Vietnamese antiques fetch high prices at global auctions

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.
Tran Dinh Son, a researcher, said the cap belonged to a high-ranking mandarin, was well preserved and similar to artifacts on display in Hue, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, meaning it was not all that rare. Before 1945, several families either buried the caps with the deceased mandarins or kept them for worship.
"I'm surprised to hear that the cap got a record-breaking price. In Vietnam, a similar item could be sold for around $10,000," he said.
Vu Kim Loc, an artisan who specializes in restoring Nguyen Dynasty caps, said he was not surprised to see the cap fetching a high price at a foreign auction. He said there were only around five to seven similar mandarin caps in Vietnam, and that caps belonging to high-ranking mandarins were even rarer. Photo courtesy of the Balclis auction house

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

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.
The unique Rolex includes a small 36 millimeter yellow gold triple calendar moon phase and is the only known example with the reference 6062 with a black dial and diamond indexes, according to leading watch website Hodinkee. Photo by Phillips

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.
Phan Thanh Hai, director of Hue Monuments Conservation Center at the time, said the rickshaw was among the most beautiful in Vietnam, exquisitely inlaid with pearls by a group of famous artisans in the North. Photo by Dac Duc

At the same auction, a royal bed of King Thanh Thai was sold for more than VND3 billion.
It was bought by an overseas Vietnamese, a grandson of the emperor. The bed is made of wood with royal Hue patterns. The top of the bed is carved and covered with gold leaf. Photo courtesy of Rouillac

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.
The book, which measures 14 x 23centimeters, has only five sheets and weighs nearly two kilograms. It features 186 scripts in Chinese with reference to the concubine, costing Truong €72,750. This is the only known gilded, silver book to have existed in Vietnamese history, according to Vietnam History Museum. Photo by Philippe Truong