Zhuang Rui smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, then greeted Professor Meng. He had just left Professor Meng's house yesterday, so there wasn't much formality between them.
"I recently acquired a piece of porcelain and wanted to ask you for your opinion, but I couldn't get through to you on the phone. Fortunately, Mr. Zhuang can take a look at it today..."
"Just got back from Myanmar. What good stuff did that boss find?"
Zhuang Rui asked with a smile.
"Brother Zhuang Rui, the beaded hairpin you gave my sister is so beautiful..."
The little girl named Youyou suddenly interjected. Zhuang Rui was taken aback and looked at Meng Qiuqian. However, the girl's eyes were looking around and she didn't dare to meet his gaze. It must have been Meng Qiuqian who made Youyou say those words.
Professor Meng said sternly, "Youyou, stop fooling around..."
"No, no, my sister has one, I don't have one, I want one too..."
The little girl wasn't afraid of her grandfather at all. She grabbed Professor Meng's clothes with both hands and shook him back and forth, making this leading figure in the field of archaeology in China quite embarrassed.
"Youyou, I'll get it for you later. I don't have it with me right now..."
Zhuang Rui was a little annoyed. He wasn't Ximen Qing, who would casually stroll down the street with two women wearing jewelry.
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the girl immediately stopped bothering Professor Meng and started playfully fighting with Meng Qiuqian, making Professor Meng shake his head with an expression of utter dismay.
"Xiao Zhuang, come here, help me look at something. I haven't decided whether to accept it or not..."
Professor Meng's specialty is archaeology, and he also has a great passion for collecting; otherwise, he wouldn't have become friends with Uncle De.
Professor Meng was very happy to see Zhuang Rui. He knew that his apprentice had learned a lot about antique appreciation from Uncle De in Zhonghai. Although he was an archaeologist, his eye for antiques was not necessarily better than Zhuang Rui's. So he did not put on any airs of a teacher and directly pulled Zhuang Rui and the shop owner into the "Porcelain Workshop" private room.
"Please have a seat, everyone. I'll bring the things over..."
The boss called a waiter to serve tea to the group, then went to the back room.
"Oh my, this stuff is really timely! As the saying goes, dumplings on the first day of the Lunar New Year, noodles on the second, and dumplings on the third. Well, boss, this is something we ordinary folks use all the time..."
Zhuang Rui noticed at a glance that the shopkeeper was holding a set of ceramic tableware and couldn't help but laugh. This was a category of porcelain, but compared to those ceramic official kiln wares whose ornamental value outweighed their practical value, there weren't many people who collected these things.
"Mr. Zhuang has a good eye..."
After the shopkeeper put the items on the table, he gave Zhuang Rui a thumbs up. The words Zhuang Rui uttered were something most people had never heard before.
Zhuang Rui smiled and, without any ceremony, stood up and examined the set of items on the table. It was a complete tableware set, consisting of six pieces: a bowl for eating, chopsticks for picking up food, a plate for serving food, and a soup bowl, among others.
"Mr. Zhuang, what do you think of this?"
After Zhuang Rui had been looking at it for seven or eight minutes, the shop owner asked a question, his words clearly indicating that he was testing Zhuang Rui.
"Hehe, these items are indeed old, but they're from the late Qing Dynasty. And although they're all famille rose porcelain, they're not a complete set, which is a bit of a shame..."
Zhuang Rui had just examined the porcelain set with his spiritual energy. Although it contained spiritual energy, it wasn't very concentrated, and the amount of spiritual energy in each piece was not the same. This led him to this conclusion.
"However, it's quite remarkable that this thing has been preserved for over 100 years and is still in relatively good condition. Moreover, judging from its style, it should be a set of utensils that the Huizhou merchants specially commissioned from Jingdezhen to be fired back then. Boss, am I right?"
Zhuang Rui got a little carried away with the CCTV treasure appraisal show today and couldn't hold back, blurting out the origin of the entire set of tableware, leaving the shop owner and Professor Meng speechless.
At this point, the shop owner had long since given up on investigating Zhuang Rui. He had done extensive research and consulted many experts to learn about the origins of this item. He was shocked that Zhuang Rui could tell him the story so accurately at a glance.
Chapter 533 Appraisal (Part 2)
"Brother, these were ordered by merchants from Anhui? I've never heard of them before."
Ouyang Jun, listening nearby, was somewhat puzzled. He only knew that after the liberation of the whole country, Jingdezhen specially made a set of porcelain for that old man, but later the old man personally stopped him, saying that he was not the emperor and did not need to do such things.
However, that set of porcelain is quite famous, and people like Ouyang Jun have heard of it. But when he heard Zhuang Rui say that people in Anhui also order porcelain from Jingdezhen, he felt a bit surprised. These people from Anhui are putting on airs even more than Chairman Mao.
"Fourth Brother, that happened more than a hundred years ago, did you hear me clearly?"
