Prices of Ming dynasty porcelain have risen substantially in recent years, owing to renewed interest in these works of art, especially from Chinese investors. In this first of a two-part series, Jennifer Jacobs writes about its long-standing history and places where ceramic lovers can discover more about this investment.

MING dynasty ceramics have always been the province of the connoisseur. Societies were set up as early as the 1920s to gather, talk about, compare and appreciate the exquisite pieces. Museums (especially in the West) have collected these pieces, especially those that were royally commissioned as diplomatic gifts.

Today, however, they are attracting the attention of the amateur collector with an eye for investment. Values have shot through the roof, driven primarily by Chinese investors eager to recover what they consider national treasures. 

Museums and individuals have been vying for the Ming pieces that have come up for sale and auction, in particular those that were released from private collections or recovered from shipwrecks. Truly, the past few years have seen a boom in Chinese ceramics, especially those manufactured during the 300-year Ming dynasty.

According to the China Online Museum, the imperial porcelain factory was established in Jingdezhen at the beginning of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The imperial wares were specially manufactured for use at court. They were made with particular care and carried the reign mark of the emperor himself. 

During this period, porcelain was exported around the world on an unprecedented scale. The kilns in Jingdezhen became the main production centre for large-scale porcelain exports to Europe during the reign of the Wanli Emperor. 

Much of the imperial porcelain ended up in European and, later, Japanese collections. However, of late, they have been making their way back to China, as rising affluence coupled with a desire to bring home items of cultural heritage have put Chinese collectors and museums at the forefront of the antique ceramics market.

Julian King, international specialist at Sotheby’s Chinese works of art department, says prices of the most recent examples of Ming porcelain have performed exceptionally well in recent years. 

“A small cup enamelled in the doucai (a Chinese term meaning joined or contrasting colours) palette with an iconic design of chickens — from the celebrated Chenghua reign (1465 to 1487), the most coveted period when porcelain production in Jingdezhen reached the apex of quality — became the most expensive porcelain ever sold in April 2014, fetching an extraordinary price of HK$281 million (RM129.2 million),” he says in email interview.

To give an idea of how much rare Chinese porcelain has gone up in value over the years, the same cup was sold for HK$29 million at an auction in 1999, a world record at the time.

The mania for antique ceramics in China echoes a similar obsession in the West more than a century ago. “While in England many of our China Maniacs’ collections now form a major part of Britain’s national museums, in China we may be seeing the beginning of analogous trends, with individuals exercising their considerable power to have treasures returned to the state or to grace their private shelves — for a while. 

“Drawing on a much greater [and growing] number of collectors than ever seen in the West, it will be a long time before this emerging market is exhausted or reaches its peak,” Lars Tharp, a British historian, lecturer and broadcaster said in a lecture on “China Mania: Too Utterly Utter — An Essay on Hidden Value”, which he delivered on Nov 4, 2012. The lecture was subsequently published in Volume 77 (2012-2013) of the Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society.

According to Sotheby’s press release ahead of the auction, the Chenghua Chicken Cup — one of only four preserved in private hands — came from the celebrated Meiyintang Collection, Europe’s grandest collection of Imperial Chinese porcelain, which is currently controlled by Swiss businessman Stephen Zuellig and the heirs of his late brother Gilbert.

Bought by Chinese collector Liu Yiqian, the piece took its place at his Long Museum. Nicholas Chow, deputy chairman of Sotheby’s Asia and international head of fine Chinese ceramics and works of art, commented, “We are thrilled that the Meiyintang Chenghua Chicken Cup is returning to China.”

King says the prices of less rare Ming porcelain pieces have also performed strongly, attracting increased interest from new collectors in mainland China. “The market for Chinese porcelain is a global market, with active collectors in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and North America, ensuring that there is consistent and steady demand.”

The major pieces are now sourced from all over the world, especially Japan and the UK, where such wares were particularly appreciated and collected in the past, he adds. 

“Ming porcelain found its way to Japan during the Ming dynasty itself, but the supply accelerated between the 1950s and 1980s, when new collectors in Japan became the leading buyers of major collections in England that had been formed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and were gradually being dispersed. This supply continues to this day, with a steadier trickle from North America.”

