Independent Expert For Buddhist Medallions In Chiang Mai?

[rebo]

My main attention is on the “independence”. Meaning not making business by dealing with them (as they are lots at the medallion markets)

I would like to know estimated values, maybe with some “evidence” e.g. an article in one of the Buddhist magazines, and pay for the expertise service.

We don’t want to sell any of them but – in case some are really of substantial value – keep them at a safer place than on the family altar.

Does anybody know about such an expert who can be trusted?

[elektrified]

I'm not sure exactly what you are saying. But can't you do an Internet search for the current market value of what it is you have? We are not into amulets at all but decided to buy some as investments a few years ago and took the recommendation of a well-known seller in Bangkok. Now if we do a search for the current market value of them, we see that they are selling for more than 150% of what we paid for them.

[rebo]

I simply don't know how to search for, Elektrified, how the amulets are specified. "Amulet Wat Phra Sing 2513 Phra XY" (even in Thai) doesn't work. And we have more than hundred. And many of them do not have any readable inscription.

What I imagine is an expert who has a look on each of them and gives a short statement (of course including "In this case I don't know").

BTW - My wife's main fear is that this expert could clandestinely change one of her's to a copied one. She is convinced that some of the amulets must be "extremely" precious (meaning tens to hundreds of thousands of THB). Many of them she inherited from her father.

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Rebo,

Sorry to tell you that, based on extensive experience, what you are looking for is very likely not available. Disclaimer: while in the past we have been a serious student of S. E. Asian Buddhist iconography expressed in "Phra" (sacred images) in all sizes, we have never been interested in those amulets which are portrayals of certain famous Monks, or are in various forms known to have been made by, or at least "blessed" under the auspices of said famous Monks. An exception being a few amulets of Chiang Mai's unique Monk, Khru Baa Siwatchaii, and one very rare small silver statue of Ajarn Mun (which, in a moment of weakness, we gave away).

On the other hand, we have been very interested in the fascinating small Buddha representations from Cambodia, which, in our eyes often have a wonderful "naif," or "folk" quality that Thais lump together under the name "oophakhoot" (note that name has nothing to do with the famous legends of "Upagrata," the old man (another form archetypal yogi or renunciate ? or "demi-god" ?) who lives in a ruby palace under the sea, and whose statues will be found, for example, in storage structures for Naga-prowed racing sculls, or certain shrines/temples, in Mekong bordering provinces, like Nan).

At the "high-end" of the amulet (Phra Pim) market, in those "Phra" which contain representations of the Buddha, for example in the Phra Somdech, or the Phra Rod and Phra Buum (of ancient Mon Haripunchai: now Lamphun), are examples that, indeed, are "rented" for vast amounts of money.

These are widely faked, copied, and dealers themselves will confess their stories of having been cheated. These of course are associated with the (in our opinion) non-Buddhist superstitious beliefs in "phra lang," a protective, or benefifical, "spiritual energy."

Luang Por Kasem of Lampang is famous, for example, for his amulets which are believed to protect from air-plane crash, or auto-wreck. Ten years ago the annual income from "rental" of his amulets was reported as in the hundred millions of baht.

At certain regional-level "Buddha expositions" we used to attend, around the country, you would often see a man with a US $3-5000 grade Bausch and Lomb laboratory stereo microscope, and a queue of people in line to pay him 1000 baht each for his opinion on their amulets.

Unknown to many farangs is the extent to which "len Phra," amulet collecting, is a hugely popular enterprise among so many Thais (primarily male). Not only are there several monthly magazines (you may have noticed), but major expositions often draw thousands. We can only liken the popularity of this to, perhaps, the mass popularity of stamp-collecting for many people in the US up into the 1950's.

We'll never forget a conversation with a dealer in Bangkok where he carefully placed two Phra Somdech's in a velvet case, focused a strong light on them, and invited us to examine them with a loupe: we could not tell them apart. One was worth 300k baht, the dealer said, the other was a fake.

But, even if you should find a "fair appraiser," the question of liquidity arises if your goal is to "rent" these.

After all these disclaimers, if you are still eager, you can PM us, and we will put you in touch with someone we've known ten years who we consider "trustable," and highly knowledgeable in this area. You should expect to pay him well for his services, and you should, at all times, be present, and keenly observing, his examinations.

And, of course, we take no responsibilitiy whatsoever for either his evaluation or any transactions that may result: we'll introduce you, and that's all we'll do. We hope we don't need to say we expect no "reward" of any type for this introduction.

Your best strategy might be (?): written appraisal for each piece, then go to a major Buddha exposition, or Bangkok.

best, ~o:37;