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Antique Cham pottery artefacts collected by Mr. Tran Van Canh were being displayed at the 2nd– 2011 Exhibition of An Nhon Ornament Creatures. |
In the 2nd - 2011 Exhibition of An Nhon Ornament Creatures which has just taken place at An Nhon district, a stall of Binh Dinh town ornament creature association attracted a lot of visitors because it displayed many of pots, jars and vases. Owner of the display items is Mr. Tran Van Canh.
Some visitors wondered why such kitchen utensils were shown there. The 48-year-old collector Nguyen Van Canh explained that they were hundred-year-old Cham pottery products. The visitors were very surprised at the explanation. Some of them found regretted that they used to own such precious artefacts but lost them or left them damaged because they hadn’t realized values of the antiques.
The items displayed at the exhibition are part of Canh’s collection which comprises hundreds of jars, pots and vases at all sizes and various styles. Although Canh had 20 years of experience of collecting antiques, he started to collect old Cham pottery artefacts 8 years ago because he saw people left the items in neglect at corners of their houses. He first bought the pottery antiques just for his enjoyment but then developed the interest for them. He started to travel everywhere to collect the antiques, even to provinces of Phu Yen, Phan Rang, Quang Nam…He developed an extraordinary sense of recognize which houses had the Cham pottery artifacts just through taking glances at the house’s outer appearance.
At his house (No. 45/29 Ngo Gia Tu Street, Binh Dinh town), there are a lot of Cham pottery products at various shapes and ages. “Although I own so many Cham pottery antiques, I find very regretful whenever I have to sell any item as I am in need of money. I feel regretful because it isn’t easy to find it again. The antiques of mine aren’t valuable in money but they hold inside them cultural and historical values. Watching them, I see more of exquisite talents of the ancients…,” says Canh.
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