Sales of Chinese Antique Jars Reached Record Highs in 2010

Jan. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom –  While the collecting Asian antiques, particularly antique jars, have always been popular, no one expected the massive increase seen in last year's sales. Comparing 2009 and 2010 sales, 2010 saw a 123% increase in the revenue gained from Chinese antique jars alone. This dramatic increase greatly surpassed the year's target, reaching the projected profit of 2013.(http://www.antiquejars.net)
Everywhere you look, economic analysts, news reports, and magazines tell us that the economy is in the pits. This is why it is so surprising that so many art or antique investments, particularly antique jars, were made last year. Surprising because these items are not as liquid or cannot be turned into cash as easily as other investments, and often, collectors tend not to sell such pieces, which could mean the purchases were made truly for collecting purposes, and if so, revealing a surprising amount of disposable income.
The largest single sale made last year was a Qing Dynasty vase which was sold for 51.6 million pounds sterling. This sale set a new record for the auction price of Chinese antiques. Other single pieces also reached amounts in the millions of dollars. Even if the biggest buys, such as the Qing vase, were made by professional institutions, all it reveals is that big capital investors are playing a leading role in the antique market. It doesn't quite explain the sudden increase in sales.
With or without an explanation, antique dealers and auction houses are quite happy. With the economy projected to still be bad this year, having record sales in 2010 can help them muddle through 2011. Besides, they were bracing themselves for very bad sales in 2010, and they got the opposite, so perhaps 2011 will bring the same kind of luck. Apart from being happy with last year's profits, however, auction houses and dealers believe that the value of Chinese antiques will now further increase. They also believe that the record sales are a testament to the popularity of Chinese craftsmanship.
Despite its effects on the antique world and on the prestige of Asian antiques, dramatic sales increases and statistics like these make many question the economic crisis. If first world countries are truly in crisis and their economies are struggling, how is it that some of their larger institutions can afford such investments. Perhaps this is a question that will be answered at some future date this coming year.