Asian Antiques & Art from China, Japan, and Beyond
Sell your item or your collection for maximum value at auction in MA or online.
17th or 18th Century Chinese bronze Buddha figure, which sold for over $3100 at one of our Amherst, MA auctions
Small Asian painting on silk brought $345 at one of our antique estates auctions.
The geographical size, millenia-old history, and many cultures within what’s often thought of as “Asia” create an almost-endless supply of valuable and beautiful antiques. Items from China, Japan, India, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and many other countries attract enthusiastic collectors throught the US and abroad.
Antiques from China and other Asian countries have brought particularly strong prices at auction. The expanding Chinese economy has created many collectors looking to acquire everything from vintage wine to modern art. Many Chinese collectors seek antiques from their homeland that previously made their way to the United States and other countries throughout the world. Japanese, Korean and other Asian artifacts are also in demand.
Email or call Central Mass Auctions today to discuss your Asian antique item or collection, or read on to find out more.
What kinds of Asian antiques can sell well at auction?
As you’d imagine, with a rich history lasting 1000’s of years, the opportunities to collect Asian antiques are almost endless. Items often sought by collectors of Asian antiques and art include: jade, bronzes, other metalwork, architecture, jewelry, coins, stamps, cloisonné, netsuke, snuff bottles, Samurai swords, Satsuma, porcelain, ceramics, and furniture.
Some of these terms may not be familiar to you. Cloisonné is metalwork covered with enamel. The enamel designs are separated by brass or other metal strips. Netsukes are small ornamental carved figures, often made of ivory, used to hang small belongings from a sash. Traditional Japanese clothing held no pockets. Satsuma is a type of pottery from the Satsuma region of Japan that began being produced in the late 18th Century or late 17th Century. Satsuma is a yellowish color often decorated with Japanese figures, dragons or other designs.
When are Asian antiques or art pieces valuable?
Most of the rules of thumb that apply to other antiques also hold true with Asian antiques. Age is an important factor. However, with artifacts available from well before the Pilgrims arrived in America, the age of antique is measured by different guidelines. Better-crafted, more-intricately-detailed work should bring higher prices. Materials are important when examining your Asian pieces. Well-made pieces created from silver and jade can command a premium.
There are some guidelines that may be helpful when determining how old your Asian antiques are. The McKinley Act of 1890 required that a tariff be placed on imported goods. In March of 1891 all goods imported into the United States were required to be labeled with the country of origin. Porcelain objects were marked China during this time and Japanese objects were marked “Nippon”. A 1921 law required that the words “Made in” be added and that “Nippon” be changed to the American name for the country, Japan.
If you are a collector, you need to careful. The website antique-chinese-furniture.com has an article titled “The Brutal Truth about Buying Chinese Antiques on eBay” where they warn potential buyers how “this fraud riddled business works”. Exports of antiques from China are tightly controlled and it is not a good source for collectors. They surmise that 90% of the Chinese “antique” items on eBay are fakes.
It may be difficult for collectors, but there are great opportunities for sellers. If you have Asian pieces that you know to be real antiques, there are plenty of willing buyers. Selling them might finance a trip to Tokyo or the Great Wall of China.
Contact Central Mass Auctions today
Whether you’ve got one Asian antique or a whole collection, longtime auctioneer Wayne Tuiskula can help you get maximum value at auction (live or online). We work with clients and handle estates across greater Boston and throughout Massachusetts and New England, and beyond. Email or call Central Mass Auctions today to discuss your Asian antiques.
