翟健民

翟健民是大华人圈最活跃的古董商之一。16岁出道，从学徒做起，一步一脚印的建立【永宝斋】这块金字招牌。翟健民古董生涯有二位重要人士，一位是师傅黄应豪Ying-Ho Wong、一是夫人刘惠芳Priscilla Lau。 黄师傅带他入行时，只有16岁，第二年(1974)父亲过世，黄师傅就像他的义父，凡遇重要事都向他请教；夫人刘惠芳，出生于香港古董世家，除是贤内助外，也是事业伙伴，曾留学法国的她对【永宝斋】开拓欧美生意有很大帮助。

一九七三年正式投身中国古玩工艺品行业，成为专业买家。多年获委任为香港艺术品商会“古玩鉴定委员会”会员之一。一九八八年在香港成立永宝斋。一九九九至二OOO年间，应北京大学邀请为“中国出口制品”作客席讲师。过去三十年间定期参与在欧美及亚洲各地举行之古玩拍卖及展览，从而得到最新趋势和估价的资料。过往二十多年间积极参与在纽约、伦敦和香港举行的国际级拍卖会。二OO二年十月筹办香港艺术品商会的“荷李活道古玩节”。二OO二年下半年出任由香港旅游局举办的古董鉴赏课程的演讲嘉宾。

福成行黄应豪义父师徒之情

翟健民成长于香港，祖籍山东，出生于澳门，父亲在澳门时经营抽纱(台布)生意，颇有名气，因经济较为宽松，自幼便知父亲喜欢收藏古玩，尤其瓷器。澳门动乱，许多人都迁往香港或海外，他们一家人则到了香港。到香港后，父亲遭人诈骗、生意从此一落千丈，家族慢慢没落，父亲在他12岁那年开始生病，家里缺钱时，只见父亲一件件瓷器拿出来卖，那时，翟健民便知道这些瓷器是可以换钱的。家中，他排行老四，上面有三个姐姐，还有一个弟弟，由于是长子的关系，15岁那年，家里实在很困难，他便开始外出打工，一天二份工作，端盘子、打杂工，什么都做，渐渐肩负起家里生计支撑整个家庭。

初踏入社会，翟健民只是一位打工仔，与古董这行无关，但在远东大厦做事时与原在【天宝阁】担任经理的黄应豪师傅认识，黄师傅后来开了【福成行Fook Shing Arts Company】找他帮忙，才进了这行，那年是1973年。黄应豪【福成行】店不大，在香港属中上行家，窑、铜、竹、木、石、画各式古董文玩都做，但瓷器最为专门。初入行，虽然知道自己做的是古董，但还是懵懵懂懂，康雍乾瓷器和民国瓷都分不清楚，直到第二年，才慢慢进入状况。尤其1976年跟黄师傅到英国伦敦，参观几个大博物馆及接触到许多英国行家和拍卖公司后，才对古董文物有更深的认识、茅塞顿开。伦敦行是古董怪杰李艾琛领去的，还有香港青花大王钟先生同行，总共四个人。他们走访许多博物馆，对博物馆收藏有初步的认识，这对面向欧美市场的香港古董商很重要。过去，香港一直扮演中国大陆与西方市场的转运的角色，古董生意也是一样，中国大陆文物艺术品的出口多透过香港，以致到中国大陆看货、补货则成了香港古董商重要的工作。那段时间翟健民经常前往北京、上海、天津的进出口公司，补货的过程中，因到过伦敦考察、了解西方市场的需求，买的货也销的快、价钱好 。

