Chinese Masterpieces

Introduction for Chinese Art Collectors

I have started this site Chinese Masterpieces from Cherry Hill NJ because of all the misinformation, lies and corruption that is affecting all Fine Art collector's of Chinese Art in America and throughout the World. Many of the best examples are not brought out into the open market because it is not free yet. Rather, it is controlled by an elite cabal of people who are in many cases profiting by withholding the best pieces from the open market. This Cabal Sotheby's, Christie's, and Bonham’s are the main controllers of the fine art markets and narrative throughout the world. The Museums, Universities and the Crony Art Dealer are just puppets that will agree with whatever the auction houses want because if they don't they'll be blacklisted never to work in the Art business again or be able to sell anything. It's all about the money. The Communist took control over China in 1949 and shut the country down, in the 60s they had the cultural revolution, in the 90s they opened up their country.and this is when the people had the ability to sell their collections that were hidden from the communist during the cultural revolution. The cabal had a dilemma they have been selling pieces for over 40 years that are mostly inferior to what is actually in the market now. They had two choices be honest with collectors and grow the market or continue to control the market with all their lies and dishonest practices. They took it even one step further by colluding with the communist to control the market and historic narrative. All collectors must be able to discern the finest pieces if they are to make good decisions when investing in their collections. They must know the truth. Often the elites discriminate against collectors who did not purchase their items through the corrupt network of dealers and auction houses with which the elites are affiliated. The loyalty that exists among the elites leads them to abandon their impartiality and sell objects that should be considered junk in premium auctions, just because one of their fellow dealers may have sold the piece previously, and it would discredit the professional opinion of their colleagues to do otherwise. They price the item as if it had the same value as it would have done before it became junk since China has open up to the World. On other occasions they put fine pieces in decorative auctions. They do so when they are forced to sell pieces that are new to the market at auction, not purchased through someone they know or a familiar dealer, even if the piece is much better than what they have previously sold in their auctions, as is often the case. They tell the person it is a decorative piece to hide its value or force the person to withdraw it from their auction. They protect themselves by using the argument that their appraisal is their personal opinion and they are further protected by their reputation as experts with backup from their like-minded colleagues. This confuses collectors and makes them doubt their own abilities, keeping them reliant on the corrupt elite group of experts.

This has been done with the Jade trade to the point that many art collectors have become afraid to purchase any Jade whatsoever. The experts tell collectors that an object is rare when they know full well that the Chinese people have been collecting for thousands of years and produced millions of pieces during any given period of production. During the Ming Dynasty the royal kiln during the Xuande period produced more than a million pieces in one year, not all of which were masterpieces. To see how more and more, better and better pieces were introduced into the market as the years went on, all one has to do is to compare old auction catalogues from between thirty years ago with those of today. Many of the pieces sold 30 years ago are very poor quality compared to those of today's standards. This is because China has become a more open country and as a result many better pieces have reached the market place. The experts tell collectors only to buy items that have good provenance, which is a joke! They have brain washed collectors into believing that provenance has something to do with identifying what is real from fake, which is a lie! They have even started telling collectors that the Chinese have copied every piece that was ever made in history, which is absurd, impossible, and a total lie! These are just a few of the deceptive ways that they manage to maintain control over the market and collectors. They believe that they have a perfect scam going and that no one will find out or question their integrity. It is much better to purchase the finest pieces that stand on their own merits than one that relies on provenance, as a bad piece will not hold its value just because a collector purchased it 70 years ago.

This has been a big money grab for those that have deceived the art collector into believing that only the pieces that they have recorded and catalogued are real. Nothing could be further from the truth; these are the same people that are controlling the market and they record whatever they want to, fixing prices in their own interest. They have managed to convince collectors that the Chinese are faking everything - another complete lie! China produced millions upon millions of pieces and people have been collecting them for thousands of years. They do not have to fake anything as there are plenty of real examples around to be had. Yes! There are reproductions out there but they stand out like a sore thumb. There is a big difference in the quality of the period pieces. Most were produced for the masses in large numbers without much care for detail. Masterpieces are not as abundant. They were produced with great care and attention to the clay, form, painting, glaze, and firing. For example, the cobalt that was used during the Yuan and early Ming dynasties has a very distinct color that is different from the Chinese cobalt used today; the cobalt used then has not been imported for over five hundred years. It cannot be faked! Collectors must know what they are looking at. The auction houses and dealers have sold so much junk to unsuspecting collectors. It is a crime. They cannot tell the truth now as it would reveal their past crimes, so they just say that whatever you bring them is fake. They are liars! Read the small print and see what guarantee you get from them! Please use your common sense. As the saying goes, ‘if it looks like a duck, if it walks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, "it’s a duck!”.

 Provenance is used to sell old collections in which the pieces cannot stand on their own merits in the real marketplace today. Often the old collections were put together by people who only wanted examples of pieces from particular periods; not necessarily concerned with hunting down and collecting the finest pieces. The corrupt experts scare collectors into believing that they are the only ones that know what is real or fake. They have totally exaggerated the amount of fakes in the market, as what they often call fakes are actually poor quality period pieces, but the misappraisals applies all the way up to masterpieces. The actual fakes in the market are very poor quality. They have not taken the same dedication, used the same materials, paid attention to the same detail, or embodied the spirit of period pieces. Those great artists are long gone. The corrupted experts will tell you anything they can to enhance their position over yours. Chinese art collectors must understand that each period of China's history produced several different qualities of work; the finest pieces would naturally command higher prices. In some periods up to fifty or more people would handle and create one fine piece of porcelain, often taking years for a manual laborer to do their job with precision. Many collectors depend on so called experts to advise them as to what is a good investment, sadly often misplacing their trust with corrupt dealers and auction house specialists.

