Frequently Asked Questions, and Some Answers… |
Here is a brief listing of various questions and issues that arise within the realm of collecting and understanding Asian art and antiquities. We will expand this list over time. |
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| Is E&J Frankel affiliated with any professional organizations? |
| Art & Antiques Dealers League of America, Inc. (AADLA) 1040 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10021 Telephone (212) 879-7558 Fax (212) 772-7197 The Appraisers Association of America (AAA) 386 Park Avenue South, Suite 2000 New York, NY 10016 Telephone: (212) 889-5404 Fax: (212) 889-5503 Email: aaa1@rcn.com C.I.N.O.A.: International Confederation of Art Dealers (Confédération Internationale des Negociants en Oeuvres d'Art) |
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| How do I begin collecting Asian antiquities? |
| Begin with an object that genuinely interests you. Examine the piece: Does it "speak" to you? Does it intrigue you to know more? To research the object's history? To understand its cultural placement and significance? Does the item appeal to your visual sensibilities? When displayed in your residence, do you continue to admire the object and want to know more about it? If you can answer "yes" to the above questions, you are on your way to becoming an educated collector. From a single object, identify a category of interest and collect other pieces that relate, acquiring knowledge from reputable sources. Collecting requires patience, commitment, and an ongoing interest. Collecting does not require exorbitant sums of money to begin. The quality, scarcity and provenance of an object do impact directly on its purchase price and it pays to do business with a reputable dealer. |
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| How can I become better acquainted with Asian art? |
| We consider our Madison Avenue gallery in New York City a teaching place and welcome anyone with an interest to learn. Here you can view objects representative of the entire spectrum of Asian art and antiquities. You can then walk a few blocks to the the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which houses one of the finest Asian art collections in the world. Other museums and institutions in New York City and around the world also contain outstanding collections and scholarly resources to assist in learning and cultivating appreciation. Here are a few: New York and Eastern Megalopolis Area: The Brooklyn Museum(Brooklyn, NY); Asia Society(New York, NY); China Institute(New York, NY); Japan Society(New York, NY); C. V. Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University(New York, NY; The Newark Museum; (Newark, NJ)The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art(Staten Island, NY); The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden(Staten Island, NY) The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art(Smitsonian Institute, Washington DC); Arthur M. Sackler Musem(Harvard University, Cambridge, MA); The Peabody Essex Museum(Salem, MA); Museum of Fine Arts(Boston, MA); Yale University Art Gallery(New Haven, CT); University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology(Philadelphia, PA); Philadelphia Museum of Art; Herbert F. Johnson Museum, Cornell University(Ithaca, NY) |
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| What is thermoluminescence (TL) testing? |
| Thermoluminescence (TL) testing scientifically determines the age of an object by taking a physical sample, which is then induced to emit luminescence by non-intrusive laser heating. Luminescence intensity can be used to provide accurate dating of ancient ceramics by measuring the most recent instance when the object was heated to a temperature exceeding 500° celsius. To determinate their age, ceramic samples are heated under laboratory conditions. As a result of this process, energy is released as visible light impulses. This energy is the measure of self and ambient radiation, which have influenced minerals in the ceramics since the last firing. The more radiation (self and ambient) has been stored, the older the ceramics. Thermoluminescence testing is only useful for objects that have been fired in a kiln (i.e., ceramics). This process is accurate to within approximately 400 years, and is an accepted standard for verification of the age of ceramics. This test is most commonly used for pottery objects. While more highly-fired ceramics (i.e., stoneware and porcelain) may be tested, their relatively greater fragility makes taking samples riskier. Scientific tests, such as ultraviolet black light, infrared photography, X-ray radiographs, carbon-14 dating, thermoluminescence dating, and dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) are helpful in detecting forgeries and determining authenticity in works of art. However, they are only part of the process, and are no substitute for a trained eye and expertise gained through years of handling objects firsthand. Ideally, expertise and scientific testing should work hand in hand. As a matter of record, E&J Frankel, Ltd. has thermoluminescence testing performed on most of their pottery tomb pieces from Han through Tang dynasties by Oxford Authentication Laboratories. Test papers can be provided upon request.Many institutions perform thermoluminescence testing, but the most widely accepted ones are Oxford Authentication Laboratories (Oxford, England) and YSS Lab For Thermoluminescence Dating of Ancient Ceramics (The Chinese University, Shatin, Hong Kong). E&J Frankel, Ltd. does not offer testing as a service. We recommend that those searching for testing services contact one of these institutions directly. |
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| Can E&J Frankel evaluate my work of art? |
| We do appraise objects as a paid service. We cannot, however, provide appraisals [nor a simple "Yes, the object is authentic."] based on a submitted photograph. We cannot evaluate a piece by e-mail, fax or over the telephone. We must physically receive the object to examine it completely. The schedule of appraisal fees (USD) is as follows: Verbal Appraisal (single item).....................75.00 Written Appraisal (single item)..................250.00 Per Hour (multipleitems)..........................350.00 Edith and Joel Frankel are both certified members of The Appraisers Association of America (AAA). See below for a partial list of the museums and organizations for whom we have conducted appraisals: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y. * The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York * The Herbert F. Johnson Museum, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York * The Emerson Museum, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York * The Mead Art Museum, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts * Seton Hall University, West Orange, New Jersey * Columbia University, New York, N.Y. * Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA * The Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada * The Bagley Museum, University of Virginia, Charlottsville, VA |
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| Does E&J Frankel participate in any art and antiques shows? |
| Yes, we do. Our regular, annual show and exhibition schedule takes us to Washington, Philadelphia and the important shows in New York City. Click here to see a current list of our current schedule of antique fairs, shows and other events. |
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| Can you provide a chronology of Chinese and Japanese history? |
| Please click here to see a list of the Chinese dynasties and Japanese periods from the Neolithic Period up through the early 20th century. The assignments are of the Pinyin Form. |
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| Does E&J Frankel have a bibliography of related information on Asian art? |
| Ball, Katherine M.: Decorative Motives of Oriental Art, John Lane and the Bodley Head Ltd., London, 1927 Campbell, Joseph: The Masks of God: Oriental Mythology, Penguin Books, New York, 1962 Chavannes, Edouard: The 5 Happinesses: Symbolism in Chinese Popular Art, Editions Bossard, Paris, 1922 Christie, Anthony: Chinese Mythology, The Hamlyn Publishing Grp. Ltd., Middlesex, 1968 An Exhibition From the Idemitsu Museum: In Pursuit of the Dragon, Seattle Museum, 1988 Needham, Joseph: Science and Civilization in China, Volume 4, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1962 Rawson, Jessica: Chinese Ornamentation: The Lotus and The Dragon, British Museum, London, 1984 Williams, C.A.S.: Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives, Kelly and Walsh Ltd., Shanghai, 1941 Liu, Wu-chi and Lo, Irving Yucheng ed.: Sunflower Splendor: Three Thousand Years of Chinese Poetry, Anchor Press/Doubleday, Garden City, New York, 1975 |
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| Can E&J Frankel repair my damaged work of art? |
| Unfortunately, we are not able to provide this service to the public. |
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7/4/2008 9:30:19 PM |
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