Zhuang Rui didn't respond to Ezkena's words, but instead praised his Chinese proficiency. Ezkena nodded politely, waiting for Zhuang Rui to continue.
"Mr. Ezkener must be very familiar with our country's culture. In our country, collectors rarely use money to buy the items they like. Instead, they exchange their collections with each other. In this way, both parties can get the items they want. Mr. Ezkener, I think you understand what I mean?"
In fact, bartering is not just a Chinese collector's practice; it is also very popular internationally. As soon as Ezkena heard Zhuang Rui's words, he immediately understood Zhuang Rui's idea.
However, Ezkena's eyebrows furrowed tightly. Barter transactions usually occur when the party making the offer takes a fancy to something in the other party's possession and then offers their best item in exchange. Generally speaking, the party who makes the offer first will suffer a slight loss.
However, the current situation is that Zhuang Rui doesn't even know what collection he owns, yet he dares to propose a barter exchange. It's obvious that he's relying on the Picasso sketches he has. If he can't produce antiques that satisfy the other party, the deal will probably fall through.
However, Ezkener really cared about the Picasso sketches in Zhuang Rui's possession. As a collector, whether one can become a world-class collector depends heavily on whether one's collection includes works by Picasso or Van Gogh.
The Ezkenazi family's wealth and heritage consisted mainly of the large number of antiques and artifacts they plundered from China. However, they did not collect many European and American artworks. If the Ezkenazi family wanted to gain recognition from international collectors, simply possessing antiques from China was far from enough.
“Mr. Zhuang, I think I understand what you mean, but my collection is all in London, so I can’t offer you any choices right now…”
Ezkener had the right mindset. In terms of the value of his collection, it was not necessarily inferior to Picasso's works. It was just that things were valued for their rarity, and there were millions of Chinese cultural relics scattered abroad.
However, Picasso's works number only a few tens of thousands, and most of them have already been collected by private individuals and museums. Even if one of them occasionally appears on the auction market, it is quickly sold at a high price.
Ezkener knew that he was already lucky to have seen these six sketches, and their value should not be measured by their market price.
"Are all the things in London?"
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui tapped his fingers lightly on the table. To be honest, he didn't really want to do business with private individuals because merchants are profit-driven. When exchanging collectibles, they would definitely use market prices to measure the value of the two items, which wouldn't maximize their own profits.
Zhuang Rui's biggest wish is to exchange artifacts with museums. Many museums abroad have a collection of precious Chinese cultural relics, but compared to Picasso's works, they would definitely prefer the latter.
On another note, most of the items in museums, including many private museums, are not privately owned. Donating or exchanging museum items requires the approval of the museum's board of directors. However, Zhuang Rui believes that those foreigners will definitely agree to exchange Chinese antiques for Picasso's works.
Since the items don't belong to him, there's no question of equivalent value. This gives him a lot more room to maneuver, allowing Zhuang Rui to get more of what he wants.
“Mr. Zhuang, if you have time to go to London, I think my collection will satisfy you…”
Ezkener desperately wanted these Picasso sketches, and he didn't want them to end up in auction houses, because he knew that the prices of Picasso's works had skyrocketed in recent years, and these few sketches could easily fetch tens of millions of dollars.
Moreover, once these works are put up for auction, many things become beyond one's control, and Ezkener will not be able to control the situation. If another major international collector comes to compete with him, he will probably have to spend more money than he imagined.
“Alright, Mr. Ezkener, your sincerity has impressed me. Here’s what we’ll do: I’ll be flying to London by private jet in three days. But before that, I’d like you to provide a list of your best collections so I can take a look and see if there’s any possibility of a deal between us…”
Zhuang Rui thought for a moment. Since he was going to London anyway, and although bartering sounded simple, it was actually quite complicated to do. It definitely wouldn't be done in three to five days. In other words, these Picasso works would definitely stay in his hands for a while, so there was no harm in going to London to take a look.
Furthermore, Zhuang Rui proposed a condition: he needed to know what collections Ezkena possessed. If there were none that satisfied him, then the deal would naturally fall through.
Anyway, Zhuang Shirui isn't worried about these Picasso works not selling. As long as he spreads the word, not to mention private collectors, auction houses alone will probably wear out the hotel doorstep.
