Shards of Ming Dynasty Ceramics

These are some of my representative pieces that I've asked my runner to collect. Collectors CAN ask for a ridiculously low price for these loose chunks of ceramic history. Runners and dealers tend to value Ming shards more because they wanted these glued, restored, or recreated and they sell them for anything from a hundred to a couple of thousand pesos. Oftentimes, if the pieces are too broken up, these get to be left out and eventually ignored. For me, I share the same sentiments with those who create jewelry pendants out of these blue&white pieces, for these seemingly worthless objects can become informative and valuable.

Valuable in fact that in China (and on Ebay), real Ming dynasty shards (or sherds) are now being sold for a hefty sum.  Reason? You get to study the glaze, the potting, the design, the type of pigment used, etc. Aside from looking at photos inside ceramic catalogues, having the real physical object in your hand is double the learning process.  And with it, you get to have a sense of what is fake and what is not.  Even if it's not the whole piece, you get to know the feel and the glaze and differentiate if whether it's from an Imperial kiln of Jingdezhen or from an Export Zhangzhou kiln.

Isn't it a beauty to see the cross-section of a Ming dynasty charger? No need to break an expensive piece, just ask for a shard instead.