nh Nhan is a popular name among antique collectors in Hanoi. Nhan is the founder of Thang Long-Hanoi Pottery and Antique Researchers and Collectors which was established about 10 years ago. His French architectural house in the middle of Hanoi is the venue of many private exhibitions displaying antiques he has collected over the past 30 years. His collection include artifacts dating back to the Ly and Nguyen dynasties in the 11^th and 19^th centuries. In his museum, which is also his house, Nhan divides the antiques into specific topics: education, working and cooking utensils. Visitors to his exhibitions found it interesting to see feather pens used by scholar in the royal exams 1000 years ago or certificates granted to the examinees by the King. Nhan said more and more people show their interest in private collections and he and his peers have been supported both spiritually and financially to organize such shows thanks to the 2011 Law on Cultural Heritages. “The establishment of our association of Pottery and Antique Researchers and Collectors has led to the foundation of many similar associations and clubs across Vietnam. This has contributed significantly to the preservation and protection of artifacts of our country”, Nhan said.

The association also founded the Quintessence Antiques Magazine in 2003 which is considered a “minor window” to introduce the Viet nam culture traditional that existing thousands of years in our country. They also set up a website at: mangcovat.com.vn where collectors both at home and abroad can exchange their information and experiences on antiques. During its 10 years of operation, the association has helped reduce the illegal trading of Vietnamese antiques to overseas. “We deem it our responsibility to select valuable artifacts to introduce to the public. We are trying to find appropriate measures to protect and promote our country’s antiques to a wider public while creating a fair playing field among collectors,” said Dao Phan Long, Chairman of the Thang Long-Hanoi Pottery and Antique Researchers and Collectors

To Tuan