Chapter 27 Kiln-Transformed Porcelain
Guan Xingmin scoffed: "If I could say it, I'd be a boss, why would I be a policeman?"
He made a logical judgment: with inscriptions, signatures, and seals, the characteristics are so obvious. If it is a genuine teapot, how could it possibly be bought back for 80,000?
"Old Hao, why don't you ask Professor Lin?"
"If Professor Lin can't tell, then he should be a policeman!"
Guan Xingmin was both angry and amused, and pointed at him.
Lin Changqing smiled and said, "The shape of the teapot is very similar, but Chen Mingyuan's calligraphy and engraving are a bit inferior... Hmm?"
He paused again: "Wait, this character is wrong!"
With a soft exclamation, Lin Changqing picked up the pot and examined it from all angles.
Look for a while, then look up and think for a while. Then look for a while again, then look up and think for a while again.
After doing this three times, he held the pot in one hand, then simply closed his eyes and used his other hand to draw in front of his eyes.
It looks like drawing a talisman, even more like Lin Sicheng's style.
Hao Jun looked puzzled: Was Lin Sicheng like this when they were in the store?
Surely this isn't a closely guarded secret of the Lin family?
No one spoke. After drawing for three or four minutes, Lin Changqing opened his eyes, his pupils shining: "Chen Mansheng!"
Hao Jun was full of admiration and gave a thumbs up: They truly are grandfather and grandson.
Director Guan seemed not to have heard clearly: "Who?"
"It's a Chen Mansheng piece from the 'Eighteen Styles of Mansheng,' but the influence of Yang Mansheng's style is very strong. It should be a teapot jointly imitated by him and Yang Pengnian!" Lin Changqing stroked the teapot, admiring it. "A masterpiece!"
The Mansheng pot isn't that obscure.
On the contrary, anyone who knows a little about Zisha pottery will know the value of Mansheng pottery.
Guan Xingmin swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing heavily: "Eighty thousand?"
"It's genuine, but I didn't buy it; it was Junior Brother Lin!"
Hao Jun pointed at Lin Sicheng smugly, "How about that? Sharp eyes, right? I took him there..."
Lao Hao, are you kidding me? This is worth several million.
Besides, would you really make such a joke in front of Lin Changqing?
Hmm, that expression... doesn't seem like he's joking?
Guan Xingmin's heart skipped a beat when his two sword-like eyebrows suddenly twitched, the wrinkles at the peaks of his brows instantly straightening.
Did Lin Sicheng really find this teapot?
"Does Kobayashi know this is a Mansheng pot?"
"I know, otherwise he wouldn't dare spend 80,000!"
"Old Hao, I didn't ask you!"
"Young people are shy, how could they be so embarrassed as to boast about themselves?"
Lin Sicheng just smiled, but Guan Xingmin's eyes narrowed: It seems it's true?
Sure, Lao Lin...
He turned around and was stunned.
No... Lao Lin, what kind of look is that?
This is your own grandson.
But judging from your expression, you seem even more shocked than I am.
Lin Sicheng certainly understands porcelain, after all, he was exposed to it from a young age, and he was so well-behaved and studious before he went to university.
However, this teapot is a replica, and a very convincing one at that. Based solely on its shape, craftsmanship, and style, it is virtually impossible to identify it as the work of Chen Mansheng or Yang Pengnian.
It must rely on font style, carving characteristics, seal script style, or other features.
I don't remember when Lin Sicheng ever studied calligraphy or painting.
It seems so.
The feather duster he sold to Hao Jun was based on his knowledge of calligraphy and painting.
Lin Changqing put down the purple clay teapot, lost in thought: "How did you make that judgment back then?"
Lin Sicheng's words were succinct yet profound: "Clay!"
Hmm, material?
Lin Changqing raised an eyebrow, picked up the pot, and weighed it in his hand.
It's very light.
He knocked twice more.
The external sound is crisp, but the echo inside the pot is slightly muffled, indicating that the porcelain body is not thin.
Why is it so light?
There is only one possibility: the clay has a low density, much lower than that of Yixing clay.
"It has a low kaolin content, so this is not Yixing clay."
