Unique "Antique Street Corner"

(Baonghean) - Just a small corner shop, quiet like many other shops, but every weekend this place is bustling with sellers and buyers. They come here to exchange, learn and satisfy their passion for antiques. That's why the shop is called "Street Corner - Antiques".

The shop is open 7 days a week, but if it were only on weekdays, no one would notice because the shop is nestled next to the City Book Distribution Center. But on Sundays, the shop is unusually bustling because this is a familiar meeting place for members of the Song Lam Heritage and Antiques Association and antique lovers. Regularly one session a week, although the shop has only been in operation for more than half a year, it has become a familiar address for people who love beauty inside and outside the province. There are regular customers, there are strangers, just one session of attending the "Antique Fair - Weekend Exchange" they have become friends.

Weekend market.

The founder of the shop is Mr. Nguyen Huu Mui, a person with more than 10 years of experience in antiques. The origin of this idea is very simple because according to him: “In recent years, the number of people with this same hobby has increased, but most of them play spontaneously. Each of us wants to have a place to exchange, interact, learn, and understand each other, and gain more valuable knowledge about antiques... The idea was initially sparked by only a few people, but soon after that, it quickly received the agreement and support of antique collectors. To have a location and set up a shop, we had to run around to many places, asking for opinions from many agencies, departments, and branches to be able to fulfill our wishes. Fortunately, the shop is small but new and especially "hospitable", so even though we have to sit crowded, cramped, and sometimes have to sit in the sun, there has never been a weekend without customers. Even strangers who do not know much about porcelain, do not understand what Dong Son, Chu Dau are, do not know what is called ancient, do not know why it is called old... when they suddenly turn in, they also attracted by the wandering, passion of the sellers and buyers, seeing the soul of the old country market.

Although we only meet on weekends, it takes a lot of effort to prepare for an “opening” session. To advertise, we set up a Facebook page called “Basket of Sweet Potatoes Antiques Association”. As for why it’s called “Basket of Sweet Potatoes”, it’s fun because it’s simply antiques but “cheap”, “cheap” like… sweet potatoes, 50,000 – 60,000 VND is enough to find one if you’re lucky. Usually, before the market, members who have items they like to exchange will introduce them online, and make an appointment to bring them to the market for everyone to look at and comment on. If they like them, they can “buy and sell” but if not, they can exchange them in kind, “barter and exchange”, as long as they’re happy.

Like Mr. Mui, among the artifacts that he displays at the coffee shop for customers to admire, many were purchased from this market, such as a bronze pipe from the Qing Dynasty that he bought from a teacher in Ky Son, a pendulum clock, and several earthenware incense burners. Mr. Tran Thai Binh, a regular customer of the shop, shared: Anyone who plays with antiques must admit that to play with them, one must have a certain knowledge of history and materials. Even "savvy" collectors cannot understand everything because each person has their own strengths. Some specialize in Bat Trang vases and jars, some only collect Ly - Tran - Le jars, earthenware, and bronze vases, some only play with Dong Son pottery, and some only like to collect ancient coins. Therefore, to evaluate an item, it is necessary to have the opinions of many people, and when you go to a familiar market, even if you want to "lie", it is difficult to "cheat".

The shop has not been open for long but has already received many groups of visitors from other provinces and cities, most of whom are members from the Antiquities Heritage Association such as the Lam Kinh Antiquities Heritage Association, the Thua Thien Hue Antiquities Heritage Association or the Hai Phong Antiquities Heritage Association. Although still small and in its infancy, members from other provinces are very interested in the antiques playing style of their Vinh friends and coffee - antiques is a new creative feature, both rustic and practical, increasing communication and solidarity. From here, the relationship between the Antiquities Associations in the provinces and cities has become even closer and gone beyond the usual exchange and trade relationship. Recently, the Thua Thien Hue Antiquities Association has donated many valuable artifacts to the Nghe An General Museum such as the Tay Son Dynasty Sword Set. Or members of the Song Lam Heritage and Antiquities Association also donated many valuable artifacts to the museum such as Mr. Thanh - Chairman of the association donated smooth parallel sentences from the Ly Tran period, Mr. Toan donated 15 antiques including bowls, plates, and bowls from the Ly Tran period, Mr. Mui donated a stone stele with Han characters, Mr. Dao Tam Tinh donated a Dong Son clay pot...

Mr. Dao Tam Tinh - Vice President of the Song Lam Heritage and Antiquities Association at the launching ceremony in early November also especially emphasized this weekend market because it can be considered the "origin" for the birth of the association. With nearly 60 members having been granted cards, the brothers also hope that from this meeting place, the number of people passionate about antiques and old things will come here more and the number of members in the province will increase rapidly. From here, a new, public and decent playground has been recognized, helping those who love beauty and preserve beauty have the conditions to exchange, develop and continue to spread.

My Ha