Nine Questions for Vanderven Oriental Art

Vanderven Oriental Art is a multi-generational, family-run, Dutch gallery specializing in antique Asian art. Its collection ranges from terracotta and bronze objects from 3000 BC to 17^th century, colonial-era furniture, with an emphasis on Chinese and Japanese porcelain. Launched in 1968 by two van der Ven siblings—Clemens and Bea—the gallery continues to be a family affair today. And as the family grows—“at holiday gatherings, we can easily be 70-80 people with all the children and grandchildren”—so too does the gallery’s collection and ambitions. We spoke with the lovely and talented Nynke van der Ven-van Wijngaarden, head of Vanderven’s PR and marketing, and wife of Managing Director Floris van der Ven, about the gallery’s past, present, and future, as well as her broader hopes for rebranding antiques for younger generations.

Anna Carnick: How was the Vanderven gallery born?

Nynke van der Ven-van Wijngaarden: Vanderven was established on a very auspicious date for the Chinese, 8/8/1968, by Clemens van der Ven and his sister Bea. They opened a general antiques shop in the center of the medieval town of ’s-Hertogenbosch, and their keen eyes quickly ensured a loyal client base and excellent reputation. In the following years, Neeltje—Clemens’ wife—joined the business. In 1993, their nephew Floris van der Ven also came into the business, after international traineeships with Neuse (Bremen), Kugel (Paris) and Spink’s (London). He took over the ownership of the business and gallery in 2012. Today Vanderven Oriental Art is considered one of the world’s leading international dealers in its field, of which we are of course very proud.

Bea and Clemens van der Ven in the early 1970s Courtesy of Vanderven Oriental Art
AC: Where did the focus on Asian art come from initially?

NVDVVW: Clemens and Neeltje were always very active and travelled the world showing their collection at fairs and events. On one of their trips to the Far East in the 1980s, they were so inspired that they decided to specialize in Oriental Art. Today, we continue to see Oriental Art as a truly international collectors’ field, which is still appreciated and traded globally.

AC: In your mind, what sets Vanderven Oriental Art apart from other galleries?

NVDVVW: We feel that quality and service are an incredibly important part of our business. We want to guide and help collectors in their choices. As a gallery, we make a pre-selection of beautiful objects, which clients can be certain are original and of high quality.

A generation has lost its taste for antiques and beautiful old objects. This is something that is not easily recovered. AC: What else should our readers know about the gallery?

NVDVVW: The emphasis in our collection lies in Chinese early ceramics from the Han and Tang periods and export porcelains from the 16^th, 17^th, and 18^th centuries. We also deal in Chinese silver, glass, wood, and iron objects from those periods. Our Japanese art collection focuses mainly on lacquer, metal, and porcelain from the 18^th to the 20^th centuries. With over 100 collective years of experience, we are proud to be truly international specialists in our field. Thanks to our extensive library and research projects, we continue to learn and hone our knowledge in an ever-changing art market in order to remain at the top of our field.

AC: Who are Vanderven’s clients?

NVDVVW: Oriental art—and particularly Chinese art—has been traded all over the world since the 16^th century. The great trading fleets from Portugal, Spain, The Netherlands, England, Sweden, etc. travelled east and came back with oriental spices, silks, tea, and porcelain. Thus it is an international commodity with collectors in all parts of the world! More recently, Chinese collectors have been buying back their ancestors’ art; this is changing the balance in the market and evolving the business.

AC: I understand the gallery moved to a very interesting new space in 2007. Where was it housed before, and what can you tell us about its current home?

NVDVVW: The business started out in a small shop in ’s-Hertogenbosch. In the 1980s, it moved to a private house, which was open to the public and which hosted exhibitions. Gradually, we participated in more fairs at which we could meet clients and the business offices were only open by appointment. In 2007, we moved into a new gallery within the city. It is a wonderful building—formerly the city’s grammar school—dating from 1880. The ceilings are five meters high! We fell for the stately but simple and clean spaces in which to present our collection.

AC: What’s on the horizon for the gallery?

NVDVVW: In recent years, we have started to reach out more to our Asian clients by participating in a fair in Hong Kong each October, and we may be taking part in another event in Asia in the spring. We are still looking for the ideal event to participate in within the United States so we can reach our American clients more easily. TEFAF Maastricht in March is still our most important event, as it attracts visitors from all over the world; it is quite a spectacle!

AC: Do you have any advice for someone just beginning to collect historical design objects?

NVDVVW: Our main advice would be to look for the best you can afford in the particular area in which you are interested. Quality will always hold its value, however small the object! Buying from renowned dealers and galleries is always good—you may pay a bit more, but you will be well advised and informed properly about what it is you are buying. Just like us, most dealers are extremely passionate about what they do and are very keen to pass on their knowledge.

AC: I understand you have a lot of ideas about rebranding antiques for young collectors. How might something like that be done, and what do you think the potential impact of such a rebrand could be on both larger and smaller scales? 

NVDVVW: For some reason, there is a whole generation out there that does not actually have anything old in their interiors! I have given this a lot of thought. Fifty years ago you started life in a new house with no money for the interior, so you beg, stole, and borrowed from parents and grandparents. Thus pieces were handed down from one generation to the next to be used and loved. Now, in our hasty society, we need to move into perfect, instant homes fully decorated to the taste of the moment. Every few years, these seem to get updated with the latest fashions. Therefore a generation has lost its taste for antiques and beautiful old objects. This is something that is not easily recovered. As a business, we have to encourage and stimulate young buyers to appreciate and buy worthwhile objects that they can hand down to the next generation. We do this by presenting our collection in a modern setting and always trying to be approachable so we can tell everyone about our wonderful objects.

I would like the younger generations to be passionate about older artworks as well as modern and contemporary pieces—they can combine perfectly in an eclectic interior. It should also appeal to those who think about sustainability and are fed up with short-term consumerism.

• Text and interview by

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    Anna Carnick

    Anna is Pamono’s Managing Editor. Her writing has appeared in several arts and culture publications, and she's edited over 20 books. Anna loves celebrating great artists, and seriously enjoys a good picnic.