Chapter 5

Walking into the store, Chu Chen saw Uncle Wu behind the counter, clumsily tapping the keyboard with two fingers, operating an old computer. Next to the computer was a basic computer operation tutorial.

This computer was an old one that Uncle Wu had bought four months ago for 2,000 yuan through a friend. It was said that the central processor was some 586, but it was essentially an old machine.

When Uncle Wu first got the computer, he excitedly called Chu Chen over to show off his treasure. Although Chu Chen found it quite novel, he wasn't interested in it. He said, "Where couldn't you have spent the money? You spent 2,000 yuan on this old thing."

"Uncle Wu, are you fiddling with your TV again?"

Hearing this, Uncle Wu, while looking at the screen, replied, "You little rascal, how many times have I told you, this is called a monitor, not a TV. You should also learn about computers; we need to keep up with the times in our line of work."

Chu Chen walked behind Uncle Wu and said, "Hehe, I'm not interested in this. Besides, there are books to learn from. Reading books is much more comfortable than staring at this monitor."

Uncle Wu turned to look at Chu Chen with a look of disappointment, pointing to a news item on the screen, "Can books be the same as a computer? Look, do you see such market information in books? Can you communicate with others in books?"

Chu Chen looked down and saw an auction notice. It mentioned that a white jade washbasin from the mid-Qing dynasty was auctioned for 990,000 yuan in Beijing, with detailed photos and information clearly displayed.

"Wow! You can look up such information on the computer?"

"Of course. Otherwise, why would Uncle Wu spend 2,000 yuan on this computer? Moreover, there's a place called a forum where collectors can communicate. The place I went to get the goods was recommended by a fellow collector."

Chu Chen, hearing this, looked surprised and said, "Is that so? But you don't know the person on the other side; what if you get scammed?"

Uncle Wu, with a confident expression, replied, "Who is your Uncle Wu? With my keen eye, do you think it's easy to scam me?"

Chu Chen nodded speechlessly, thinking that Uncle Wu now seemed a bit like a boastful old woman.

Uncle Wu continued, "Xiaochen, I'm telling you, you should learn about computers. If it's inconvenient to install broadband at home, come to Uncle Wu's place. Look at me, since I got the computer, I've learned a lot. I think my decision to buy the computer was very wise."

Chu Chen, with a mischievous smile, said, "Uncle Wu, don't brag. It was Xiao Ke who made you buy it, and Aunt Wu said you looked like you had lost a piece of Ru porcelain when you bought the computer."

Uncle Wu slapped Chu Chen on the back of the head and said, "Brat, you always expose my weaknesses. I've wasted my affection on you." Then he laughed.

He then said with a smile, "Xiaochen, Xiao Ke will graduate early next year and return to the country. Want me to set you two up? My Xiao Ke is beautiful and gentle, and will definitely be a good wife and mother."

Chu Chen shuddered at the thought of Xiao Ke's tomboyish personality. She was beautiful, but far from gentle. He had been teased by her many times and waved his hands, saying, "Uncle Wu, let's talk about this later. I'm only 21, it's too early."

Uncle Wu chuckled and didn't say much more, knowing that young people have thin skins and would be annoyed if he said too much. He changed the topic, "As you wish. It's your business, but remember, opportunities like this don't come often. By the way, did you bring the Tang Sancai? Let me see it."

Chu Chen took out the Tang Sancai shard wrapped in newspaper from his bag and placed it on the table.

Seeing this, Uncle Wu stood up from his chair with a pained look, "Ah, what the heck!"

Seeing Chu Chen still smiling, he got angry and pointed at him, "You still have the nerve to smile. Tell me, what happened! This is 420,000 yuan!"

Chu Chen explained the whole story and pointed out the location, "Since it's already this result, it's better to smile than to cry. Consider it a tuition fee."

Uncle Wu took the shard with the words "fire clay" written on it, sat down, and examined it carefully with a magnifying glass. He sighed and said, "Xiaochen, although Zhang Huani's forgeries are hard to identify, ultimately, you were too greedy. Look at the body of the shard; it's slightly different from the genuine ones I've seen. Of course, this is just Uncle Wu's hindsight. If you didn't know it was a forgery, this difference wouldn't be enough to determine it as a fake."

"You, in the future, must remember, not listening to the elders will lead to trouble, especially in our line of work. The older you are, the more experience you have. But your attitude is better than mine. If I were in your shoes, I would have wanted to die."

