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Ming porcelain found in South East Asia

I've a contact in South East Asia, who has many items from time of Ming Dynasty. Coins porcelain and so on. I have known this man for over 20 years and he is the legal finder and owner of them. Now I want to ask your help.

Where and how we could get the real prices of those items? To where and how to sell them? I hope you have a possibility to answer these questions.


Three ways of selling them

Dear Sir,

There are innumerably finds like the ones you describe on the market why the prices might not be as high as you might hope. Generally the price you get depends on the amount of trouble you are willing to take to find the right buyer, and there are no shortcuts.

If you want to sell these items in the West, the best is really to ship every single item you would like to sell to Christie's South Kensington in London. There are several other auction houses available and one choice might be as good as another. Both Germany and the US or why not Sweden, might turn out to be excellent places to sell this kinds of items.

If you want to sell them locally - yourself - any local antique dealer would pay you the local price, considering competition and all other things involved.

A third possibility for you to reach the international market without middlemen would be for you to sell the items one by one or in lots (considering the high shipping cost, lots might be better) at the internet auction site eBay at http://www.ebay.com/

If you would like to have some of the best pieces professionally appraised for your reference and information - I can forward you to one of the best arts historians in the world who can help you with appraisals, who also happen to know the South East Asian market very well. Please note that this professional service would be for a normal fee.

I hope this helps some at least.

Thank you for your interest.

Best regards,
Jan-Erik Nilsson