Ngô Đức Mạnh

From the outside looking in, Hải Minh Commune is maybe small in size and not too dissimilar to other villages to the south of Nam Định City.

But once you venture around this commune in Hải Hậu District you'll discover a vibrant and bustling place where antique dealers ply their trade.

This is auction central. A place where bids fly around a room at break-neck speed as collectors try to outdo each other to ensure they take home the treasures.

Antique tradition

Historically speaking, Hải Minh Commune was the place where more than two centuries ago, antiques first appeared here from one family, the Phạm's. They were highly respected by the Nguyễn Dynasty, who long exerted substantial political influence and military power throughout early modern Vietnamese history.

The Phạm family, whose ancestors were very talented in governing and war strategies, were often gifted precious items from royalty, and as a result, collectables have become deeply ingrained in the subconscious of Hải Minh people.

“This antique collecting hobby is elegant," said Đỗ Văn Tĩnh, vice-chairman of Hải Hậu Antiquities Association, who inherited the antique passion from his grandfather.

"I feel that if you have money and understanding of ancient cultures, collecting antiques brings entertainment, enjoyment and wealth. A hobby that combines moneymaking and passion, it is very fun.”

Like many people here, Tĩnh comes from a long line of antique collectors, who have all passed their knowledge to the next generation.

"Our passion for antiques has existed since my grandfather's time. My grandfather was a successful merchant who collected antiques, but he passed away a long time ago," he said.

"My passion for antiques began 30 years ago. I have been collecting antiques in the country and also some in neighbouring countries."

Hải Minh collectors buy all old items such as ceramics, wooden furniture and metal. Some are classified as antiques, some are just old items repaired for sale.

That's why in Hải Minh, many professions were formed just to serve the antique business. Repairers, traders and collectors. There are also people who specialise in quality and price appraisal.

WATCHFUL EYE: Collectors gathered at Hải Minh Commune to buy all kinds of antiques. VNS Photos by Kiều Trinh

In the Tân Tiến area, the centre of Hải Minh Commune, there are dozens of antique shops located close together, displaying hundreds of items from bronze to porcelain, many worth several hundred million, even billions of đồng.

The hunt for junk

Antiques 'hunters' in Hải Minh travel far and wide, looking for areas famous for their wealth in the past such as Bạc Liêu, Cần Thơ, An Giang, and even Thailand, China, Malaysia and Indonesia among others.

Antique hunting is not always easy. Collector Trần Văn Lưu said some of his collections took decades to find.

Lưu is also Vice Chairman of Thiên Trường Antiquities Association of Nam Định and President of Hải Hậu Commune Antiquities Association.

"The 'art' of antique hunting in Hải Minh and Hải Hậu has existed for a long time, and from the passion of collectors, the associations were established in 2000," Lưu said.

"Collectors in Hải Hậu District usually have trips to the provinces where in the past royalty and mandarins kept precious antiques, and buy these treasures for their own collections and also for the district’s museum.

“The antiques collected in Hải Minh Commune are very diverse. These include items from the Lý, Trần, Lê, and Nguyễn dynasties, and Chinese antiques as well.”

Starting from the junk trade, many collectors through hard work and perseverance have become true experts. They could find antiques and old items such as ceramics and wooden furniture belonging to wealthy families in the past.

DAYS GONE BY: Many antiques are several centuries old and considered extremely valuable.

To them, these items are high-class 'junk', aristocratic 'junk' and thanks to that, they own many valuable antiques worth billions of đồng.

Sao Huy, an antique store owner, said: "From the junk trade, Hải Minh antiques enthusiasts could buy antiques from the public at the same price as old scraps, the profit can be 10-20 times the capital spent, or even more. That's why, many antique dealers became billionaires after just a few years in the trade."

Growing industry

With the growth of the antique industry, the Antique Association of Hải Hậu was established, giving collectors in and outside the country the opportunity to host auctions and exhibitions.

BUSY BEES: Antique market days in Hải Minh Commune always attract collectors from far and wide.

In the past two years, largely due to the COVID pandemic, the antique market slowed, taking its toll on Hải Minh Commune.

A lack of professionals to appraise items and ensure they are genuine, is also a concern. Most collectors here have the knowledge to distinguish real antiques from forgeries based on self-study experiences alone without any specific qualification.

Counterfeits do exist, and some inexperienced collectors often get their fingers burnt.

But the good news is more and more younger people are seeing the value in antiques and are taking up the profession.

Nguyễn Thu Huyền, a collector from a neighbouring district, often visits Hải Minh looking for items.

"More people from my generation and even younger are developing an interest and love for antiques and also aware of the cultural values and the importance of preservation," she said. VNS