Most collectors depend on auction records to evaluate a piece for their collections, which can be very misleading because often the finest pieces are not sold on the open market, they are sold privately. This leaves both the public and private buyer unable to judge the market correctly, creating vulnerability to economic predators. Often if a art collector is not known to these corrupt dealers and auction houses they will refuse the finest pieces, telling the person that the piece is a modern fake or reproduction regardless how wonderful the piece is. Ten corrupted experts will inevitably back them up. Such corrupted people love to pick the winners and losers: like China's communist system; not how the world should work. They ask people to send them photos of their pieces, using the photos to cross-reference the work against what is already on the market. If they do not know you they will most likely tell the collector that yours is not a period piece or does not reach the value of their auction and that you should sell it locally to an antiques store instead, or, alternatively they will ignore your inquiry completely. Often, generations later, your piece will appear within the network of the affiliated stores of their fellow, corrupt dealers, being sold as a period piece for large sums of money when they had tried to persuade you to the contrary. Every once in a while you will hear about them selling a piece that someone has stumbled across for a lot of money. They use this to get free press, making them appear honest to the gullible American public.

Often dealers only show a few very low end pieces unless you’re willing to pay large sums of money to view their better pieces. For these corrupt people either you play their game or you are blacklisted, never to work in the art business again, and unable to sell anything. The corruption goes all the way to the top leaving many good people afraid to speak up. These greedy corrupt people do not realize how a free market and honesty would vastly improve art collecting throughout the world. They believe that by withholding information from collectors and keeping them in the dark with regard to their best pieces they are protecting their own positions. Many collectors accumulate a collection with the intention of passing on what they have amassed to their children, thinking that their collection will have greater value in the future, but not knowing what the finest pieces are or what the market will be like in 30 years time. If you are a collector and you do not take the time to study, you might as well be throwing your money down the drain. For high end collectors, the corrupt dealers and specialists will tell you just about anything so long as you are willing to buy. Then when you try to sell your wares, they will try to convince you it is not a good time for you to sell them if you do not need the money just then, claiming that the market is weak, and trying to embarrass you and make you feel stupid and cheap, All the while they are introducing more and more pieces to unsuspecting new collectors in the market, flooding the supply through their network of corrupt dealers and auction houses. They want you to take your wares to your grave, and then they will rob your family and their children because they will know even less about art than you do. Ask yourself who is watching over or regulating these crooks. Then realize, you are being played for a fool!

A lot books will only give you bits of information that you will need, so do not just rely on one book, read as many as you can while specializing in your area of interest. View as many photos as possible and pay close attention to the details, form, color and condition of the objects. Collectors must see and know the true capabilities of the Chinese artists during any given period of China's History. We all know that during the cultural revolution in China the government confiscated their people's’ personal collections and property and attempted to destroy a lot of art. But the Chinese people hid their valuables just as they did throughout their history whenever they were invaded, so no one knows what really survived. China is not an equal opportunities society and not everyone can participate in the art markets there. Most of the art that was hidden remained hidden until the 90s. I intend to offer some masterpieces that have not yet been published, to help you to understand that these corrupt cabal of elites have often been hiding the best pieces from the open market with their evil policies. When purchasing Chinese arts you must pay close attention to the details of each piece, as the finest pieces usually have fine detailing, well balanced form, pleasing color, and are in great condition. They often make you question how it was possible for such masterful examples of craft to be made. Collectors should only buy quality pieces and should try to find honest experts that want to teach them things such as what makes the piece authentic, why it is a masterpiece, the capabilities of the artisans during the period that they are interested in.

 Museums generally do not have the finest pieces in their collections; they show examples of period pieces often made for average people, and try to turn their backs on what is actually happening in the market. They are afraid to speak up, believing that their interest is better served saying nothing. Sadly they are just as guilty and corrupt for not speaking up and covering up for the cabal of elites, as they are complicit in perpetuating the corruption. This leaves many collectors in the dark believing museum pieces are of the highest quality. Most Chinese art was used by average people and is not highly collectible. Often theirs are actually crude examples of the very finest pieces that only the wealthiest and the courtiers could own. The corrupt people controlling the market have the audacity to make the claim that they are market makers, when they are actually market takers; ripping off some of wealthiest people in our society. They should be held accountable. I believe that the free market will work, I believe the auction houses have an obligation to offer their collectors the finest pieces available to them in the marketplace, I believe the auction houses and everyone in the art business has a obligation to treat all people equally, I believe everyone in the art business has an obligation to make a free and open market for all people and collectors throughout the world based on honesty and integrity. Instead of their unwritten policies of fear and blacklisting. It’s only a matter of time before this corruption is completely exposed. All collectors must study what they are collecting and stop placing their trust in the corrupt and greedy cabal of elites, remembering that corruption goes all through the market, and that just because someone has a British accent and speaks Chinese does not make them an honest person. Beware! Chinese art is people’s personal property and not the property of corrupt so-called dealers and specialists who are without principles or morals, or a few corrupt Corporations, or an oppressive Government. Also realize that the cream always rises to the top and they are not showing you the cream, and certainly not telling you the truth. Educate yourself! Become a specialist in your area of collecting. Pay close attention to the details. View and handle as many pieces as possible, and purchase only fine quality pieces! Keep your eye on this site and I will show and offer you some wonderful masterpieces in Jade and Porcelain. Good Luck collecting!