"Okay, dear Zhuang, I'll fax you the list as soon as I get back. I'm sure you'll be satisfied..."
When Ezkener saw that Zhuang Rui had given him the order to leave, he stood up, shook hands with Zhuang Rui, handed him a business card, and then took his leave with the still-enthusiastic Mr. Sterling. He had said everything he needed to say, and whether the deal would go through depended on whether what he offered could entice Zhuang Rui.
Ezkener was quite confident about this; his collection consisted mostly of Chinese porcelain, and primarily of high-quality imperial kiln pieces from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties—rarely seen on the international market. If Zhuang Rui were a nationalist, he would certainly be interested in the items he presented. ...
"Brother Zhuang, are all these pencil drawings antiques?"
After Ezkena, Huangfu Yun, and the others left, Peng Fei picked up a sketch and examined it. He could understand English and knew that the two foreigners had taken the drawing very seriously.
However, after examining it for a long time, Peng Fei couldn't see anything good about it. If he wanted to see naked women, there was an adult channel on French television, which was much better than this painting and even included adult films.
"Hey kid, that's a novel question. Aren't antiques supposed to be something people would throw money at you for?"
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this. After carefully putting away the sketches, he said to Peng Fei, "Keep these things safe. You might be able to exchange them for some treasures like the 'Fixed Light Sword.' Be sure to keep them safe..."
"The Dingguang Sword?"
Peng Fei was startled by what Zhuang Rui said. He quickly took the sketches Zhuang Rui handed him with both hands, wondering to himself, "These drawings don't look much better than the ones drawn by the kids at my girlfriend's school."
"Zhuang Rui, the fax has arrived, come and get it..."
Suddenly, Qin Xuanbing's voice rang out in the room, startling Zhuang Rui. Ezkena's efficiency was truly remarkable; only half an hour had passed, yet he had already compiled the antique catalog.
Chapter 637 Rare Goods for Hoarding (2)
Little did Zhuang Rui know that Ezkena was afraid Zhuang Rui would find another buyer, so he hurriedly sorted out his best Chinese antiques and faxed them to Zhuang Rui.
The six Picasso sketches in Zhuang Rui's hands were definitely more important to him than the Chinese antiques that Ezkena currently collected. Regardless of whether Zhuang Rui agreed to the exchange, Ezkena listed the most valuable items in his possession, without holding anything back.
"Southern Song Dynasty official kiln brush washer..."
"Song Dynasty Jun ware, kiln-transformed bowl?"
"Northern Song Dynasty, Ding ware patterned flat-bottomed plate..."
"Northern Song Dynasty, Ding ware plum vase?"
"Yuan blue and white porcelain, large jar with fish and bath pattern..."
"Chenghua Doucai Tianzi Jar, Southern Song Dynasty, Longquan Kiln..."
"Wanli polychrome vase..."
"Yuan blue and white porcelain jar with the design of 'Guiguzi Descending the Mountain'..."
Holding the fax paper in his hand, Zhuang Rui's body trembled involuntarily, especially his right hand holding the paper, which trembled noticeably. Peng Fei and Qin Xuanbing stared wide-eyed, completely bewildered.
"Zhuang Rui, Brother Zhuang, what... what's wrong?"
Qin Xuanbing and Peng Fei asked the question in unison, which jolted Zhuang Rui, who was in a daze, back to his senses.
"N-nothing, you two, please be quiet and let me have some peace and quiet..."
Zhuang Rui looked at the words on the fax paper again, somewhat incredulously. Yes, he hadn't misread it. There were indeed two Yuan blue and white porcelains, two Song Ding kiln porcelains, and even a Jun kiln porcelain that had undergone kiln transformation. Could it be that Ezkena had dug up the site of a Song official kiln?
This fax paper contains porcelain from three of the five famous kilns of the Northern Song Dynasty. Moreover, the Jun kiln porcelain is one that underwent kiln transformation, making it far more valuable than ordinary Jun kiln wares.
It is important to know that the ancients had a rather superstitious understanding of kiln-transformed porcelain. For example, the Qingbo Magazine states: "In Jingdezhen, Raozhou, during the Daguan period, there was a kiln transformation, with the color turning red like cinnabar. This abnormal phenomenon was considered a demon, and the kiln owners quickly destroyed it."
