The keeper of the ancient soul in Cam My

The gramophone is one of the old, antique musical instruments that Mr. To Van Quy has collected and carefully kept. He still plays it occasionally to listen to it. Photo: Hien Luong

The gramophone is one of the old, antique musical instruments that Mr. To Van Quy has collected and carefully kept. He still plays it to listen to it from time to time. Photo: Hien Luong

His only wish is to preserve cultural and historical values for future generations so that today's descendants can better understand the past, and the people who sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland. He is To Van Quy (62 years old), a mechanic with an artistic soul, passionate about collecting antiques as a way to preserve the soul of the homeland and love the beauty of time.

Every item has its own story

Nestled on a small road in Cam My commune, Mr. To Van Quy's house has long been a familiar stop for those who love beauty and nostalgia.

The iron door opened, the space inside made everyone feel like they had just stepped back a few decades. Oil lamps, copper trays, radios, bottles, teapots, musical instruments, pith helmets, floppy hats, military uniforms, cans, movie projectors, typewriters, hurricane lamps... were arranged neatly, exuding a unique "soul" that only those who understood and loved could feel.

Now, Mr. Quy’s house has thousands of antiques and old items. Each item, though scratched and rusted, still contains a story, a philosophy of life. Preserving antiques means preserving the culture of our ancestors, preserving the Vietnamese soul in the midst of a turbulent modern life.

Mr. Quy said: His passion for antiques started in his junior high school years. At that time, the house still had some of his father's belongings such as: a tube for storing papers, a jar of grease... In 1984, when his family moved to the South to start a business, most of the old things had to be left in the North, his parents could only bring a bronze tray. He has kept that tray until now.

Going to the South, witnessing many pre-1975 artifacts being thrown away and sold for scrap, he became more worried. If he did not preserve them, those values would be lost. From then on, he began to ask for, buy and collect each item, including war souvenirs, so that his descendants could better understand the lives of their ancestors.

To collect these objects, sometimes when he heard that in Binh Thuan (now Lam Dong province), Khanh Hoa there was someone keeping a French bronze kettle, he would ride his motorbike all day to go there to see and negotiate to buy it. Sometimes he traveled all the way to Lam Dong or back to his hometown Thanh Hoa just to find an item he had seen in his memory. For him, collecting antiques is not just about spending money to buy, but more importantly, it is about fate. There are items that people do not sell, but when they see that you truly love them, they give them away.

Learn to be patient and love beauty

According to Mr. Quy's experience, to learn about antiques, first you need to learn and observe the shape and color. If it is porcelain, you need to look at the glaze. There are often letters and marks on the bottom. Then you need to discuss with researchers to get the correct answer.

With war relics, over the past few decades, he has collected and bought each item and each part to have the collection as it is now. Every day, looking at the products he has searched for and kept, he is very happy and satisfied. That is his effort, his passion. For Mr. Quy, collecting antiques is a way for people to learn to be patient and love the beauty of time.

Mr. Quy believes that preserving war relics helps the younger generation better understand the glorious past of their ancestors, something that books sometimes cannot fully convey. Without passionate collectors, these relics will be lost over time and very difficult to find again. In recent years, schools and teachers in Cam My often bring students to his house to visit and learn.

Not only is Mr. To Van Quy passionate about antiques, he is also passionate about singing. He can also play many types of instruments even though he has never studied music. Currently, his house has all kinds of instruments and drums such as: guitar, mandolin, Ha Uy Di, bau, kim, co... For Mr. Quy, music is the thread connecting the past with the present, a way for the soul to find peace in the midst of a life full of worries.

Mr. Quy sings well, plays the guitar well, and is also funny. He is currently the Chairman of the Cam My Commune Amateur Music Club. He often says that performing music is not to show off talent but to preserve the beauty of the soul. Thanks to him, the amateur music movement in Cam My Commune is maintained regularly, attracting both young and old people to participate.

Mr. Pham Van Minh, Vice Chairman of the Cam My Commune Amateur Music Club, expressed his respect for his artist friend: “Mr. Quy is a person with heart, affection and is very passionate about art. I always admire his enthusiasm in preserving and spreading amateur music.”

For more than 40 years working in Cam My as a mechanic, Mr. Quy's small workshop is always bustling with the sounds of hammers, grinding, and welding. It is this mechanical profession that has helped him have a stable income to support his family and pursue his passion for collecting antiques and exchanging music for the past several decades. He cherishes the simple wish of opening a "small display corner" so that everyone, especially the young, can come to see, understand, and appreciate traditional values.

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