HCM CITY – Collections of old and rare books, sheets of music, artworks and fans will be exhibited on the HCM City Book Pedestrian Street from March 19-25.

On display will be a collection of books published between the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20 century by famous Vietnamese authors such as Trương Vĩnh Ký, Trương Minh Ký and Trần Bồ.

The books feature research on the Vietnamese language, culture and society in the 19th and early 20th century, which are owned by collector Nguyễn Ngọc Hoài Nam.

Collector Trần Hoài Thơ will introduce his collection of 30 models of Marelli fans from Italy, which appeared in Việt Nam at the end of the 19th century.

The fans quickly became a favourite among Hà Nội people for both their function and beauty.

Collector Nguyễn Huyên will display his collection of decorative ceramic works made in the 1960s by Thành Lễ, one of the renowned porcelain manufacturers in southern Việt Nam.

These works feature familiar images in Vietnamese culture, such as women in áo dài and nghê (a sacred animal that guards ancient temples and communal houses).

The collections will include copies of nearly 30 paintings on the daily life of ethnic minorities living in Lang Biang Mountain in the Central Highlands city of Đà Lạt. They were made by painter Bùi Văn Dưỡng and published in 1955.

A collection of hand-written sheets of music from 60 years ago will also be featured.

Besides the exhibits, the organisers will host a talk show with the collectors on March 25. They will talk about their passion for their collections and their concerns about preserving the country’s cultural values.

The pedestrian book street is located on Nguyễn Văn Bình Street in District 1. VNS