Zhuang Rui was left speechless by Ouyang Jun's question. This was simply a display of ignorance and incompetence. Zhuang Rui felt ashamed in front of these experts.
However, Zhuang Rui knew a lot about Anhui merchants when he was in Zhonghai. They were a huge force that could not be ignored in the economic system of the late Qing Dynasty for one or two hundred years, comparable to the salt merchants of Lianghuai. Many anecdotes about them also circulated.
"Anhui cuisine is one of the eight major cuisines of China. Its most distinctive feature is that it integrates Huizhou culture, the Huizhou merchants of that time, and the preparation of Huizhou dishes."
Therefore, Anhui cuisine not only has its unique features in color, aroma and taste, but also pays special attention to the arrangement of tableware and drinking vessels.
We Chinese say that good food also requires beautiful tableware. Whatever we eat, it must be served in a certain kind of vessel, with different colors of glaze, patterns, and styles to suit different dishes and social statuses.
Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, many wealthy and official families in Huizhou have ordered their rice and dishes from famous porcelain-producing areas such as Jingdezhen. Moreover, the tableware set in front of us has a strong ancient Huizhou style.
Imagine, as you savor the delicacies of Huizhou cuisine through these tableware pieces imbued with the spirit of Huizhou, you can also appreciate the natural scenery, local specialties, and customs of Huizhou, and even witness the glorious and splendid Huizhou culture of a certain period…”
Fearing that Ouyang Jun might ask some more outlandish questions, Zhuang Rui answered them anyway. Just as Zhuang Rui finished speaking, a round of applause broke out in the room. It was Professor Meng and the boss who couldn't help but applaud.
As for the two young girls, Ouyang Jun and Meng Qiuqian, they simply listened to it as a story; they didn't understand what Zhuang Rui was saying. It's enough to serve as a textbook for Huizhou ceramics.
"Xiao Zhuang, you really made the right choice by studying archaeology. I think after your interview, you can become my assistant lecturer. That way, I can have more time to research some topics..."
Professor Meng looked at Zhuang Rui with admiration. He hadn't expected Zhuang Rui to have such a strong cultural foundation and such a prodigious memory. He was able to extract the essence of Huizhou culture from this set of porcelain. Professor Meng felt that he had taken on an extraordinary disciple, and that Zhuang Rui's future achievements might even surpass his own.
"Teacher Meng, that won't do. I only know a little more about things related to antiques. You want me to go on stage and give a lecture? That's really not an option. I'd embarrass you..."
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui waved his hands repeatedly in refusal. He was studying archaeology because he wanted to learn more about the background and related knowledge of unearthed cultural relics from various dynasties in China through archaeological theory, which would be more helpful for his understanding and judgment of antiques.
As for lecturing and digging up graves, Zhuang Rui had absolutely no interest in those things. How much could a lecturer earn in a month? Back in the 1990s, there was a saying: "Professors earn less than those who sell tea eggs."
While digging up graves and tombs can yield many genuine, firsthand antiques, the work often requires spending three to five months in the wilderness, and the antiques you dig up aren't yours to keep. You can see and touch them, but you can't bring them home. Zhuang Rui didn't want to go through that frustrating experience.
Professor Meng waved his hand, clearly not wanting to discuss this topic here. Instead, he looked at the shop owner and said, "Old man, we're old friends. I've gotten quite a few items from you, but not all of them are genuine..."
The shop owner laughed upon hearing this. He was a businessman and wasn't bothered by such a small embarrassment. He said, "Professor Meng, you're in the industry too, so you know the rules. Actually, there are some things that even I don't know if they're real or fake. But since I'm in business, I'm definitely selling them as if they were real..."
In front of Zhuang Rui, the shop owner didn't dare to speak recklessly. Professor Meng was actually just a collector and wasn't afraid of anything, but based on what Zhuang Rui had just said, he was definitely an expert in the field, and he was afraid of ruining his reputation, so he simply told the truth.
Professor Meng nodded slightly after hearing the shop owner's words. What the shop owner said was quite true. Nowadays, antique shops are mostly nine parts fake and one part genuine, and even that one part genuine requires the buyer's discerning eye.
Those who have the means to collect antiques are generally quite confident. They know that most items on the market are fake, but they are willing to rely on their own judgment to find the genuine article and enjoy doing so. Professor Meng is one such person. He has spent a lot of the money his children abroad send him on these fakes.
Some readers might wonder how Professor Meng, a towering figure in the field of archaeology, could be unable to distinguish between genuine and fake antiques. Actually, this is quite normal.
Archaeologists are not necessarily collectors. They have their own specific research topics: one is the study of the social structure of the time through antiques, and the other is the study of the formation and structure of antiques themselves, as well as their current market economic value. These two can be said to be two related but completely different systems.
Therefore, it's not uncommon for Professor Meng to be fooled and pay tuition in the antique market. He can present an antique and explain its historical background, but he may not necessarily know whether the antique in his possession is genuine or fake.
