10-11 / 154
Dr. Harish Dhillon (1941 – 2015), well known in
the field of education in North India, was a man of
many interests. He was first and foremost a teacher
of English for 47 years in Lucknow, Sanawar, Patiala
and Mohali, and eventually went on to become
the headmaster of three important schools. He
was a writer of short stories, and in his later years
he authored close to 16 books of fiction and non–
fiction. He wrote frequently for
The Tribune
, a well–
regarded newspaper in Chandigarh, and served as
their editorial consultant after retiring from teaching.
However, he is most fondly remembered for his
passionate collecting of ancient Chinese porcelain
artefacts, which are presented in this catalogue.
Dhillon’s interest in collecting Chinese porcelain
arose out of his wide–ranging reading habits during
his teaching days in Lucknow. Often, he would read
about a porcelain piece in a book, conduct extensive
research on it and write to collectors and institutes
seeking and exchanging information. A teacher’s
THE HARISH DHILLON COLLECTION
LOTS 1 36
salary did not allow him to spend much initially, but
he saved up and gradually built his collection piece
by piece. Dhillon soon developed a discerning eye for
original and fine quality Chinese porcelain. Dhillon
was well–travelled and acquired many pieces during
his travels. His sources were varied and diverse. He
bought pieces from antique dealers in places like
Dehradun, as well as from reputed auction houses
and stores such as Harrods in London. Taking great
pride in his collection, Dhillon would obsess over
how a porcelain piece was presented in his home.
In addition to matching the decor to the blue and
white of the pieces, strategically placed light fixtures
ensured that they were well–lit against brick red
walls (recreated from the pictures he saw in literature
on Chinese porcelain), achieving museum–quality
settings for his display.
A few such prized possessions had historically
important provenances. Lot 20 was originally part
of the Hatcher Cargo, one of the largest cargos of
Dr. Harish Dhillon
Image courtesy of the family