Chris Hall, a 73-year-old renowned Chinese textile collector, often jokingly called himself the “youngest thing in this flat,” as he lived surrounded by antiques and vintage art from around the world in his residence on The Peak in Hong Kong.
Advertisement
However, the accountant by profession has decided to donate his entire collection of 3,000 Chinese textiles and his home to the Hong Kong Palace Museum over a 10-year period ending in 2034, at the West Kowloon Cultural Arts Hub, citing his bachelor status and advancing age.
“It has always been my intention to give my Chinese textiles to a Chinese city, because they are a Chinese collection, and the Chinese will appreciate them,” said Hall, who has lived in Hong Kong for almost 50 years.
Born in Sudan under Anglo-Egyptian rule, Hall first arrived briefly in Hong Kong with his family in 1955 at the age of three, leaving two years later. His family returned in 1968 when his 59-year-old father took a job as a treasury accountant with the Hong Kong government.
Hall recalled inheriting his keen interest in clothing from his parents, who always dressed well and paid close attention to their outfits.
Advertisement
After spending several years studying history at Cambridge University and working for an accounting firm in Britain, Hall returned to Hong Kong in 1978 and has lived here ever since.