Fabulous antiques in Jakarta!

Sorry!

Here's the link

http://lottienevin.com/2013/02/02/flyin … -in-sight/

Hi Lottie,

Your blog on Pasar Jalan Surabaya was a fun read, and I agree, there are some wonderful treasures to be found there.  I even like it more than the Portobello Road market in London, although the Jakarta antiques market is nowhere on the scale of Portobello. 

If you don't mind, I'll add a few tips garnered over my many past visits there.

-Arrive early in the morning for “harga pagi” or the morning price.  Every merchant in Indonesia has a thing for their first sale of the day, and as a buyer you are more able to negotiate to your advantage as the merchant is so eager for that first sale.  If I recall correctly, it opens at 9 AM.

-Negotiate with vigor, as the initial asking prices on most everything are high. 

-Be willing to get dirty.  Some of the best pieces we've bought there aren't in plain view but are buried amongst seemingly endless piles of stuff.  Just be careful not to break anything as the old rule of the antiques business world wide holds true there too…if you break it, you've bought it. 

-Know your antiques.  While there are lots of authentic pieces to be found, there are even more reproductions and outright fakes.