The three of them chatted casually about all sorts of things.
But they each had their own plans.
Old Qiu probably realized that there was no point in him staying any longer.
Instead, it backfired and caused resentment.
Reluctantly, he took his leave and departed.
After everyone left, Gu Wei and Guo Chengshen exchanged a glance.
Everything is understood without words.
The shop assistants locked the shop door from the inside.
The two went up to the second floor together.
Gu Wei hadn't been to Lao Guo's shop for a while.
Once inside, I noticed that the ornaments on the display cabinet and the paintings on the walls had changed.
Guo Chengshen invited Gu Wei to take a seat.
Then he personally brewed a pot of fine tea and served it to the customer.
Gu Wei noticed that Lao Guo's gaze kept drifting towards his bag.
He didn't waste any time either.
He opened the bag and took out two boxes.
"Brother Guo, I brought two things today and would like you to take a look at them."
"Okay, no problem."
Guo Chengshen's eyes lit up with excitement, and he hurriedly put on white gloves.
At this moment, Gu Wei opened the box on his left, revealing the Xuande incense burner inside.
Guo Chengshen paused, probably not expecting Gu Wei to bring this item.
He carefully held the incense burner in his hands.
I checked it repeatedly for a long time.
They also used various tools to conduct research.
His brows remained furrowed and never relaxed.
Gu Wei had dealt with Lao Guo more than once or twice.
This is the first time I've seen him react like this.
After a while, he asked, "Brother Guo, what do you think of this incense burner?"
Guo Chengshen gently placed the incense burner on the table, then looked at Gu Wei and said, "Brother Gu, to be honest, my skills are limited, and I really can't determine the value of this."
Gu Wei raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly somewhat surprised.
In his mind, Lao Guo had been in the antique business for so long and must have some skills, plus he was a good person, which was why he was willing to do business with him again and again.
Guo Chengshen continued, "Let me put it this way: craftsmen throughout history have used the Xuande period as a model when making incense burners. They did not pay for them in the current year, but they left the mark 'Made in Xuande' on the bottom of the burner. Therefore, you can see Xuande burners from various dynasties on the market today."
"Of the many Xuande censers collected by major museums in China, none can be considered by numerous experts to be genuine Xuande censers, because meticulously crafted imitations can rival the originals. Authenticating genuine Xuande censers is currently an unsolved problem in archaeology."
Gu Wei already knew what Lao Guo was talking about when he was researching.
He rubbed his fingers together and said casually, "Since you're unsure, Brother Guo, let's look at something else first."
Worried that Gu Wei's trust and evaluation of him might decline, Guo Chengshen quickly tried to salvage the situation, saying, "Although even experts can't distinguish between the real and fake, a high-quality Xuande incense burner can still fetch a hefty price. I feel yours could sell for six figures."
Whether or not it's worth hundreds of thousands as Lao Guo predicted, Gu Wei has still managed to snag a bargain.
He smiled, said nothing, and opened another antique box.
Guo Chengshen shrank his eyes, wiped the thin layer of sweat from his forehead, and began the examination again.
Porcelain falls into an area that Lao Guo is good at.
In an effort to regain a professional impression in front of Gu Wei, he explored the area with tools while explaining.
"When collecting porcelain brush holders, one should not only look at the quality of the body and glaze, but also, more importantly, the level of the porcelain painting and the color of the blue and white glaze."
"Porcelain from the Yongzheng period is mostly exquisite and pure, with a white, smooth, and delicate body. Large pieces have a regular and symmetrical shape, avoiding a clumsy or heavy appearance, while small pieces have a light and delicate body."
"Your brush pot has a wide mouth, straight belly, and jade-disc-shaped base. It is fully covered inside and out with a bright celadon glaze. The glaze layer is delicate, firm, pure white, and the exterior is decorated with scene patterns, with towering peaks. The colors are applied in multiple layers, and the glaze is bright. The cobalt blue brushwork still retains the bold and vigorous feel of the Yongle and Xuande periods. It is a typical blue and white porcelain work of the Yongzheng period. Brother Gu, this is a genuine piece!"
Having experienced many things, Gu Wei wasn't as excited as he was the first time he learned that the door was wide open.
It was very calm and serene.
Furthermore, he believed that Hou Yongxian would not bring fake items to the lake, and that he already knew they were genuine.
Now, he is more concerned with the value.
"Really? What's the estimated price?"
Guo Chengshen knew he had to answer this question very carefully.
Otherwise, if things go wrong and the customer is dissatisfied, it's hard to say whether they will come back to the store in the future.
There's Old Qiu lurking nearby, eyeing us covetously.
He licked his lips. "Although a few years ago at the autumn auction, a polychrome landscape and figure brush pot from the Yongzheng period sold for more than 35 million, I believe you, Brother Gu, understand how murky things can be in the auction world... My estimate is no less than 20 million."
Gu Wei was well aware of the complexities of auctions and that the actual value of antiques could not be measured by the final sale price.
A valuation of 20 million is not low.
"Okay, thank you, Brother Guo."
Guo Chengshen said frankly, "Brother Gu, porcelain brush holders have become increasingly valuable in recent years, and due to their limited availability, they have become highly sought-after by collectors. Do you have any plans to sell them? I can help you make the connections."
Gu Wei thought for a moment and realized that no matter how much an antique was worth, it was just an object in his hands.
Since it's already been appraised, it might as well be sold for money.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Guo."
Guo Chengshen was overjoyed. "No trouble at all. I should thank you for trusting me so much."
He immediately contacted several collectors he knew.
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