Lin Changqing turned the pot over and looked at the sole.
"However, it is a typical sedimentary clayey siltstone with a similarly high hematite content, which means it must belong to the same geological unit as the Huanglongshan interlayer vein in Yixing (the production area of Yixing pottery clay)..."
After a moment's thought, Lin Changqing's eyes lit up: "Changxing, Liyang... no, it's Liyang: Chen Mansheng served as the magistrate of Liyang..."
Guan Xingmin suddenly realized.
To put it simply, the clay used for this teapot comes from a place not too far from Yixing, such as Liyang, which is directly adjacent to it.
Coincidentally, Chen Mansheng was serving as the magistrate of Liyang County, and it was in Liyang that he acquired Yang Pengnian's first Mansheng teapot.
Lin Sicheng probably deduced from this that it was a Mansheng pot.
"But the reasons don't seem quite enough!"
Guan Xingmin shook his head. "For example, why couldn't it be Changxing? Changxing is closer to Huanglong Mountain, and its clay composition is more similar to Yixing clay. Moreover, there are records of purple clay teapots being made there as early as the mid-Ming Dynasty. On the other hand, Liyang is completely unknown..."
"It's precisely because Changxing clay and Yixing clay are so similar that this proves it's not a Changxing teapot!"
Hao Jun, putting his newfound knowledge to use, pulled out a flashlight, its blue light illuminating the scene. "Old Guan, see this? This teapot contains copper. There are no copper mines in Changxing, and even fewer in Yixing. Only neighboring Liyang has them..."
Guan Xingmin stared wide-eyed and stretched his neck forward.
Wait, what the hell is this?
The purple clay teapot has a bluish sheen... I've learned something new!
He is a police officer, that's true, but that doesn't mean he's ignorant: at the very least, he graduated with a proper degree in cultural heritage preservation. It's just that he was specially recruited right after graduation and ended up in this line of work.
Therefore, his experience is undeniably rich, and in some respects, he may have seen even more than Hao Jun.
But to be honest, he had never seen a bluish-purple teapot before.
So how should this be classified: purple-blue clay teapot, or blue-purple clay teapot?
Seeing Guan Xingmin's stunned expression, Hao Jun leaned closer and asked, "Old Guan, if you didn't know this was a Mansheng teapot, would you have bought it?"
How is that possible?
Let alone 80,000, even if it were only 8,000, he would have to think about it.
Wait, something's not right?
Hao Jun said he took Lin Sicheng there. That means he had already seen the pot before. But why was it Lin Sicheng who got the bargain, and not Hao Jun?
Guan Xingmin raised his head suspiciously and looked at the two men's expressions: one was calm and composed, the other was sleazy and unsavory.
Haha... Lao Hao has made a mistake.
It's highly likely that Lin Sicheng pointed it out to him, and more than once, but he either didn't listen or didn't believe it.
But to be honest, if it were me, I probably wouldn't believe it either: I'm too young.
That's why Lao Hao gave himself a heads-up: "Don't laugh at me, big brother. It would be the same if you were Guan!"
Director Guan suppressed a laugh: "So you didn't buy it?"
Hao Jun nodded with an awkward smile.
"Didn't Lin Sicheng mention you?"
"Ordered!"
"several times?"
Hao Jun remained silent, like someone with a covered mouth.
"Haha...you deserve it!"
Just as he was having a great time, Lin Changqing put down the pot, looked at Hao Jun, and then at Lin Sicheng.
His expression was one of surprise, yet also a hint of seriousness.
Hao Jun roughly understood, and smiled nonchalantly:
“Professor Lin, Lin Sicheng said that this teapot is likely a unique piece. If it were to settle for two years before being auctioned, it could fetch at least five or six million… I didn’t let him say anything more, so you don’t need to feel bad about it…”
Old Hao was magnanimous, but Lin Sicheng was even more magnanimous.
If it were Guan Xingmin, he would definitely hesitate: This is six million, what if Lao Hao wants to take half?
"It's definitely not cheap!" Lin Changqing nodded. "After all, it's kiln-fired porcelain!"
Guan Xingmin and Hao Jun were both stunned, their scalps tingling: What the hell?
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