 |
| |
UNDER CONSTRUCTION |
| |
|
| |
Over time, photographs, documents and knick knacks of royal origins found there way into my possession, so I thought it best to organise them into different sections, for my own reference as well as for those who might be interested to know about them. It wasn't my intention to build these collections, at first, but since they became collections in their own rights, I sought to add to some when I can afford to. Some are gifts, and some are heirlooms. I had to buy some, because the opportunities just presented themselves, and I could not just pass up the chance to own them. Some just willed their ways to me, which I will explain as part of each individual story, for which I wholeheartedly and excitely welcome with open arms. I count it an extreme honour to look after these objects of historical significance for a short period of time, and most probably pass them on to whoever will be tasked to look after them in the future. I just hope that they will love these items as much as I do. They have existed before me, and will exist after me, for a long time to come. |
| |
|
| |
 |
ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHS
I acquired many presentation photographs in 2014 because of that first meeting with Emperor Haile Selassie's signed photograph in London. But on returning home, I took notice of the small collections that I already have, with 2 being of my very own presentation, ones that were actually given to me by the royals whose pictures are featured in their cyphered silver frames. I realised then that I have been taking them for granted, and not noticing them enough. So here they are featured in these pages together with some new additions for everyone to see. |
| |
|
 |
ROYAL PAPERS (coming soon)
On cleaning my grandparents' old house, I came across old documents that include the bestowment of decorations on my great-grandfather, Luang Visal Silpakam, who's work as an architect and artist brought him into the exclusive Royal Circle since the time of King Chulalongkorn. Then, a member of a family lawyer's family returned many century-old documents to my mother, who in turn passed them to me. Then, some documents baring another great-grandfather Chao Praya Sri Pipat's signature came up for auction. I had to have these, of course, expensive as they were. So, now, it is time to document them, and make sense out of them as well. |
| |
|
|
| |
| |
Just a note: |
| |
|
| |
"Autograph" as defined in the English language dictionary, encompasses signatures as well as hand-written documents. The more specific meanings are 1) a manuscriipt wriitten by the author of its content. The term autograph can be used interchangeably with holograph, and 2) a hand-written signature. |
| |
|
| |
Autograph collecting is supposedly an activity since Roman times, with Pliny the Elder (AD 23/24-79) passing his collection to his nephew and later adopted son, Pliny the Younger (61-113). The activity caught on big time in the 1800s, with the Victorian craze for collecting and cataloguing, and finally these written or signed pieces of paper entered the auction rooms in the 20th century, and there is no looking back I guess. |
| |
|
| |
I came quite late in the game, in 2014, when the market has been very much established, and many items are rare and sought after. I had to fight for it, so to speak, and to spend. Luckily, I was still able to get some good deals in the Thai market, where there weren't many interests in my first few years of collecting. Then things changed, and when there are more interests, the prices just shot up. Now, I'm more picky and only acquire things that are of real interest and have some kind of connection to other pieces and to me and my forebears. |
| |
|
| |
Why do I collect? |
| |
I have asked myself this question many times. |
| |
|
| |
The first time I bought was the Royal Presentation Portrait of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. It wasn't planned. I walked passed The Armoury of St. James's at Piccadilly Arcade and found the shop front interesting. The portrait was staring at me. It sort of looked like it was saying that I should get it. That sounds stupid, I know. But, I knew that it was something rare now, with no more Emperor Haile Selassie nor Emperors of Ethiopia. So, I bought it. That started my search for Presentation Portraits. One thing led to another, of course. Then, when I got a chance to get several letters written by our King Mongkut, at a very reasonable price, when all of the collectors were away at a stamp and letters event somewhere, in Australia I think, and there were no bidders for the two letters, I just became their custodian, as luck would have it. That was when I realised I held in my hands letters written by our beloved King, who was often overlooked in so many ways, but who had a huge positive impact on our country's development. I imagined him sitting at his desk, in candle light, carefully penning these letters in his elaborate English. That was the first time I felt that way, that I was close to the Royal writer, who incidentally was an ancestor. I was overwhelmed. Since then, items became available at the right place and time. Like the time I was writing a book on one of my great-grandfathers. I was browsing around E-bay and just for fun, typed his name and hit search. And, voila, a letter signed by him a hundred years ago just popped up! I just cannot believe it. I got it of course, but the chance of a Thai signature materialising on E-bay, from a seller in Europe, is just - - - incredible. So there. I don't know what to do with my collection just yet, though I do have some far-out ideas. In the meantime, I just might as well showcase them here. |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Back to The Siamese Collection |
| |
|