Young antique lovers have not only met in person to exchange ideas and share experiences, they have also created many online forums to stay connected and spread the hobby that is little known and understood. Many young people in Hue are also immersing themselves in that trend.
“This is an ancient coin with skillfully crafted patterns.” Nguyen Truong, a young person from Hue, had an entry and an attached image on the Vietnam Antiques forum. Not long after it was posted, many people interacted, commented, and suggested “talking”. In this way, the exchange and sharing of experiences about the ancient coins game gradually became endless.
Truong said that his passion for collecting ancient coins in particular, and antiques in general, was predestined to him. “I’ve known a few seniors in this hobby. At first, I just asked about it for fun, but then I gradually fell in love with it,” Truong recalled. And it’s how the young man began his journey of collecting first-hand items of small value, then progressing to unique and rare items.
“Apart from ancient coins, my favorite is blue and white enameled porcelain. The more I collect, the more I become passionate. They have both shown me spiritual values and helped me understand more about this hobby, about the historical and cultural periods,” Truong added.
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| Online forums on antiquities are places for young people to share their passion |
Despite his modest experience, Truong stated that antique collecting and exchanging have become more convenient now than they were before thanks to online forums on social media. Following Truong’s instructions, we found antique exchange sites with hundreds of thousands of member participants.
Like a miniature museum, platforms to exchange and share antique experiences on social media are always bustling. Players can see items of all sort there.
As a young participant from Hue in these forums, Ho Long usually follows posts of items by his friends and collectors. He himself also shows many of the items he collects. Most of his items are ceramics. “Depending on the age and patterns, the value of each item varies. Experienced collectors can assess the value immediately, but those less experienced will have many difficulties recognizing an item’s value,” Long said.
Surfing “the virtual world of antiques”, there are countless items, including ceramics, porcelain, bronze, wood, and fabric of all sizes and ages that are impressively displayed. With the shared experience, many collectors focus on taking photos of artifacts in a skillful manner to make an impression on viewers.
As a local in Hue, a land with its rich culture and history and where many antiques are still preserved, Long has an opportunity to visit museums and exhibitions to understand more about the quintessence of the antiques.
Unlike in the past when it took time if one wanted to see the artifacts, now within the virtual space, it is much easy to learn and exchange artifacts. “With just one click, everything is in front of your eyes. And with just a few messages, the owners as well as interested people can share information about the item quickly,” Long added.
According to a professional antique collector in Hue (who requested anonymity), the collection and exchange of antiques have been no longer the hobby of the elderly, but they have become a trend drawing the attention of a large number of young people in recent years. With curiosity, young people quickly approach and thoroughly understand antiques.
“Some young people are agile and context-sensible, so they have an opportunity to own valuable items. In addition to being an asset, it is also a spiritual hobby, helping them to love more the national culture, understand more about history and thereby creating a valuable trend,” the expert commented. He hoped that young people would be successors in maintaining and preserving cultural and historical values through antiques.