Three national treasures in private museums

Dong Son bronze vase dated 2nd-1st century BC, cast in large block, 53 cm high, mouth diameter 15.7 cm, body diameter 37 cm, base diameter 34 cm, weight 7.5 kg. The vase is a work of art with typical value of bronze casting and decoration of ancient Vietnamese people on bronze objects of Dong Son culture.

The most unique feature of the vase is the base with a super hollow casting method to create seamless, curvaceous patterns, creating aesthetic depth. More deeply, this form also expresses the lifestyle and identity of the ancients about the natural laws of all things and human life. Mr. Thang said that this is the only vase found in the country and internationally to date.

The brown ceramic vase is a typical artifact representing the peak development of the ceramic industry during the Ly Dynasty. The vase is 25.5 cm high, has a mouth diameter of 22.7 cm, a bottom diameter of 18 cm, and weighs 2.7 kg. Experts have identified it as a Buddhist treasure. This treasure is used to hold the relics, the dharma body of the enlightened one, the auspicious mind, to be worshiped in a stupa or national temple.

According to Mr. Thang, the vase is a treasure created by the crystallization of artistic values ​​and the artist's consciousness, taking Buddhism as spiritual nourishment to create a type of art that carries many values ​​in the fields of culture, history and religious beliefs.

The blue-gray ceramic incense burner was created by the artist Dang Huyen Thong, demonstrating the craftsmanship. The incense burner skillfully combines the techniques of relief, intaglio, printing and engraving the thickness of the glaze layer into the decorative pattern. The incense burner is 41 cm high, 23.5 cm in mouth diameter, 21 cm in base diameter, and weighs 7.3 kg.

The incense burner is unique, beautifully shaped and quite intact. Based on the subject and inscription, it shows that the incense burner was ordered by the aristocracy, royal family members and royal family members to be presented to sacred places or national temples.

Previously, Mr. Thang's An Bien collection had 15 items recognized as treasures in 2021 (9 artifacts) and 2022 (6 artifacts). These 18 treasures are among 500 antiques with scientific records, appraised, and registered by Mr. Thang with state agencies.

The antiques are displayed by him in four cultural spaces: Antiques of the Dai Viet state from the 11th to 19th centuries; Chinese antiques from the 9th to 18th centuries; antiques from the Northern domination period, from the 5th century BC to the 9th century, and Buddhist art made of agarwood and stone from the 17th to 19th centuries.

Since 2020, many scientific seminars have been held to evaluate and research the value of the An Bien collection. Mr. Thang said that from next year, he will stop submitting dossiers for recognition as national treasures to focus on preserving and promoting the value of these 18 treasures.

Previously, on January 18, the Prime Minister recognized 29 new national treasures. Currently, Mr. Tran Dinh Thang is the individual who owns the most national treasures in the country.