with a paste of French chalk and methylated spirits, or in warm water with a few drops of ammonia added. The older the antique piece is the more likely the silver or silver plate will react to the cleaning process, so care should be taken to apply cleaning agents in small doses.

For polishing silver antiques it is best to use a long lasting silver polish, this will save the piece from continual cleaning and prolong its life. Scratched antiques can be remedied by rubbing with jewellers' rouge or fine crocus powder. Wrapping silver antiques in tissue paper and placing it in a polythene bag will protect and keep it shiny indefinitely.

Craftsmen throughout time have also fallen for the shiny allure that gold presents. Antique gold jewellery has been found dating as far back as 3000BC in Mesopotamian burial hoards. The purity of gold is expressed in carats. A carat is a 24th part, so 22-carat gold contains 22 parts of gold and 2 parts of other hardening metals. This evaluating system is what gives gold antique pieces its value. Period and craftsmen also have a lot to do with the value of a specific antique piece.

Because of the value of gold, its repair and restoration is best left to an expert goldsmith. If gold antiques become dull, the shine can be restored by, polishing with either a jewellers' rouge or chamois leather. Small items such as rings can be burnished with a piece of polished steel, such as a knitting needle, but this method should not be used on engraved metal. Clean gold antiques by washing them in warm, soapy water and polishing with a soft cloth or chamois leather.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Antiques

Guide on Expensive Antique Chandeliers Collections

The look and feel of antique chandeliers cast off a certain type of nostalgia, able to instantly transport us back to a simpler time and place. If you have ever seen or purchased an antique chandelier, there is no doubt that you can relate to that feeling. If you are interested in antique chandeliers, it is important to know that they can represent a major investment, and should be treated as such. Because of the delicate nature of antique chandeliers, as well as the care needed to maintain these marvelous items, we are offering this guide on expensive antique chandeliers collections. By following these simple precautions, you will be able to wisely purchase and enjoy these wonderful vintage pieces.

The most important step you can take in building a beautiful antique chandelier collection is to find a reputable dealer. Unfortunately, there are dishonest people out there who won’t think twice about taking your money in exchange for a cheap and fraudulent chandelier. So, how can you protect yourself against making a poor purchase? The best advice would be to contact a reputable antiques dealer in your home town (or state), and they should be able to put you in contact with somebody who deals in antique chandeliers. Another important fact regarding reputable antique dealers: They will possess the knowledge and information to answer all of your questions regarding any antique chandelier. If they can only give vague answers, or use general terminology, it may be best to take your money and interest elsewhere.

It is also a good idea to enlist the services of an appraiser when considering a purchase. As mentioned earlier, these expensive antique chandeliers should be looked at carefully before you actually make a purchase. An appraiser will be able to make an honest determination as to the value and authenticity of the piece you are considering.

What are some characteristics of expensive antique chandeliers? Naturally, the term “antique” implies that the chandelier is more than 100 years old, and they go as far back as the 17th century. However, most antique chandeliers that were preserved until today come from the Victorian Age as well as the Renaissance and the Gothic and Rococo Revival periods. A good number of these chandeliers will be gas, electric, or kerosene, and many of them will contain intricate and elaborate aesthetic characteristics (both on the arms as well as on the globes surrounding the candles). And though it may sound obvious, it is also worth mentioning that many of these antique chandeliers were made of brass, bronze, and crystal, and should certainly have an aged appearance.

It is also important to properly care for your antique chandelier. While it may be fine to use regular soap and water on modern chandeliers, antiques require more involved attention, and it is recommended that you seek the assistance of a restoration specialist. There are several quality services available in this field, and any reputable antiques dealer should be able to properly refer you.

Hopefully, this guide on expensive antique chandeliers collections will help you to better enjoy the wonderful beauty that antique chandeliers have to offer. It is our hope that you will always make smart choices before purchasing any antique chandeliers, and in doing so you will take great satisfaction from your collection for many years to come.

Jo Williams has an interest Home & Garden related topics. To access more information on chandelier shades or on antique chandelier, please click on the links.

Antique Oriental Rugs

These are the largest antique Oriental rug dealers, importers, providers, online galleries and companies available in the United States.

Krikor Markarian antique rug and carpet gallery (markarianantiquerugs.com): Located in New York City, Krikor Markarian specializes in collectible antique tribal rugs and other woven artefacts from the main Near Eastern and Asian weaving areas. It features 19th century Caucasian rugs, 19th century Persian tribal and village rugs, antique Central Asian weavings and antique Anatolian rugs.

Nalbandian Inc. (www.nalbandian.com/antiques/antiques.htm): is a floor covering company that includes antique Oriental rugs, tapestries and textiles in its collection since 1826. The business started in Ceasaria, (kaisery) Turkey, extending to Erevan, Tehran, Beirut, Paris, Monte Carlo, Aix En Provence, Marseille, Zurich, Boston and Los Angeles. Services also include Restoration and Conservation.

Oriental Rug Mart (demanesrug.com): An Oriental rug company which has been buying, selling, cleaning and repairing Oriental rugs in central Illinois since 1919, in the name of James Demanes & Sons. Their rug emporium is located in the Demanes Galleries building in Peoria, Illinois. Services include Hand wash, repair, restoration, and appraisal.

Pasargad (pasargadcarpets.com): Pasargad is an importer of hand-woven oriental rugs, featuring an extensive line of hand-woven Chinese, Persian-design, and Indian masterpieces in vegetable-dyed wool. It is a family owned business established in 1904, well-known for its in-house restoration and cleaning facilities, with showrooms in New York and Washington D.C.

