Collecting Shoushan Stones Vs Chinese Genealogy as a Hobby.

[philiptancl]

Hi Henry,

You visited Kuala Lumpur in 2008 in connection with a convention of your professional expertise. You visited me at my house to talk on Chinese genealogy as well. When you saw my wife’s collection of Shoushan stones and the price she had paid for them, can you recall your comment you had made to her? You said, more than once, that it was better for you and me to stick to Chinese genealogy then indulging her hobby.

My wife just sold two of her pieces at an auction in China on 24 June 2014. She had bought them in 2006 for RM7,000.00 and RM10,000.00 (around RMB14,000.00 and RMB20,000.00). She was not keen to sell them but the staff from auction house from China practically forced her to sell at least a couple of pieces from her collection. To ensure the two pieces could not be sold she set her reserve price much higher than what she thought would worth; i.e. at RMB35,000.00 and RMB75,000.00. The auction just concluded a few hours ago in China. The two pieces fetched RMB63,250.00 and RMB109,250.00. She asked me to remind you of what you had said. I told her I shall stick to my Chinese genealogy.

The following are the details and results of the two pieces.







Philip

[Doug 周]

Philip,

Have your wife tell us the history of Shoushan Stones. Wikipedia and a cursory Google search is lacking. Does she have an English language URL for an explanation?

[douglaslam]

Was it just a stroke of luck or exceptional judgement and knowledge in the part of Mrs. Tan? I think it is more of the latter.

[lachinatown]

Shoushan Stone Carving link

To the website, just copy and add com after the dot

"It has been more than 1,500 years since Shoushan stone was first exploited as a precious stone for its gorgeous colors, smooth and moist character and its various and changeable veins. During the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), the stones in Mt. Shoushan had already been largely exploited. The Shoushan carving industry was finally formed after continuous development in the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Even the royal seals of the Qing emperors were made of Shoushan stones."

Also: www.chinaculture.org/classics/2010-09/14/content_397602.htm

[philiptancl]

My wife could not sleep for nearly the whole of last night as she was suffering from seller remorse.

Douglaslam, I do not think there was any consideration over the commercial significance which triggered her initial interest on Shoushan stones.
She was attracted more towards its artistic attractiveness when she first saw them in a shop during her visit to Beijing in 2002. She was told there were Shoushan stones without her knowing what Shoushan stones were all about. She was persuaded to buy two pieces then for around RMB1,800.00 for both. In 2003, she saw an advertisement of a sale exhibition locally on Shoushan stones by some carver artists from Fuozhou. Even though the price tags were for a few thousands then (for those pieces that attracted her) she could not bring herself to buy any at the first exhibition she attended. Such exhibitions then were held about twice a year. She started to read more about the stones and in subsequently exhibitions she started to acquire some pieces; a few hundred for a piece initially and gradually moving up the scale as years go by moving into tens of thousands. Though the purchases were a drain on our financial resources I did not, on my part, actively discourage her over her hobby. Her collection grew to some 30 to 40 pieces, mostly from reputable carver artists. She never had envisaged the explosion in value within China over the recent years; so much so that such stone sale exhibitions are no longer held in Malaysia over the last 5 years. Now the trend is on the reverse; auctioneers scouting here to bring back to China for sales or auctions. If she had know the true value of such stones, she would had purchase a few pieces of Tianhuang (田黄) type of Shoushan stone. The price of some of the bigger pieces exhibited at one exhibition was around RM50,000.00 (RMB100,000.00). This piece of this stone type of bigger size, without a reserve price, was sold for RMB9,775,000.00.




In April/May 2014 issue of “Sweet Home” magazine published locally here, it featured some pieces of my wife collection. I could post some of her individual pieces later. See images below:









Doug, my wife does not have any English write-up. See Lachinatown posting for explanation.

Philip

[douglaslam]

A few days ago, I said it was an enriching experience every time I log on to this Forum. Reading your post on Shoushan stones was one such experience, Philip. Until then I had but vaguely heard of this exquisite stone, nothing more, certainly not a thing of great beauty, certainly not as a collectible, certainly not a thing people would shell out big bucks for. It is all of those things.

Seller remorse or not, congratulations are in order to Mrs. Tan for her sound judgement, astute investment, and most of all, an artist, connoisseur, and a learned collector. It is a very impressive collection.

I want to see a Shoushan stone on display. Now, where is my nearest gemstone museum?

Douglas

[philiptancl]

Douglaslam, in some museums in China and Taiwan, you probably can see some antique pieces. In Fuzhou, Fujian Province, I understand a museum just dedicated for Shoushan stones was established within the last few years for contemporary pieces as well.

