Travel Forum / Destinations / Asia / February 2006

Do you want to buy ald art ceramic products? I know one site: Thanh ha
Old ceramic. Here is its sumarize:
Located next to the ancient quarter of Hoi An, the Thanh Ha ceramic
village has been in existence for a long time. The village is famous
for its traditional ceramic products.

In the 1990s, the village was a different kind of place and plastic and
aluminum products were the rule. During those years ceramic making was
not happening in the village. In recent years, the tourism in Hoi An
has taken off, and some families in Thanh Ha village dug back into
their history and brought traditional ceramics back to life. Besides
making ceramic ware for the everyday needs of the common man, the
villagers are also turning out souvenirs to sell to the tourists. They
are doing well with children's toys, lampshades, and indoor decorative
items.

By the end of 2004, the craft was pretty much in full swing in Thanh
Ha. The village began receiving orders from the new big hotels in Hoi
An. But, to get a firm market position for the ceramic products, the
local administration still has a few things to do.

In early 2005, the Industry Department of Quang Nam province carried
out a pilot project to build a new-technology kiln that promises to
consume less fuel and produce higher quality ceramics. The kiln is
there but it sits idle because no one knows how to use it.
In the tourism development plan of Hoi An, Thanh Ha is mentioned as one
of the places that needs investment in ecological tourism. Just because
of its location next to the Hoi An ancient quarter, Thanh Ha has a
better chance than some other traditional villages in Quang Nam
province such as the Tra Que vegetable village, the Kim Bong carpentry
village, and the Phuoc Kieu bronze casting village. However, visitors
to Thanh Ha may be a bit disappointed when seeing the narrow range and
unimaginative design of its ceramic products.

A member of Hoi An's leadership, Nguyen Su, says, "We plan to invest in
developing a number of craft villages surrounding Hoi An, including
Thanh Ha. That is a very costly proposition. A happy fact is that the
simple ceramics made by the Thanh Ha villagers are being bought by the
tourists because of their honest and simple designs."

Nevertheless, it's true that Thanh Ha village's ceramic products are
made in the old way and cannot compete with the mass-producers in terms
of commercial appeal, mass sales and uniformity. Their inability to
obtain a proportionately higher price has a direct influence on the
lives of the people.

"Each ceramic kiln in Thanh Ha village can hold two large boats of
clay. And it takes more than 20 days to make finished ceramic products
for which we can get just VND3-4 million. A gas-fired kiln of the same
capacity in Bat Trang village can make products for which they can get
tens of millions of dong or even VND100 million in just one week," Mr.
Tuan says. One cannot compete commercially when making ceramics by old
methods.

Hopefully, Quang Nam province, Hoi An and Thanh Ha will find a way to
market the peculiar and valued ceramics of Thanh Ha village so that the
potters can thrive and the craft can continue.

I'm verry sory that i have not exactly its prices at the moment, i will
find and give you more info in next
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Culture Vietnam - www.waytovietnam.com/culture.asp

hi I just returned from hoian last week and as an artist I enjoyed the
scenery there and looked for what I considered "good"art and artists but
could only find two there. Of the two, one was exceptional and truly
talented and worthy of the term "artist"
The other tries in the traditional oriental brush technique with colors
The most talented one is TRONG AHN AT 617 HAI BA TRUNG STREET (the main N>S
street)
I did take a digital pic of him and his work and you can contact me if you
want it.
Perhaps you only look for "tourist" art ???  well that IS all over and
probably produced in China.