90年代生意，主要以欧美日为主，做的大部分是老窑，因此常跑澳门，当然， 欧美也是家常便饭，尤其，近几年中国大陆买家崛起，翟健民一举一动更受瞩目。理个小平头的他，为人四海、讲义气，与新崛起的中国大陆买家建立相当的友谊，成为大陆买家进军国际拍卖场上的代言人。例如1999年6月15日伦敦佳士 得以331,500英镑卖出一件清乾隆 〈大型粉彩山水透雕转心瓶A Very Rare Massive Carved Famille Rose Revolving Vase Qianlong Four-Character Seal Mark and of The Period〉便是他举牌买下的。除此，香港几件重要瓷器也是他与大陆收藏家的杰作，近日最受注目的无非与罗伯张妹妹张永珍女士争夺2002年5月7日香港苏富比一件清雍正〈粉彩蟠桃福寿纹橄榄瓶〉，最后该瓶虽然以3,700万港元落槌价被张永珍女士买去，但翟健民与他客人的胆识与眼光也博得古董圈的肯定。不过，这些都是为人作嫁的事，谈到翟健民的收藏，他说是“卖花姑娘插竹叶”，目前只有龙泉窑的收藏是较有系统。他说，20年前，无意间以1000港元买到一件与青花同样漂亮的元代龙泉，因不太受收藏家青睐，以致“卖花姑娘插竹叶”的事从此发生了，且竹叶愈来愈多，最后龙泉窑好的也有60几件，已成了一个系统。翟健民笑着说，竹叶，如果好好收集、仔细装扮、打理，最后也能成为一种特色，目前国外博物馆正有意展出这批龙泉瓷器。

虽然翟健民的【永宝斋】名气不下于师傅的【福成行】，但他对黄应豪还是以师傅相称。1990年黄师傅移民加拿大，因移民日子太无聊，1992年他又回到香港摩罗街开了店，但已是玩票性质、半退休状态了。黄师傅经常到翟健民的店里来，每到拍卖预展也可看到师徒二人，还有夫人刘惠芳在会场上专心研究拍品，师徒情深让许多古董圈敬重不已。翟健民说，黄应豪除是我的师傅、也像义父。曾经，有一回肚子痛，自己强忍着不愿上医院，最后，还是黄师傅来家里背着我到医院去，经医生诊断是胆结石，如果再晚一天，命可能就不保了。翟健民回忆，1978年他和师傅胆子很大，身上带着3万英镑前往中东找中国瓷器，从阿曼前往耶路撒冷的路途中差点被司机打劫，因保持警觉并和司机说到中国人都像李小龙一样个个都有功夫，司机才没敢动手，但车开了六小时后，前途茫茫，充满危险唯有转回头，没有到目的地。

90年代初，翟健民自认对瓷器鉴定已相当有把握，信心达到巅峰，认为做伪瓷器逃不过他的眼睛，但1991年，他差点因为太过自信跌在一件作伪明永乐青花上，还好师傅适时出现才化解了这个错误。事情的发生，是在香港上环的一个小酒店，有人拿一件明永乐给翟健民看，菱口边、釉色、画工都对，可是当时翟健民唯独觉得底足有些疑问，当然，再加上一个“贪”字，可以算是一件开门见山的东西。对方开价160万港元，最后双方以130万港元谈成，当时是下午1点。但翟健民要求东西先拿走，3点再准时付款。拿了东西，便回自己的店，途经师傅的店本想一起分享这个战果，但刚好他不在，翟健民心里想，师傅没有福气欣赏到这件瓷器。1点45分，电话响了，师傅来电说：“民仔，有什么事？”。我告诉他，我买了件瓷器。他说，你等我，10分钟后到。之后，师傅把这个盘子把玩了许久，发觉盘的厚度有点不对，底足也不好，觉得不是很踏实，要翟健民小心点。稍后，这个盘子也给了一位明永宣大行家看，这位大行家向他出价170万港元，试想，两个小时转手便可赚40万港元，有很高的利润，可是师傅怀疑、专家又说对，且愿意拿钱来买，他到底要相信谁？基于做人的风格，不是自己认为百分之百正确的货不能卖，最后，翟健民做了保守的决定，在2点45分时，把这件瓷器还给了卖主。事情过后，有一回在台北私人收藏家中，又看到一件相似的盘子，这才肯定当初没买是正确的。这件事给翟健民“不能太自信、不能自欺、不能贪”的启发。

刘惠芳专攻文房、鎏金佛、缂丝、竹木、玉器等　翟健民 1981年与太太刘惠芳Priscilla Lau结婚，刘惠芳在上海出生，香港长大。跑欧洲如果没有太太的帮忙，翟健民欧美生意进展就不会那么顺利。结婚后，夫妻俩人自己出来做古董生意。翟健民太太家族也是做古董生意，父亲刘福顺是70年代香港行家，哥哥就是在荷李活道专做鎏金佛生意的【东宝斋】刘惠汉。初始，夫妇二人没有本钱，租不起店面，只在家里做，直到1988年，才在荷李活道开了自己的店－－【永宝斋】。店名是刘惠芳取的，希望每个顾客到店里买的永远是宝贝。