Most kiln workers who encountered kiln-transformed porcelain destroyed it, so very few kiln-transformed porcelain pieces have survived to this day. Kiln-transformed porcelain from Jun kiln is even rarer.
Ding ware porcelain needs little introduction; it is widely known. Primarily white porcelain, Ding ware porcelain features high-temperature colored glazes applied to the white porcelain body. Later, varieties such as black glaze, brown glaze, and green glaze were also produced, referred to in historical documents as "Black Ding," "Purple Ding," and "Green Ding," which became famous throughout the world.
The porcelain mentioned above is hard to find in China; sometimes you're lucky to even find a single shard. Yet Ezkena's list includes several of these pieces, and Zhuang Rui believes that this is definitely not all of Ezkena's collection.
If these few pieces of porcelain from famous Song Dynasty kilns surprised Zhuang Rui, then the two pieces of Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain shocked him. Although Song Dynasty porcelain was rare, it could still be seen in major museums abroad. However, Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain was different; it was truly extremely rare and hard to find.
Especially the last item on the fax list, the Yuan blue and white porcelain jar with the scene of Guiguzi descending the mountain, as far as Zhuang Rui knows, there are definitely no more than 10 Yuan blue and white porcelain pieces in the world with figures and stories depicted on them. Of course, these few pieces have all been unearthed and verified.
What pains the Chinese people most is that none of the Yuan blue and white porcelain pieces currently in the collections of the Idemitsu Museum of Arts in Tokyo ("Zhaojun Leaving the Frontier"), the Pegasus Foundation ("Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage"), the Ataka Museum of Art ("Zhou Yafu Garrisoning Xiliu Camp"), the Boston Museum of Fine Arts ("Yuchi Gong Saving the Emperor"), a private collector in Asia ("The Story of the Western Wing Burning Incense"), and the Manno Museum of Fine Arts ("Hundred Flowers Pavilion") are in Chinese hands.
"Take it down! We must get that Yuan blue and white porcelain jar with the Guiguzi Descending the Mountain design!" A voice roared in Zhuang Rui's mind. Although the price of Yuan blue and white porcelain has soared in recent years, thanks in no small part to speculation by foreign investors, its rarity is a real fact.
Zhuang Rui had not yet found a genuine Yuan blue-and-white porcelain piece in any of the major museums in China; most of them were imitations from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Now that he had the opportunity to get his hands on a piece of Yuan blue-and-white porcelain, Zhuang Rui was already incredibly excited.
"The phone, and the business card Ezkena left earlier?"
Zhuang Rui snapped out of his reverie and began rummaging through the coffee table. He would have been willing to trade all his Picasso sketches for this Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain piece depicting Guiguzi, even if it meant exchanging it for Ezkener. ...
"Hey bro, did you receive the fax Ezkener sent you?"
Just as Zhuang Rui found Ezkena's business card and was anxiously preparing to call, Huangfu Yun called his cell phone.
"Received, Brother Huangfu. I'm telling you, there are actually two pieces of Yuan blue and white porcelain in Ezkena. Yes, there are two pieces." Zhuang Rui was afraid that Huangfu Yun wouldn't believe him, so he deliberately emphasized his tone on the phone. Anyone who collects porcelain knows the status of Yuan blue and white porcelain in the hearts of the Chinese people. It represents the highest artistic level of an invincible dynasty that swept across Europe.
“Brother, don’t get excited. I also received a copy of the fax Ezkener sent you, and I’ve looked at the list of items on it…”
Huangfu Yun's voice was much calmer than Zhuang Rui's. This was understandable, as no matter how good the item was, it wouldn't end up in his hands. As the saying goes, if it doesn't concern you, don't bother with it.
"Huangfu Yun, let's exchange it for that Guiguzi Yuan blue and white porcelain. Let him name his conditions..."
Zhuang Rui got straight to the point, saying that as long as the Yuan blue-and-white porcelain on the list was genuine, he was willing to pay any price, even if it meant selling the private jet he had just acquired.
"Brother, calm down, stay calm..."
"Calm down, girl. I want to go see if that Yuan blue and white porcelain is real or fake right now."
Zhuang Rui replied irritably on the phone, "I'm about to have a headache. How can I stay calm?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Huangfu Yun chuckled on the other end of the phone and said, "Brother, you're too caught up in the situation to see clearly. Do you even know why I called you?"
