This online Zoom talk is a sequel to “Treasures from an East Asian Library: A Conversation with Don Cohn”, which was held on 2 September 2020 and featured Don being interviewed by Roy Delbyck. In this second round, Don and Roy switch roles.
Don will bore into the psyche of a fellow collector of historical paper. Subjects to be covered include Roy’s origin story from a collector standpoint, items that set Roy’s heart aflutter, fish that got away, “unknown unknowns” found along the way and the collecting end game, including some items that Roy would take with him to his sarcophagus if he had one.
Don will also explore with Roy how these pieces of paper not only educate and illuminate but also have the power to evoke deep emotions particularly when they touch on unresolved historical wounds.
A few items from Roy’s collection can be downloaded by viewers here and are intended to be covered during the presentation.
The Speaker
Roy Delbyck is a Council Member of the RASHK and a member of the Board of Trustees as well as the Secretary of the Museum of Chinese in America, which is located in New York City. Roy is a major collector of printed materials on China and the Chinese experience in the United States, largely from the first half of the 20th century. His collection consists of books, maps, photos, programs, magazines, posters, post cards, luggage labels, letters, diaries, yearbooks, directories, and all sorts of other amazing ephemera of which he lost count some time ago! Roy has previously spoken to RASHK about his collection and collecting, as well as hosted collection visits by RASHK members. When not collecting, Roy practices US customs and trade law at his own firm in Hong Kong, which he opened in 1993. Roy obtained his law degree from the University of California, Davis and his undergraduate degree from Connecticut College where he studied Chinese.
The Moderator
Don Cohn is well-known to many RASHK members, having resided in Hong Kong for over 20 years before moving back to the US. Don is a man of many parts: undergraduate degree from Oberlin College in Chinese and MA from Columbia University in Far Eastern Languages and Cultures; editorial stints at the Foreign Language Press in Beijing, Chinese University of Hong Kong (Renditions Magazine) and the Far Eastern Economic Review (Books and Culture Editor); operator of his own specialty tour business to China, India, Japan and Korea; translator-author of several books and more. Don’s collection (in the words of Roy and many others) is “stupendous” especially its richness in PRC materials.
Venue: Online on Zoom, link here
Admission: No charge, please register your attendance in advance
Booking: Please email <membership@royalasiaticsociety.org.hk> in advance to register your attendance