中国古董圈几乎是男人的世界，很少见到女古董商纵横在这个圈子，但翟健民和刘惠芳夫妇是难得的夫妻档。事实上，【永宝斋】文房类竹、木、牙雕、鎏金佛、玉器、缂丝、刺绣这块生意，几乎都是刘惠芳在做。例如，1999年11月16日伦敦佳士得拍卖一件清乾隆款〈鎏金双连瓶A Very Fine and Rara Archaistic Gilt-Splashed Bronze Double Vase〉以80,700英镑成交；2001年10月29日香港佳士得一件大明永乐〈鎏金观音菩萨半跏像A Highly Important and Exceptionally Large Gilt-Bronze Figure of Avalokitesvara〉以5,545,000港元成交；2001年10月29日一件明末/清初〈镶嵌宝石鎏金瑞兽镇纸A Fine and Rare Hardstone Inlaid Bronze Buddhist Lion〉以411,250港元成交，都是由刘惠芳拍得的。从【永宝斋】拍卖场购得的拍品可看出，刘惠芳和翟健民经营的多是御用文房器，然而，明清两代文人的文房器亦不少，就如翟健民私下展示了所收藏的民窑瓷器文房小件，不过，这些文房瓷器市价不高，只能说是好雅致收藏品，对此，翟健民表示，他对客人的态度是“不藏、不收、不隐．”，好东西不能不给，要先介绍给收藏家，翟健民又好笑自己是“卖花姑娘插竹叶”，意谓好花都是拿来卖的，卖花姑娘头上只能插客人不要的竹叶了。

赴北京大学考古系旁听

一生无法循教育系统正常学习的翟健民，终于在1999年有机会进入北京大学考古系跟随权奎山教授上课。每星期都从香港飞到北京上课二天，虽然每每要将手中忙碌的事情暂时放下，但是对于翟健民来讲，这无价的恩典是值得珍惜的，因为通过这样的学习过程，能弥补他对骨董文物鉴定学术的不足，例如，过去大家对于磁州窑的背景其实所知甚少，但是自从到过河北省邯郸市看过观台窑址之后，满山遍地的窑具和瓷片，更能深入地体会观台窑当时的烧造工艺和盛况，是名副其实的正宗磁州窑产品，其它则算是磁州窑系，考古系对观台窑址的发堀报告，提供解决了传统鉴定中与考古地层学结合的科学依据，更能精确地判断传世磁州窑器物早、中、晚年代，属于观台窑产品还是其它窑口的产品，这无疑是传统鉴定家学术学习的好处，使传统鉴定更为科学，因此北大的学习就算再辛苦，翟健民还是会坚持下去。

古董这行是否真的没得做了

这几年，香港经济环境不好，藏家心情也不好，古董这行市道更不好。许多古董店纷纷抱怨古董这行做不下去了。这句话，翟健民在70年代初刚入行时，也常听古董商们抱怨，但这么多年过去了，这行还是继续发展下来，拍卖公司的拍卖，也是一场场进行，甚至专案更多，金额愈大，古董这行似乎是愈来愈蓬勃了。

翟健民认为，现在生意难做，主要是买家都要好东西，但好东西难找啊！骨董商如果二天，二个星期，买不到好东西，就会说出“古董这行没得做了”他对古董这行看法比较乐观，虽然今天不好，但还有明天啊！如果明天出现一件好东西，而且价钱又便宜，不是乐翻了吗？那时，心态上就觉得古董是一门好生意。这30年，古董圈的酸、甜、苦、辣，他都经历了；有多少碰钉子的事，风风雨雨，不都得要一步步爬起来。最后，翟健民理解出一个“今天赚不到，明天还有机会”的经营心态，或许是这种心态，才让他能一直经营骨董到现今。