How would I know?
Zhuang Rui replied irritably, but immediately realized what he meant and said, "Brother Huangfu, did Ezkena send you here as an intermediary?"
Zhuang Rui had been quite agitated when he saw the Guiguzi blue and white porcelain jar, but now that he had calmed down, his mind cleared considerably. While the Yuan blue and white porcelain was indeed excellent, the Picasso work in his possession was not an unknown object either, and its value was equally considerable.
“Hehe, you’re right. Ezkener was worried you’d sell Picasso’s paintings to someone else, so he specifically asked me to tell you that his collection is definitely all genuine Chinese porcelain. He hopes you’ll see it in London before deciding where Picasso’s works will end up…”
Sure enough, what Huangfu Yun said next was similar to what Zhuang Rui had imagined. He had just returned from Ezkena and hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath before sending the fax to him. It was clear that his desire for Picasso's work was probably even greater than Zhuang Rui's desire for Yuan blue and white porcelain.
Zhuang Rui composed himself and said, "Brother Huangfu, what do you think I should do? Exchange those six Picasso sketches for that Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain piece by Guiguzi?"
"Why? Why do you offer six paintings for just one piece of porcelain? Brother, let me tell you, you should ask for an exorbitant price—one sketch for one piece of porcelain—and rip that old bastard off..."
Huangfu Yun's shout came from the other end of the phone. He was even more ruthless than Zhuang Rui. Anyway, it had been several years since Picasso's works had been auctioned. The items in Zhuang Rui's hands were definitely rare commodities, so why not take advantage of them?
Zhuang Rui nodded and said, "Okay, let's do it your way. I won't reply to him yet; I'll test the waters first. By the way, I still need more than twenty sketches here. Could you introduce me to some more people?"
Hearing Huangfu Yun's analysis, Zhuang Rui realized the significance of his sketches and was no longer in a hurry. He planned to wait until he saw the actual porcelain pieces before negotiating with Ezkena.
Neither Zhuang Rui nor Huangfu Yun knew that if it weren't for Zhuang Rui's interference, Ezkena would have staged a self-selling and self-buying spectacle at Christie's auction of Chinese ceramics, works of art and export art in London a few months later.
In order to inflate the market value of Yuan blue and white porcelain, Ezkener personally paid more than £1 million in handling fees, driving up the price of the Yuan blue and white porcelain piece depicting Guiguzi descending the mountain to a staggering 230 million RMB, setting a record for the highest auction price of Chinese art in the world at that time.
However, things have changed a bit now, because Zhuang Rui took a fancy to this Yuan blue and white porcelain piece with the name Guiguzi. The subsequent sky-high auction still went on, but it wasn't this Yuan blue and white porcelain piece that was sold. Moreover, in a sense, Ezkena also helped Zhuang Rui by doing something beneficial for him.
Of course, these are all things to be discussed later, and will be explained in detail in the following text. ...
"Alright, tomorrow I'll bring the honorary curator of the Guimet Museum to your place to look at paintings. By the way, tell me, how many genuine Picasso paintings do you actually own?"
Huangfu Yun couldn't hide his curiosity either. He had just witnessed Sterling authenticate Zhuang Rui's painting as genuine. Regardless of Sterling's character, his authentication skills were quite renowned in the European art world.
"Hehe, not counting those six, there are still twenty-two left. How about that? Can you fool some people now?"
Zhuang Rui laughed smugly on the phone. Back when he was shopping on Taobao in China, he was a bully in his own backyard. Even if he found a treasure, Zhuang Rui wasn't particularly happy, especially with his first pot of gold—that manuscript. To this day, Zhuang Rui still feels guilty towards that old lady.
However, Zhuang Rui felt no guilt whatsoever about ripping off foreigners; he was practically ready to chop the foreign devils off their heads with a big sword.
Chapter 638 Rare Goods for Hoarding (3)
"Zhuang Rui, this is Mr. Basil Guimet of the Guimet Museum in Paris. He is a descendant of Émile Guimet, the founder of the Guimet Museum, and is also the current director of the museum..."
The next morning, Zhuang Rui's hotel room welcomed a second group of guests, also brought by Huangfu Yun. However, this time Qin Xuanbing did not hide in the room, but stayed in the living room with Zhuang Rui.