Bai Win Collection Customer Stories: Theater Manager Curates a Beautiful Home
Kevin Held follows the sage words of the British 19th century designer William Morris: “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be beautiful or believe to be useful.”
Collector, Curator, and a Connoisseur
Kevin Held is an experienced Technical Director, Theater Manager, and Technical Theater teacher working with high school and middle school students. He has lived in Taiwan for more than a decade and has curated a beautiful home that reflects his life and philosophy.
Above we can see Blue and White porcelain dishes from China and England grace the cases on each side of Kevin’s fireplace in Taipei; originals from China and the English-made pieces they inspired. We can also see some stylish Guardian Lions in Beijing style flank the fireplace.
Kevin Held says “I have always been a collector, from coins and stamps to books, and I place great value on surrounding myself with objects that have meaning to me. I follow the sage words of the British 19th century designer William Morris: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be beautiful or believe to be useful.
I have always appreciated the craftsmanship and history of antique furniture, textiles, and tableware, so I have endeavored to fill my home with objects that resonate with my heart. I am simultaneously a collector, a curator, and a connoisseur of pieces from around the globe.”
For me, in collecting antiques, there is a joy that comes from knowing that each piece has a history and a story to tell.
This serene Burmese Buddha was carved from marble in the 19th century and it flanked by Qing dynasty guardians.
This shelving above houses much of Kevin’s collection and an identical shelf is available at Bai Win. It is a Burmese piece made of teak meant to serve as a dumb waiter. English armorial silver domes sit next to more puppets. The top shelf has a pair of Burmese gilt offering vessels. Kevin bought his directly from Mandalay, but similar pieces are available at Bai Win.
A Story to Tell
He continues “I appreciate the joinery, carving, and details of wooden pieces from tables to chairs. I actively use English blue and white dishware alongside the Canton pieces that inspired them. Antiques serve as a reminder of where I have traveled, and their imperfections speak to their lives before I acquired the pieces. For me, in collecting antiques, there is a joy that comes from knowing that each piece has a history and a story to tell.”
The bookcases in Kevin’s study have European engravings, and Southeast Asian puppets – a ten-armed Demon King Tosakan from Myanmar, and a leather shadow-puppet from Indonesia.
This wooden Buddha is displayed on a bracket from a Taiwanese temple. Similar brackets are available at Bai Win Collection. In front of the Buddha is a Tibetan dorje (scepter) used in ritual recitation.