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A Vietnamese mandarin cap believed to be from the Nguyen Dynasty, the last of Vietnam's royal rulers, late 19th century-early 20th century, sold for €600,000 ($693,243) at a Balclis auction in Spain on Oct. 28. It comes with a box in lacquered and gilded wood, and has "some flaws and defects," the auction house stated. The item was introduced on Oct. 20 with an initial price of €500. Ten vying bidders eventually pushed the price tag up to €600,000. The final bidder is an anonymous online collector. |
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At another auction the same day, a ceremonial costume from the Nguyen dynasty was eventually sold for €35,000 after bidding started at €800. Son said Vietnamese artifacts have gained traction on the international auction scene over the past five years, thanks to affluent Vietnamese abroad helping to spread the word. Photo courtesy of the Balclis auction house |
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In May 2017, a Rolex Reference 6062 watch of Bao Dai (1913-1997), Vietnam’s last emperor, was sold for $5.05 million at an auction in Switzerland, the most expensive Rolex at the time. He reportedly went shopping for the Rolex in the spring of 1954 while attending the Geneva Convention, which split Vietnam in two. |
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In April 2015, the rickshaw used by Queen Mother Tu Minh (1855-1906) was sold for €45,000 in France. It was purchased by Monuments Conservation Center in central Thue Thien Hue Province and is on display at Hue Royal Palace. The rickshaw was bought by her son - King Thanh Thai (1879-1954) - for his mother to travel around the palace. After the king was dethroned, it was sold to a Frenchman in 1907. After more than 100 years, it was auctioned in France. |
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At the same auction, a royal bed of King Thanh Thai was sold for more than VND3 billion. |
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A gilded book made of silver was bought by Cao Xuan Truong, a Vietnamese antique collector in 2010. The history of this particular book dates to 1846 when the then Vietnamese King Thieu Tri gifted this item to his mistress. |