#6722 • Vietnamese Duy Tan Period Dragon Smoking Pipe

Part of Royal Artifacts of Vietnam & Fine Jewelry (timed auction by GWS Auctions)

Starting at $1.00

Status: Sold

Est. $3,000-$3,500 Vietnamese Nguyen Dynasty Duy Tan Period Lacquered Wood Carved Dragon Smoking Pipe - This carved smoking pipe from the Duy Tan reign of Vietnam is in the form of a dragon, and shows stunning attention to detail. The pipe is made of carved wood, and has a heavy lacquered finish creating a deep brown finish and also protecting the piece from the elements. The Duy Tan emperor was one of the most popular of the later Nguyen emperors. He was born Prince Nguyen Vinh San in 1899, and succeeded his father Emperor Thanh Thai on the Golden Dragon Throne in 1907 at the age of 7. His father had been replaced on grounds of insanity and for being uncooperative with the French. The French were unsure which son to choose to succeed the Emperor, and when the time came to choose they decided on Prince Vinh San when he was absent and later found chasing crickets. The French decided that a boy so uninterested in imperial matters would be their best choice and so he was enthroned as Emperor Duy Tan, but they were proven wrong when he reached his age of majority and became an extremely devoted and concerned monarch who was determined to set his country free from French rule. This is an amazing piece made during the rule of one of the most beloved emperors of Vietnam, and truly belongs in a museum or with an astute collector. This piece has excellent investment potential, as it is thought by experts around the world and avid collectors that due to the rapid modernization of Vietnam, Vietnamese antiques will within the next ten years be more valuable than Chinese antiques. According to some of the most expert collectors in the world, what used to sell for hundreds are now selling for tens of thousands. Measurements (approximate): 13.5"H x 15"W.