Of history

HE IMPERIAL PALACES,” EVAN CHOW EXPLAINS, “WERE DECORATED WITH RICE-WINE BOWLS.” HIS INHERITANCE, A LIGHT BLUE CERAMIC YUAN DYNASTY JUNYAO RICE-WINE BOWL, IS MORE THAN 700 YEARS OLD. FOLLOWING TRADITION, CHOW’S GRANDFATHER HAD DECORATED THE MANY HALLS OF HIS HOME WITH MORE THAN 1,000 ANTIQUES HE HAD INHERITED FROM HIS FATHER.

“WHEN WE WERE KIDS, WE WENT OVER FOR WEEKEND GATHERINGS. I REMEMBER WE WOULD ASK HIM FOR STORIES, AND THIS IS THE PIECE THAT I POINTED TO ONE TIME. HE SAID TO ME, ‘YOU HAVE GOOD EYES; THIS IS ONE OF THE OLDEST PIECES.’” THE YOUNG CHOW ASKED IF HE COULD EAT FROM THE BOWL, WHICH DREW A LAUGH FROM HIS GRANDFATHER. WHEN HIS GRANDFATHER DECIDED TO PASS ON HIS COLLECTION, CHOW WASN’T SURPRISED THAT HE RECEIVED THE BOWL. “I WAS QUITE CLOSE TO HIM, AND THIS PIECE IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE HE TOOK THE TIME TO EXPLAIN ITS HISTORY TO A CHILD.”

THE BOWL HAS SINCE SAT IN A SHOWCASE FILLED WITH MANY OTHER INHERITED ANTIQUES. IT WAS A WHILE BEFORE CHOW DISCOVERED ITS MONETARY VALUE. “I WORK IN ASSET MANAGEMENT AND PART OF OUR RECOMMENDED PORTFOLIO INCLUDES ANTIQUES. AS A KID YOU WOULD NEVER SEE THAT ANGLE,” HE SAYS. “THE BOWL WAS PROBABLY AN INEXPENSIVE BUY AT THE TIME. WE THINK IT WAS BOUGHT FOR 10 OR 20 DOLLARS, AT TODAY’S VALUE.” AN APPRAISAL A DECADE AGO PUT THE VALUE OF THE BOWL, WHICH IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION DESPITE ITS AGE, CLOSE TO HK$500,000.

WHATEVER ITS WORTH, CHOW HAS NO INTENTION OF SELLING HIS INHERITANCE; IT WILL BE PASSED ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. “THIS BOWL IS PART OF MY FAMILY’S HISTORY AND IT ALSO INSPIRED WHAT I DO. I WOULD NEVER SELL IT,” HE SAYS EMPHATICALLY.