Antiqueorientalrugs.com: is an online shopping gallery of an Oriental rug business started by Robert T. Mosby since 1969, who deals strictly in handmade, antique oriental rugs and not in mass produced program rugs. The website has a link to Ebay, where a selection of antique rugs is showcased, changing on a weekly basis. The business is located in Sarasota, Florida.

Abraham Moheban & Son Inc. (moheban.com): The Company offers trade, designers and retail clients a choice of antique Persian, Indian, Turkish and European rugs and carpets. Located in New York City, it has an extensive collection of 18th to early 20th century pieces. Services include hand washing, conservation, restoration and insurance valuation.

A.E. Runge Oriental Rugs (rungerugs.com): Located in Yarmouth, Maine, Runge Rugs was started in the 1880s by Edward Runge. Its large inventory of handmade Orientals has been purchased almost entirely from estates and private individuals in New England and Europe dated between date between 1900 and the 1930s. All the products in the store is claimed to be authentic oriental rugs.

Antique Rug Gallery, Inc. (antiqueruggallery.com): This is an online gallery only, which operates in Massachusetts. The Antique Rug Gallery Inc. offers exclusively antique oriental carpets and tribal rugs, and accepts dealers as well as retail customers at wholesale prices. Services include written appraisals, wash and repair.

Antique Textile Gallery (frankames.com): The Company, buyer and seller of antique oriental carpets, Turkmen trappings, tribal rugs, decorative textiles and Kashmir shawls, was founded in Paris 25 years ago and moved to Manhattan's Upper West Side in 1986. The gallery is also a consultant and appraiser of antique, ancient and decorative textiles. Business is conducted by appointment only.

Persian Rugs http://persianrugshq.com/ can enhance your home. Discover the joys of owning an Oriental Persian rug!

Starting Your Asian Antique Collection

When thinking of buying Asian antiques, or starting a collection in this field, one thinks of amassing rare snuff bottles, wooden and jade carvings, furniture or intricate lacquer boxes. If you decide to start any antique collection, it's always advisable to study the area of antiques you are interested in before you actually purchase anything. Attend a lot of auctions and meet the dealers. Try to hold as many pieces as you are allowed and try commissioning a specialist to bid for you, even if they charge a tenth of the bid. Remember, it will take many years and hands-on experience to build your knowledge about antiques and you may commit expensive mistakes if you are not entirely careful.

When deciding to buy an item, it is important to remember that each antique piece is a unique handcrafted work of art and this is the foundation for its value. Other factors to consider are the condition of the piece and the workmanship. One must also consider the artistic merit of the piece, or how complicated the artwork was. The market value of the piece is also dictated by the forces of supply and demand; if demand for the piece is great, the prices will go high and vice versa. However, if you're fortunate enough to own a piece of exceptional rarity and quality, the price is unlikely to fall in the next years and will even sell much better if you take good care of it. Also, the antique's provenance adds greatly to its value; if a well-known collector owned it before you did, it does make the price higher.

When going to an antique sale, it's a good idea to look at the stock of the seller, as sometimes there are two similar pieces and one sells for less than the other. There are also "sleeper" items that are easily overlooked because of their size, which you can luckily purchase at a bargain price. Sometimes, a piece can be wrongly described at an auction, so you can buy a great piece if you look closely and see what others overlook. Lucky finds at cheap bargain prices are increasingly rare and most collectors say that it's their more expensive pieces that have become the best bargains.

Small antique items are very much in demand now, like intricately-carved pendants. The skilled craftsmanship required to produce such exquisite pieces which are difficult to forge and are less likely to be mass produced. There are a limited number of small antique pieces in the world and these usually appeal to buyers from Hong Kong and China more than they do to European collectors.

If you are interested in collecting Japanese pieces, a "netsuke" and "inro" are your best bets to start with. These are miniature carvings in wood or ivory designed to be toggles or handling pieces for an "inro". They are at most an inch high and work like modern key chains. An "inro" is a lacquered container that is exquisitely designed and decorated to which the "netsuke" is attached to with a short cord. The "inro" was used as an ancient pillbox or a miniature cosmetic case. Japanese lacquered pieces are also good pieces to collect, as the workmanship is usually superb. These pieces are difficult to produce and even more difficult to fake. The lacquered piece needs many thin layers fit into place before any decorating or painting can be done and to finish one piece takes a long time. Decorations can be made of a combination of fine shell inlay, thin metal work, multi-colored lacquer and gold.

In determining the value of Japanese art, you must determine the amount and quality of workmanship that went into creating a "netsuke" and "inro". In the market, a fine "netsuke" can double the amount of a good "inro". These pieces are predicted to be mainstays in the Asian art market, so buying Japanese lacquered pieces is a good investment. If you are inclined to buying jade, don't think that bigger is better. Again, the reverse is true: the smaller and finer the jade piece, the more valuable it can be. Your jade piece cans a command higher price if it has a flawless quality in the workmanship and if it maintains a solid and vibrant color.

Pendants and small snuff bottles are hot commodities in today's antique market, however, large jade carvings are also a sensible and stable investment. Jade is especially difficult to carve and some remarkable pieces have surfaced that show the mastery and perseverance of the carver. These pieces are found as bowls, figurines and animals. Eighteenth and nineteenth century jade pieces make up the more exquisite batch of jade carvings and are some of the best buys on the market. Chinese stone bottles and jade snuff bottles are also good buys. Good choices are bottles that are perfectly formed and these are usually the more affordable option for first-time collectors.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Antiques