Retail
Stocking Vietnamese Altar Bronze: A Guide for US Altar Shops
Which Vietnamese altar bronze pieces US altar shops actually reorder, how set sizes map to home and temple altars, and how to build a first mixed order.
Most US altar shops that stock Vietnamese bronze sell the five-piece set as a set, keep incense bowls and candlesticks as single replacements, and carry two or three trade sizes rather than the full range. Start with one pattern in two sizes, one or two finishes, and the companion items that fill a carton. Reorder by size, not by pattern, because customers choose the size their altar can hold first and the pattern second.
Which pieces sell as sets and which singly?
The five-piece set (ngũ sự) is a censer, a pair of cranes standing on tortoises and a pair of candlesticks. A customer furnishing a new altar buys all five, and they expect them to match in pattern, finish and proportion. That is the core of the range.
The pieces that sell on their own are the ones that break, wear or multiply:
- Incense bowls (bát hương), from about 14 cm. Many households keep more than one, and they are a steady repeat item.
- Candlesticks, bought as a pair to replace a broken or mismatched one.
- Water cups and offering trays, which fill space in a carton and raise the value of a shelf.
- A single crane is rare. The cranes are tall and slender and are the piece most often damaged in transit, so customers who lose one usually want a matched pair.
Our guide to reading a Vietnamese altar set explains what each piece is and what your customer checks.
How do trade sizes map to wall, family and temple altars?
A trade size names the pattern, not the measured height. A censer sold as "60" measures about 57 cm. This table uses the measured figures on our specifications page. Weights other than size 65 are stated on the quotation, and so are the smaller sizes.
| Trade size | Censer height | Crane height | Where it usually stands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smaller sizes | On request, confirmed on quotation | Confirmed on quotation | Wall-mounted shelves and small apartment altars |
| 50 | ~48 cm | ~52 cm | A family altar on a standard cabinet |
| 60 | ~57 cm | ~62 cm | A larger family altar or a dedicated altar room |
| 65 | ~62 cm | ~67 cm | Ancestral halls; the set weighs about 36 kg |
| 70 | ~67 cm | ~72 cm | Temples and clan halls |
Before you choose, ask two or three regular customers how deep their altar shelf is and how much space sits under the shelf above. A set that does not fit the shelf does not sell, however good it looks in the catalogue. Within any size, the cranes should stand 5–7 cm taller than the censer and the candlesticks 12–15 cm shorter. Customers notice proportion from across the room.
Which finishes do customers ask for?
For a first order, two finishes cover most requests:
- Antique patina, the standard export finish. It looks settled on a home altar and hides fingerprints.
- Polished, for customers who want the bright gold look for festivals. It needs more care, so tell your staff how to clean it. Our bronze care guide covers this.
Reinforced patina, partial gilding and cloisonné enamel sell as showpieces. Take one set of each for display before you order them in quantity. All eight finishes are on the finishes page.
How to split a first mixed order?
A first order may mix lines, so you can test what sells. A pattern that works for many shops is:
- One set pattern in the two sizes your customers ask for most.
- That pattern in antique patina, plus a smaller number in polished.
- Incense bowls in more than one size, because they turn over fastest.
- Spare candlestick pairs, so you can replace a broken one without breaking a set.
- Water cups and trays to fill the cartons.
Minimum order is set by value on the first quotation, not per piece. Send the line list through request a quote and we reply within two working days with unit weights and carton sizes.
How to display without damage?
- Display one complete set per pattern at the height it will stand at home, so customers can judge the proportion.
- Keep the cranes towards the back of the shelf, away from elbows and bags.
- Keep sets together in the warehouse. We match sets before packing and mark the cartons; if a set is split across cartons for weight, we number them.
- Handle polished pieces with cotton gloves, and don't put price stickers on the bronze.
What to reorder after the first season?
Reorder the sizes that sold, not only the patterns. Most shops find that incense bowls and replacement candlesticks run out first. If a pattern sold slowly in one size but well in another, drop the size and keep the pattern. The pattern stays at the foundry, so a repeat order comes off the same pattern and matches the first lot.
The weeks before Lunar New Year are the busiest of the year for any Vietnamese foundry, and they are also your busiest weeks. Casting takes 21–30 days for custom work, plus finishing and sea freight, so start the Tết order a month earlier than feels necessary.
Frequently asked questions
Do you make small sets for wall-mounted altars?
Ask with the shelf dimensions. Smaller sizes are confirmed on the quotation, with measured heights and weights, rather than listed here.
Can we mix finishes in one order?
Yes. Each finish is matched to a signed-off sample and to the rest of the order, so two sets in the same finish look alike.
Can each set be packed ready for sale?
Tell us at order stage. We can pack by set and mark the cartons so a set stays together from our floor to your shelf.
Should we buy display samples first?
For a new pattern or finish, yes. A catalogue sample costs less than a slow line, and the sample cost is credited against your first production order. See bronze samples before a wholesale order.
When should we order for Tết?
Work back from the date the goods must be on your shelf: sea freight, then finishing, then 21–30 days of casting. Then add a margin for the pre-Tết rush.
Stocking an altar shop? Send the sizes your customers ask for on WhatsApp at +84 926 199 999 or through the request a quote form. Finished sets can also be seen at our showrooms in Nam Dinh, Ha Noi and Hai Phong.