The International Antiques Fair (IAF) opened its doors yesterday (3 May) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, welcoming collectors, curators, and connoisseurs from around the world. Now in its latest edition, the fair has become a staple of the region’s cultural calendar, with this year’s event running through 7 May and offering free public admission throughout.

This year’s edition features a strong lineup of exhibitors from across the globe. Alongside highlights of Chinese art and antiquities, the fair presents a diverse selection of objects from across Asia and the West, including ceramics, jades, metalwork, lacquerware, paintings, and Buddhist sculptures.

Timed to coincide with Mainland China’s May Day Golden Week, the French May Arts Festival, and Chinese art sales at international auction houses, the fair lands during one of Hong Kong’s busiest cultural weekends, with antiques taking center stage.

At the heart of this year’s edition is a special exhibition exploring the legacy of the Thirteen Factories in Guangzhou – the Qing dynasty merchant guilds that once controlled foreign trade in China. As the country’s sole international trade port during much of the Qing era, Guangzhou became a vibrant hub for both commercial and artistic exchange. The Factories not only brokered East-West trade, but also fostered a distinct southern aesthetic, blending Chinese traditions with global influences.

The exhibition offers a rare glimpse into this historical moment, tracing how the city’s role in global trade helped shape its artistic identity. On opening day, IAF founder William Chak delivered a keynote on the subject, bringing the era to life through storytelling grounded in both scholarship and personal perspective.

Two English-language lectures also took place over the weekend. On Saturday, Rosebery Auction hosted a talk titled 1,000 Years of One Hundred Boys in Chinese Art, exploring the symbolism and evolution of this beloved motif in Chinese culture. On Sunday, Paul Bromberg, a leading voice in Thai and Chinese art, presented Collecting Later Chinese Bronzes for the Scholar’s Studio, offering insight into a niche but growing area of collecting interest.

Popular activities from previous editions have also returned, including on-site appraisals and tea ceremonies. On Monday and Tuesday (5 and 6 May), visitors will have the opportunity to attend tea tastings led by professional tea masters, featuring aged Pu’er and Liu Bao teas from the 1980s and 1990s, served in the traditional Chaozhou Gongfu style.

International Antiques Fair 2025
Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre - Hall 3FG
Address: 1 Expo Drive, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Exhibition Date:  3 – 7 May 2025 (Saturday to Wednesday)
Events:
•    Special Exhibition on The Thirteen Factories
•    On-Site Antiques Appraisals
•    Lectures
•    Guided Tours