People like that boss prefer customers like Professor Meng. They'll spend money without hesitation on anything that catches their eye, because they have the purchasing power to do so.
"Hey old man, name your price for this set of tableware. It's almost Chinese New Year, don't go overboard with the price cuts..."
Professor Meng has a very good attitude. As long as he likes something, he is willing to spend any amount of money. Unlike others who cry and wail when they buy fake items, Professor Meng believes that even fake things have research value.
"This... price, Professor Meng, how about this number?"
Upon hearing Professor Meng's words, the boss involuntarily looked at Zhuang Rui, a troubled expression on his face. He stammered, unable to make sense of what he was saying, and finally gritted his teeth and held up three fingers.
"Oh? Thirty thousand? Xiao Zhuang, what do you think?"
Professor Meng smiled noncommittally. With such a knowledgeable future student present, there was no need for him, a teacher who wasn't very knowledgeable, to negotiate the price.
"Boss, this is my teacher. I'm not breaking any rules..."
Zhuang Rui smiled at the shop owner, but the shop owner's face turned sour; he understood what Zhuang Rui meant.
In antique transactions, when the buyer and seller are negotiating the price, a third party should not interfere. Whether the antique is genuine or fake is a matter between the buyer and seller. If a third party intervenes, it violates the rules of the trade.
However, the current situation is different. The disciple is serving his teacher, and the boss is speechless.
"Mr. Zhuang, please give me a price. It's the New Year, so just a little something for my trouble would be fine..."
The shop owner gave a wry smile, implying that the set of tableware was not his, but rather consigned to him.
"Okay, boss, how does this price sound to you?"
Zhuang Rui extended his right hand, clenched it into a fist, then raised his thumb and little finger, shook it four times, and then smiled at the boss.
"Six thousand six hundred and sixty-six? Boss Zhuang, your price is quite auspicious, but I'm going to lose a fortune. Others are consigning their items to me for more than that..."
The boss's expression at that moment was one of utter grief and indignation, as if Zhuang Rui and his daughter had engaged in some improper relationship. He waved his hands and shook his head repeatedly, looking as if he couldn't continue the conversation.
"Hehe, this set of porcelain isn't a complete set, and it's not very old. It's not official kiln porcelain, and only my teacher would buy it to study the historical context of Huizhou merchants and Huizhou cuisine at that time. If you keep it, I can tell you, even at this price of 6,666, it's unlikely anyone would pay..."
The price of folk porcelain has never been very high. Even the fine folk kiln pieces from the Kangxi period are priced hundreds or even thousands of times lower than those from the official kilns of the same period. Therefore, the price Zhuang Rui offered is quite outrageous.
"Mr. Zhuang, this price really isn't right. How about this, this amount is auspicious too. If you agree, we'll make a deal..."
After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the boss also held up an eight-finger gesture, shaking it back and forth a few times with a resolute expression on his face, meaning that if you don't agree, then this deal is off.
"Teacher Meng..."
Zhuang Rui turned to Professor Meng. The price was about right. This set of porcelain didn't have much room for appreciation. Even if it was kept for a few years, it would only be worth about ten thousand yuan. So the owner's offer of eight thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight yuan wasn't unacceptable.
"Xiao Zhuang, I'll listen to you. If you say it's okay, then we'll sell it..."
Professor Meng verbally authorized Zhuang Rui to sign the authorization letter.
"Okay, this price is reasonable, I'll buy it..."
Zhuang Rui nodded, and the deal was considered done.
Chapter 534 The Antique Shop (Part 1)
Such folk kiln porcelain, although considered exquisite in terms of firing techniques and artistic value, lacks a sense of heritage, so its price has always remained lukewarm.
Buying this set of porcelain for over eight thousand yuan is a reasonable price. Of course, it can't be called a bargain; it's more like Professor Meng found a set of items he liked.
"Boss, do you have any other good items? Show them to everyone..."
After taking a picture of the Huizhou ceramic tableware set for his teacher, Zhuang Rui looked at the shop owner and said, "With the appearance of this 'Ci Lai Fang' shop, there must be a few treasures hidden inside. I really want to see them."
"Hey, Mr. Zhuang, it would have been better if you had come a day earlier. It's almost Chinese New Year, and everyone's moved all the valuables home. This shop is just stocked up on storefront items..."
The boss put on an unfortunate expression, and no one knew whether he was really doing it or not.
His words were only half true. The truly valuable items were never displayed in the shop, and several genuine ceramic pieces were still kept in a safe in the back room, but the owner was unwilling to take them out.
Normally, it's quite common for collectors to exchange ideas and appreciate each other's collections. However, the shop owner was in business and didn't want Zhuang Rui to point out the authenticity or quality of his items. In Zhuang Rui's opinion, all his things were genuine.
"Old man, this is the money for the porcelain, please count it..."
While Zhuang Rui was speaking, Professor Meng took out 10,888 yuan in RMB from his handbag, a stack of pink RMB notes, and placed them next to the tableware.
"well……"