Michael Teller of TK Antiquities has handled thousands of ancient artifacts from China in the last 30 years and is serious about authenticating pieces. His Midtown gallery is full of surprising and fascinating finds from his travels. He talks to The Epoch Times about his predictions and obsessions.
Epoch Times: What is your top piece of advice to someone new to collecting?
Michael Teller: The majority of antiques, particularly ancient material on offer today are forgeries, pastiches, and restructured artifacts. It is imperative to learn the appropriate scientific analytical techniques required to unveil these problems. And, importantly, the new collector must realize that virtually all artifacts require multiple disciplines for meaningful authentication. Fortunately, learning how to distinguish basic reproductions and fakes can be accomplished rather quickly, but quality forgeries can seldom be determined by a simple visual inspection. For lifelong satisfaction, a sound foundation must be built.
Epoch Times: What is the biggest surprise you’ve had in regards to the value of Chinese pieces?
Mr. Teller: The biggest surprise is that there are still several fields, in which Chinese history is a major component, that are still priced considerably below their Western counterparts. Quality material in traditional collecting fields such as later ceramics and paintings have soared over the last five years, yet surprisingly important examples of ancient gold and even sculpture are lagging considerably behind.