古董生意永远有得做 永远有机

【永宝斋】翟健民William K.M.Chak骨董生意永远有得做 永远有机会

作者：CANS艺术新闻

William Chak of Shandong origin was born in Macau and raised in Hong Kong. Chak has been acquainted with ceramics since his childhood because his father, who was at that time quite famous in the textile business, had made some money and started collecting antiques. Due to the riots in Macau, many inhabitants had moved to Hong Kong or overseas, while the Chak's family picked Hong Kong. Unfortunately, Chak's father's business in Hong Kong had deteriorated dramatically. Until Chak was 12, his father started selling his antiques collection in order to maintain their living due to illness. That was the time when Chak realized that ceramics could be profitable. Being the eldest son in the family, with three elder sisters and one younger brother, Chak took up whatever job that could make money, such as dish washing in restaurants, de-livery and other miscellaneous cleaning jobs. None of those jobs had any bearing on antiques. The turning point of Chak's profession was that he fortuitously met Mr. Wong Ying Ho, who was at that time the manager of Tin Po Kok. Not long thereafter, Mr Wong asked Chak to join him in opening up his own antiques shop ───Fook Shing Arts Company in 1973. That was the beginning of Chak's career in antiques.

In the 90s, American, European and Japanese markets were dominant, hence frequent travelling to Macau, America and Europe was essential. With the recent growth of the Chinese mainland market, collectors from Chinese mainland became more active than they used to be. Wearing a "Xiaoping" style haircut and possessing a good character, Chak has built up acquaintances with many of the collectors from Chinese mainland and has gradually become their representative at international auction markets.

As for his own collection, Chak says with enthusiasm "It was totally the consequence of unexpected coincidences. It started with a piece of Yuan Longquan Yao ceramic that I bought 20 years age. Longquan Yao ceramics was not the favourite genre of our collectors at that time. As a result, it became my personal collection." He proudly continues "The accumulation now has become a systematic collection of over 60 pieces. At this moment, some foreign museums are proposing to lend pieces from my collection of Longquan Yao ceramics".

Chak and Priscilla got married in 1981 and established their own shop in 1988. In the field of Chinese antiques, female dealers are rarely seen and even more rare are couples working as partners, like Chak and Priscilla. Although their partnership is considered rare in their community, they are presumably the pioneers in the industry. Apart from porcelain and ceramics, Chak's Company Limited also carries lots of studio artifacts, Buddhist sculptures, bamboo as well as Jade.

Chak──as a Sit-in student in Peking University

Chak, who has never had the opportunity to receive proper education in his life, finally had the opportunity in 1999 to enrol in the Peking University to study archaeology under Professor Quan Kuishan. Commuting by plane between Hong Kong and Beijing once a week, Chak who seldom missed any lectures believes that the learning experience could offset his academic inadequacy of appraising Chinese antiques. For example, people have always believed Cizou Yao is from the Henan province. However when Chak actually went to Handan city in the Hebei province, he realised that the illustrative techniques and the clay were better in term of quality than the others found elsewhere.

For these few years, the economics in Hong Kong has been declining. Antiques business is hard to survive. Chak says, "Since 70s, dealers have been complaining the same, but as we can see, the antique business keeps growing. I, myself, am much more optimistic about the business. I always believe that there is still chance of successful if we are of professional standard".

Taste Changing in Antique Market due to the active role of the Chinese mainland Collectors.

The growth of the Chinese antiques market is a consequence of the increase of capitalism in the Chinese. After the establishment of the "open door policy", which was about 20 years ago, people in Chinese mainland began to possess more wealth, they started to invest in real estate, houses, imported cars, and then, ancient artifacts. Look back 5 years ago, it was the world of the Taiwan and Hong Kong collectors, they could generally obtain whatever pieces they desired. But now, with the penetration of the collectors from Chinese mainland into auction houses, the collectors of Taiwan and Hong Kong are facing great difficulty in competing against them. Nevertheless, many antique pieces are put on to auctions in China by Taiwanese and Hong Kong people since the Chinese market is now the largest market with massive potential.

Not taking into account of the Ming Blue and White, Tang Sancai, Sung Five Yao's pieces which represent prolonged civilisation and testimony to history, the collectors from Chinese mainland prefer ceramics of the Qing Dynasty simply because of their attractive appearances and affordable prices. Apparently, objects that were considered insignificant in the past such as pieces from the People's Republic, and late Qing......etc. have somehow become the "bull's-eye" in the antiques market due to the appeal of these collectors.

"The collaboration of the collectors from China has greatly influenced the devotion of antiques pieces and will be the essence of the future movement of the Chinese antiques market. I believe the collectors from China will play a key role in the Chinese antiques market in the distant future." Chak concludes