Collecting Small Asian Antique items
Jimmy Low

Defined Tag: Asian Antiques.

Asian art and antiques are getting popular with the masses because they are generally thought of as unique or exotic. But a common mistake is to assume that Asian antiques are mostly to do with jade or some calligraphy painting. There is a huge and very varied Asian antique market out there, with almost any type of imaginable antique; it just requires some savvy searching to collect very high quality, small items. Here are some of the items that encompass the Asian art world and within it we will take a peak at some of the tiny easy to store collectibles that are a sensible investment.

Within the world of Asian art antiques you will find things that sound familiar like:

* Prints
* Paintings
* Furniture
* Jade carved items
* Pottery
* Porcelain
* Pendants
* Wooden Carvings
* Lacquered boxes
* Pill Box
* Cosmetic case

....and maybe some things that don't sound very familiar at all like:

* Netsuke
* Snuff Bottles
* Bronze ware
* Textiles
* Inro
* Stone bottle

Ok, so you recognize some or all of these. Now let’s explore some of the antiques that are in demand (and just happen to be very small in size).

There is a high level of skill required in making a beautiful hand crafted, or carved piece, and many Asian antiques are no exception. Their true beauty might not be fully appreciated until you have actually attended some functions and events that display Asian artwork.

Before you decide on collecting an antique item, it pays to do some research first on the type of artwork that catches your fancy.

If you would like to collect something like a lacquer container of the finest workmanship, then try an inro which is best described as a miniature cosmetic case or antique pillbox. These antique containers are designed in the most exquisite manner. They are meant to be accompanied by a netsuke which is like a modern keychain about an inch in height and they are usually crafted out of wood or carved out of ivory.

Inro and netsuke collectibles are just two oft collected antique collectibles in the Asian artesian marketplace, but there are others. For figurine collectibles, try jade.

Jade is difficult to carve, and with small pieces, it is even harder. So, carved jade are real demonstrations of skill, and small carved jade pieces are very valuable indeed. Some 19th century carvings are very good buys because of their fine craftsmanship.

What are the typical subjects in jade carvings?

Figurines, bowls, animals, floral motifs, and landscape carvings are typical subjects, no doubt, but extremely exquisite, and beautiful. Step into an antique shop filled with jadeite pieces, and you can't help but feel as if you're in an exotic Asian country, as the motifs are almost always uniquely "Asian" in character.

You would also do well to look into snuff bottles made of jade, or a stone bottle of Chinese origin. Now, you wouldn’t go wrong with a large jade carving, but as mentioned, the smaller ones are usually more painstakingly crafted, and therefore fetch a higher value.

So, whether you want to collect pendants, small snuff bottles or miniature pill boxes you have just entered the remarkably stable and huge world of the small Asian antique market. I guarantee you'll soon be lost in that huge world.

Jimmy S. Low is a freelance writer who writes mainly about one of his favorite topics - antiques. He has a fairly modest collection of some rare Asian antiques not usually seen in the old junk shops, some dating to a few hundred years old, but is always on the lookout for a good buy.