King says the most iconic Ming wares are those from the Chenghua period, rare underglazed-red decorated wares from the Hongwu period (1368 to 1398), and blue and white wares from the Yongle (1402 to 1424) and Xuande (1426 to 1436) periods. 

Aspiring collectors or investors should try to learn as much as they can about the ceramics in question before embarking on a collection. Many have been fooled into purchasing what were either copies or mass-produced pieces from the era, which have little or no resale value.

Tharp, in his lecture, pointed out that with the current sky-high prices of “imperial” pieces and with modern-day potters in Jingdezhen becoming extremely good at making copies, there is little wonder that investors would want a provenance (that is, a record of ownership for the work of art or antique, which is used as a guide for authenticity or quality) before committing to a purchase. 

“Knowing that copies abound, we need to be wary of anything whose ownership cannot be convincingly accounted for beyond the last few years, as well as the ever-increasing numbers of imperially marked pieces appearing in obscure or modest outlets in order to imply a ‘discovery’,” he asserts.

One way of learning more about Ming ceramics is to join one of the more established ceramics societies in the world to meet like-minded enthusiasts. The oldest of these is the Oriental Ceramic Society based in London.

The OCS was founded in 1921 by a group of ceramics lovers and has grown into the foremost society of Asian art in general, with a special focus on ceramics. Its president, Regina Krahl, says the society offers a rich programme in London and has started to offer a small programme in New York.

“Our members enjoy our annual journal, the Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society, where lectures are published, and a newsletter with news on Asian art from around the world as well as book reviews.

“In London, we offer 10 to 12 lectures a year, both academic and introductory, usually with a glass of wine beforehand or a reception afterwards where members can socialise and discuss their collections.

“There are about four handling sessions on a special topic, usually one each at the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, where members can handle famous pieces from the collections, and two where members bring their own pieces for handling and discussion,” she says in an email interview.

Handling the pieces, naturally, is strictly controlled. “Ceramics are better handled without gloves, except for some with fragile pigments, since it is better to have a firm grip. There are of course various rules, such as no rings, bangles or loose watches. You must also use both hands and only over a table laid with soft cloth or other soft surfaces. And you are never to pick up a piece by its handle because the handle may be cracked or repaired and is no longer strong enough,” Krahl points out.

OCS members get to go on special visits to country houses or private collections, trips abroad with an Asian ceramics or Asian art focus, and special openings to view major exhibitions. “I think we offer a very good, varied and pleasant way to learn about Chinese ceramics and related topics. We have members who are not London-based and who appreciate the publications and general involvement,” Krahl says.

But if you are looking to join an OCS closer to home, there is the Southeast Asian Ceramic Society West Malaysia or the Southeast Asian Ceramic Society in Singapore. There is also the Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong Kong and the Japan Society of Oriental Ceramic Studies. In fact, the OCS newsletter lists no fewer than 12 such societies around the world.

The OCS newsletter is full of articles and information that would be of interest to serious or even aspiring collectors, such as the news of the latest excavations in Jingdezhen or even the underwater excavations to recover shipwrecks carrying precious Chinese blue and white porcelain. These ships were found in busy trade routes around Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia.

A collector would want to follow the news of such excavations or discoveries because some of the findings will be auctioned off. King advises would-be collectors, however, to stick to reputable auction houses. Otherwise, they could find themselves being taken for a ride.

The OCS newsletter is also full of interesting nuggets, such as the following. “According to historical records, ceramics constituted a significant part of the cargo carried aboard the ‘treasure ships’ of the Muslim eunuch Zheng He (who was featured in Malaysian history textbooks as Admiral Cheng Ho), dispatched by the Yongle and Xuande emperors between 1405 and 1433, and many of these were purchased objects, probably from the private or tribute kilns in China.

“For the seventh and final voyage dispatched by Xuande in 1430, Zheng He even used ceramics that were purchased (and manufactured) in the final years of the reign of Yongle. Other records also imply it was common for the Ming government to purchase ceramics for trade with other countries.

“For example in 1374, the Hongwu Emperor sent envoys to the Ryukui kingdom (Okinawa islands). Among the goods they carried were 1,000 pieces of ceramics ‘bestowed’ upon its king and 69,500 ceramics for trading against horses.”
 

This article first appeared in Personal Wealth, a section of The Edge Malaysia, on February 23 - March 1, 2015.

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