Chinese Art Collectors: How To Collect?
Seven Principles in Collecting Chinese Art
1. Let your cultural values, aesthetic interests, or investment goals be your guide. The new breed of Chinese art collectors comes from a wide range of backgrounds: retirees, mid-carrier executives, CEOs, homemakers, professionals, designers, artists, teachers, and so on. Don't be put off by stereotypes—they're not you!.
2. Educate yourself. Talk with a Chinese art expert, or visit museums, explore our on-line collection and others, or go to galleries. Take your time in defining your interests and the niche you are aiming for.
3. Take advantage of your position. Don't compete with the largest museums and wealthiest collectors who seek the few pieces of older Chinese art still available outside of China. Instead, buy wisely with high-quality reproductions of classical Chinese painting, modern works in the style of old masters, and contemporary Chinese paintings that reflect the best of Chinese artistic traditions. Recent auction records prove that the value of Chinese paintings in this category is growing very fast in the Chinese art market.
4. Seek out the best custom hand-painted work currently priced in the middle ranges of the market. This assures you of the highest quality in the present and a greater value as the market grows. It will also help you develop your own tastes and hone your connoisseurship.
5. Never compete with rich non-Chinese art collectors for high-priced artists and their works unless you have sufficient capital. American and Swiss collectors still dominate the bidding for the most expensive Chinese art in auction houses everywhere.
6. Look for excellent, well-educated artists who are famous in their region of China but have not yet been "discovered" on this international scene. They are often better than the world-famous artists, but their work is still affordable.
It is never too late for the small collectors to dive into the Chinese art market.
7. If you see something you like, grab it before it is gone. Since it is getting more and more difficult to find Chinese art objects of collectible quality, Never hesitate if you see something unique or something that attracts your eye, or something that speaks to your heart. If is is reasonably priced, grab it before it is gone.
Creating a Loving Memory for Your Children
Start to collect now--your children and grand children will be grateful for a long time to come.
A collection of even a few well-chosen pieces of Chinese art will be a family heirloom for countless generations. I cannot recall how many times my customers have related touching stories of the Chinese art that has been lovingly passed down by grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles. Even the stories themselves of how family members acquired Chinese paintings or Chinese furniture have become part of family history. All heirlooms have value to the individuals involved, of course, but the human element makes them even more important. The longer I am in practice as a Chinese art consultant, the more attention I pay to the stories my customers tell me about their Chinese art objects, whether they are family heirlooms or new purchases. Wouldn't you want to be remembered in a similar way?