In our travels in China, we came across quite many curio shops purportedly selling Shoushan stones either without the name of a carver or carvers who my wife had never heard of. She had yet to come across a piece to attractive enough to arouse her interest.

Following are some of her pieces in greater details. Each stone carving is done from one piece of rock. Besides the type and quality of the rock, the value depends also on the skill of the carver in composing the theme, in bringing out the various different colors inherent within the rock to blend in, and his ability in carving out the representations he wishes to portray. In such stone carvings, no two pieces would be same.

Photo 1



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Photo 6: This is the favorite of my youngest daughter. At first the officials from the auction house tried to persuade adding this piece as well. She would not allow it.



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[philiptancl]

Continued below:

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Philip

[Henry]

My dear Philip,

I always knew that Soo Mei's Shoushan carvings would become a wonderful collection, as your photos have so demonstrated. I hope that the money she received from the sale of those two carvings will enable her to buy some even more exquisite Shoushan carvings from sources, other than the dealers, having high quality at a reasonable price.

In my view, Soo Mei's collection of Shoushan carvings represents a mission to preserve some of the finest stone carvings treasures of China and this quest is only equaled by your untiring and most generous efforts to assist all that attempt to recover their family's Chinese heritage and lineage throughout the world.

While Chinese genealogy might not fetch handsome sums of money, it is the inspiring gift to future generations that keeps on giving with every new generation. Chinese heritage and lineage in invaluable and when I think about the incredible efforts by all our forefathers, over thousands of years,to preserve our heritage and lineage for future generations, I am in awe and realize that my own humble efforts to recover and update my family lineage is the very least that I can do.

When we first met on the Internet and were discussed Chinese genealogy on Skype, you told me that Soo Mei remarked to one of your daughters that “Lucky Henry Tom is not living in KL, otherwise you all would not see your dad at all!” because we would probably be together researching Chinese genealogy. Well, next year, my wife Clarita wants to visit Bangkok & KL. So, we may be doing some Chinese genealogy while Soo Mei shows my Clarita some of her Shoushan carvings.


Looking forward to seeing you soon,

Henry

[philiptancl]

My dear Henry,

I could not agree with you more regarding your comment on our effort (I would include members of this Forum as well) in keeping alive this unique Chinese heritage on Chinese genealogy.

What Soo Mei would receive from the sale of the two pieces would probably just cover what I personally am incurring in restoring my grandfather 100 year old house in China and contribution towards some works being done on the surname Chen clan main ancestral hall in my ancestral place in Yongchun, Fujian. Are the two episodes fated to be such?

From the photos we just counted that Soo Mei still has 45 pieces left. The two Shoushan seal stones you can see in the photo for one of the cupboard are permanently gone now. Soo Mei said she would not allow any auction house official to visit her anymore. Good pieces are now priced out of our league. Soo Mei would just have to be content with whatever pieces are left now.

Soo Mei and I are looking forward towards the visit from Clara and you next year.

[lachinatown]

Philip, your picture 5344483bf618a249/kef97tam_original.jpg doesn't show because error. Please post again. Thanks.

[philiptancl]

Lachinatown,

Hope you can see the page now.


Philip

[douglaslam]

Philip, nothing has ever graced this Forum like Mrs. Tan's Shoushan stone collection on display here. For an uncouth individual like me, it is an eye-opener. I read the article more than once: That the stones go back to Jurassic age and confined only to that part of Fujian, Shoushan. That each carving is an individual work of art, certified by a certificate of provenance, are just two of the lessons learned. I can see how the carver tailored his or her creation to the uniqueness of each stone. The polar bear and grizzly bear were perfect matches for the stone types. Marvellous !

It would be nice to have a personal seal carved from a Shoushan stone......dream on. One day, a major museum or gallery may knock on your door and request the collection be on loan for public exhibition.

Douglas

[philiptancl]

Douglas,

The two bears were carved by Lin Hengyun (林亨雲), a China National Grand Master of Arts (中國工藝美術大師). The stone types for the two bears are not so valuable but the beauty is on his carvings. His daughter Lin Fengmo (林鳳妺) does carvings in bear as well. We have seen bears carved either by Lin Fengmo or his other disciples but their pieces could not measure up to those done by him. He is 84 years old now and could not carve bears as well as he once did. I understand is trying to buy back his bear pieces. His son Lin Fei 林飛 did the carving for the for the Tianhuang (田黄) piece that sold for RMB 9,775,000.00.

Sure you can have you seal carved in Shoushan stones. They vary hugely in quality and so the price. In your next trip to Beijing check them out in Liu Li Chang area (流璃廠). These 59 seal pieces with a reserved price of RMB 17,000.00 were sold at the same auction for RMB 34,500.00.





Philip

[lachinatown]

Thank you Philip, the image was up.
Oops, now it and another image are gone.