Chu Chen looked at the differences but couldn't see them since he hadn't seen the genuine ones. He kept this in mind and thought, if he hadn't gained his special ability later, he wouldn't have such a good attitude.

Then Uncle Wu said seriously, "On one hand, remember this lesson, but on the other hand, don't be discouraged. In the antiques business, we need to be bold and meticulous, and this is based on your knowledge. Just right, I have a very representative piece this time. Let's test your eye."

Uncle Wu took out a Xuande red-enameled three-fruit bowl from the storage cabinet and placed it on the counter, saying, "This is the Xuande red-enameled three-fruit bowl. Tell me what you think."

When appraising, Chu Chen's expression was very serious. He picked up the small bowl and examined it carefully.

In the antiques world, there's an unwritten rule that fragile items like porcelain should not be directly handed from the seller to the buyer. Instead, the seller should place the item aside, and the buyer should pick it up. Otherwise, if the item breaks during the handover, it's hard to determine responsibility.

Similarly, when appraising, anyone familiar with antiques follows this rule. Even Chu Chen and Uncle Wu, who were like uncle and nephew, would be careful in this regard.

Red-enameled porcelain is a valuable variety of Ming and Qing imperial kilns. Although it was first created in the Yuan dynasty, it had a low success rate due to the instability of copper red enamel. It wasn't until the Ming Yongle and Xuande periods that a more stable red-enameled porcelain was produced, but it was rare. In the mid-Ming dynasty, it was often replaced by simpler iron-red enamel, leading to a temporary halt in production. It wasn't until the early Qing dynasty that production gradually resumed.

As soon as Chu Chen held the bowl, his left hand's special ability started to react, confirming that it was indeed an antique. However, he didn't absorb the energy immediately but wanted to appraise it on his own first.

The Xuande red-enameled three-fruit bowl has a flared mouth, deep curved walls, and a ring foot. The exterior is decorated with red-enameled pomegranates, persimmons, and peaches, symbolizing many children, good fortune, and longevity.

The bowl has a thick patina, and the red enamel is pure and vivid. The base is inscribed with the six-character "Da Qing Kangxi Nian Zhi" (Made in the Kangxi period of the Qing dynasty) in regular script, which appears to be from the Kangxi period.

At first glance, this red-enameled three-fruit bowl seems to be a high-quality imitation of a Xuande red-enameled bowl from the Kangxi period. Such bowls were produced during the Kangxi and Yongzheng periods, but those from the Kangxi period are relatively rare. If this is a Kangxi imitation of a Xuande red-enameled bowl, it would be very valuable.

However, after examining it with a magnifying glass, Chu Chen noticed some issues. He then used his special ability to absorb the energy from the bowl, confirming his suspicions. He carefully placed the bowl back on the counter.

Seeing this, Uncle Wu asked, "How is it? Have you finished looking? Tell me what you think."

Chu Chen nodded and organized his thoughts, saying, "This is a Qing Kangxi imitation of a Xuande red-enameled three-fruit bowl. The body, glaze, and pigments show that it is a rare and high-quality piece. However, some details indicate that it was not made during the Kangxi period."

Uncle Wu's eyes lit up, and he said, "Oh! Tell me more."

Chu Chen chuckled and picked up the bowl again, "Uncle Wu, first, the red enamel on this bowl is well-colored, but upon closer inspection, it's not entirely pure and has some black spots. If it were from the Kangxi period, it would be very rare to find it in such good condition."

"Second, the body, although finely processed, is not as solid, hard, and fine as those from the Kangxi period. However, it is still better than those from the late Qing period."

"Third, the inscription, although it looks like an imperial kiln piece, is not as neat as those from the imperial kilns when examined with a magnifying glass."

"Finally, the patina, although smooth, is not as thick as those from the Kangxi period, not even as thick as those from the Qianlong period."

"In conclusion, this Xuande red-enameled three-fruit bowl is likely a late Qing or early Republican period imitation, made by a skilled craftsman. Although it is not from the Kangxi period, it is still a very beautiful and valuable piece."

Chu Chen could confidently conclude this thanks to his special ability, which allowed him to absorb the energy from the bowl, giving him the confidence to make this judgment.

"Good, very good. You've pointed out the characteristics of this three-fruit bowl accurately. Xiaochen, it seems you have been studying hard," Uncle Wu said, clapping his hands in approval.

Chu Chen, hearing Uncle Wu's praise, rubbed his head and said, "It's all thanks to Uncle Wu's teaching. I still have a lot to learn and will need Uncle Wu's guidance in the future." (Please support with favorites and recommendations!)

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