"Please speak frankly, young man, if you have any questions."
Upon hearing Hu Yuan's words, Grandpa Zhong immediately asked curiously.
Although the large blue-and-white porcelain vase was already in his warehouse, he had only paid a one-tenth deposit in advance, agreeing that the remaining amount would be settled after he had appraised it for a month and deemed it satisfactory.
If this is indeed a fake, then not only will I not be able to pay the remaining amount, but I'll also have to ask that person for a refund of my previous deposit.
Otherwise, we would have already suffered a huge loss.
"The problem with this porcelain vase is that it is simply too big."
Hu Yuan said earnestly.
“Young man, I also find it hard to believe that such a large porcelain vase could have been preserved intact. But if I really can’t see anything wrong with it, then I can only choose to believe that it is real.”
Although Grandpa Zhong nodded in agreement with what Hu Yuan said, he was still somewhat disappointed, since Hu Yuan hadn't provided any useful information.
"If you really need to find evidence, it's not that difficult."
Hu Yuan spoke up again.
"Young man, do you have a solution?"
Grandpa Zhong immediately pressed for more information.
"In fact, many counterfeiters are extremely arrogant. When they believe that even the most discerning masters cannot see through their fakes, they are very likely to leave some special marks on the fakes."
"Especially rare treasures like these, which are enough to shock the antique market, will inevitably appear in front of the public in the future. Even if more skilled experts see the problem at that time, he will still be very proud of himself."
Hu Yuan recalled some high-end counterfeits he had encountered in his previous life, and thus made this summary.
After listening, Grandpa Zhong nodded slowly. What he said made a lot of sense. He had the same mindset back then, and even the pair of jade elephants he had made contained his own marks.
But discovering it is not easy.
"Where will this mark be left?"
Grandpa Zhong asked earnestly.
In fact, in Mr. Zhong's mind, he also believed that the large blue and white porcelain vase was a fake, but he just couldn't convince himself of it.
"This type of porcelain usually leaves the evidence inside, making it difficult to detect."
Hu Yuan stroked his chin and stared at the porcelain bottle.
"I have carefully examined the inside of the porcelain bottle and found no flaws."
Grandpa Zhong shook his head.
This is worth tens of millions! He checked every part of it, not just the inside, but also every visible area, dozens of times.
“I said you’re not inside, but in the middle.”
Hu Yuan gently tapped the porcelain bottle and said calmly.
"You mean, it was placed inside during the firing process?"
Grandpa Zhong understood what Hu Yuan meant, but he was somewhat hesitant to believe it.
"right."
Hu Yuan nodded with great confidence.
"In that case, to find the problem, wouldn't we have to smash this big porcelain bottle to pieces? And if we're unlucky, we might even destroy the so-called flaw."
Grandpa Zhong panicked a little; this method of identification was far too risky.
"It's not necessary to smash it, and even if you do smash it, you don't have to smash it to pieces."
Hu Yuan shook his head.
"Please enlighten me, young brother."
Grandpa Zhong found Hu Yuan increasingly interesting. To the average person, what he said was utter nonsense, but Grandpa Zhong, who truly understood antiques and forgery, did not think so.
"Actually, it's just a matter of searching little by little. First, find the location of the flaw, then open it up and take a look. Although the current technology is outdated, it should still be possible to cut off only a small piece of porcelain."
Hu Yuan explained.
How do I find the method?
Since the problem is inside and cannot be seen at all, Grandpa Zhong really didn't know how to find it.
"listen."
Hu Yuan only said one simple word, which made the old man admire him even more.
There are many ways to identify antiques. Seeing is the most important, which is called eye power, while hearing is the second most important, which is called ear power.
Whether you're looking at something or listening to something, you need sufficient experience to support you.
However, while there are many who can see it, very few who can hear it.
Looking at the entire domestic antique market, I doubt there are more than ten people who would dare to say they can identify antiques just by listening.
"Young man, your method is indeed excellent. However, I am getting on in years and my hearing is failing. So, I would be grateful if you could listen to it for me."
Grandpa Zhong's words sound nice, but it's not that he can't hear because he's old; it's that he simply doesn't have the ability.
"That's natural, but to find out the problem, it will probably take a day or two."
Hu Yuan wasn't stupid. This was a physically demanding job, and he couldn't work for free without getting some tangible benefits from Old Master Zhong first.
"I know how much effort this has taken. If you can find the problem and prove that this porcelain vase is indeed a fake, I am willing to offer 500,000 in cash as a reward. I also promise that if you ever need my help in the future, just let me know and I will do it."
After learning that Hu Yuan had this ability, Grandpa Zhong immediately increased the reward considerably and promised to do something for Hu Yuan in the future.
This behavior can be seen as extending an olive branch, intending to befriend Hu Yuan.
"Haha, the old man is indeed straightforward. In that case, I'll make a fool of myself."
Upon seeing this, Hu Yuan naturally agreed immediately.
For him, it was just a matter of putting in some effort.
But if we can successfully befriend Mr. Zhong and receive such a large sum of money, then we'll have made a killing!
Hu Yuan carefully tapped the large blue-and-white porcelain vase inch by inch.
Grandpa Zhong stood silently to the side, not daring to make a sound, for fear of disturbing Hu Yuan.
Fortunately, Hu Yuan was lucky; within just a few hours, he realized something was wrong.
"Grandpa, come over here and listen to this."
After confirming several times, Hu Yuancai finally asked the old man to come over.
"Have we found the problem?"
Grandpa Zhong also seemed a little excited.
“Grandpa, the sound here should be rather dull, but it sounds too crisp right now. I suspect there’s something like a piece of metal inside.”
Hu Yuan gently tapped the bottom of the large blue-and-white porcelain vase again.
"Young man, if you are sure, then take this piece down and see for yourself."
Grandpa Zhong gritted his teeth and made a decision.
“It’s not difficult to take a piece from the bottom, and it doesn’t affect the aesthetic appeal of the porcelain vase. Actually, we’re quite lucky.”
Hu Yuan didn't know that the bottle didn't belong to Grandpa Zhong, so he offered his words of comfort.
But that's the truth. If the problem lies with the bottle itself, whether it's the body, the neck, or the mouth, it will be much harder to remove, and once removed, it will definitely affect the aesthetic appeal.
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