Living in the past
Updated: 2016-05-31 09:44
By Lin Qi(China Daily)
|
||||||||
A ruby-ground falangcai double-lotus bowl that Chak purchased at Sotheby's in 2013. |
A middle school dropout, Chak has accumulated a wealth of knowledge on antique appraisal through the years, evolving from an apprentice to a connoisseur.
Chak's earliest memories about antiques are those of his father selling his own collections to support the family, after his textile business failed.
It was not until Chak worked at an antique store in 1973 that he became interested in ceramics. He cleaned more than 20 porcelain pieces a day-his major duty at the store-for nine years.
Chak's intelligence and industrious spirit persuaded his boss and store owner Wong Ying-ho to teach him how to tell one ware from another.
In 1988, Chak and his wife, Priscilla Lau, opened their own gallery, Chak's. Sensitive to the emerging mainland art market in the late 1990s, he turned his eyes in that direction.
To improve his knowledge, Chak then sat in on classes of ceramic courses at the School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, from 1999 to 2004.
"So, when a black-glazed ceramic bowl was placed before me, I could discern if it was a genuine Song Dynasty product and how much it would sell for," he tells China Daily.
"Before (attending the courses), I had been totally ignorant. There was so much information I didn't know and wanted to know: Why the Song people made the bowl in black, how thin or thick the glaze was applied, why the bowl would feature oil paint-like patterns ..."
- Camps abroad offer students a new experience
- China-made world's first functional 3D printed building opens in Dubai
- Map reveals claim over islands by Manila groundless
- Racial sensitivity urged as ad causes outrage
- Regulator to launch drug pricing probe
- What is that thing? Innovative bus looks like a moving tunnel
- Chinese G20 presidency 'ambitious' in seeking solutions for global growth: OECD official
- UNICEF alarmed at refugee, migrant deaths in Mediterranean
- 35% of northern and central Great Barrier Reef destroyed
- Vintage plane crashed in Hudson River during emergency landing
- 2,000 refugees relocated on first day of major police operation
- No sign of EgyptAir plane technical problems before takeoff
- Graduation ceremony held in Confucius Temple
- Wanda opens theme park to rival Disney
- Fog turns Qingdao city into a fairyland
- Trams to be in trial use in SW China
- children's Day: From cooking meal to catwalk
- Beijing style: People embrace the summer heat
- Ten photos from around China: May 21-27
- VR, robots, mini drones: Highlights of big data expo in Guiyang
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Anti-graft campaign targets poverty relief |
Cherry blossom signal arrival of spring |
In pictures: Destroying fake and shoddy products |
China's southernmost city to plant 500,000 trees |
Cavers make rare finds in Guangxi expedition |
Cutting hair for Longtaitou Festival |
Today's Top News
Liang avoids jail in shooting death
China's finance minister addresses ratings downgrade
Duke alumni visit Chinese Embassy
Marriott unlikely to top Anbang offer for Starwood: Observers
Chinese biopharma debuts on Nasdaq
What ends Jeb Bush's White House hopes
Investigation for Nicolas's campaign
Will US-ASEAN meeting be good for region?
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |