Chapter 2, The Proliferation of Counterfeit Goods
Can you get the hang of it? Hu Yang asked
The vendor at the first stall was relatively reserved, not actively soliciting business. Upon noticing the young man lingering at his stall, he finally greeted him
In fact, there are not many people who dare to purchase items that cannot be handled, as not everyone possesses the discerning eye to judge authenticity with the naked eye
Rest assured! They are just bystanders and will not cause any trouble," Hu Yang added
I have gained knowledge, I am already following, keep it up, broadcaster
... ...
With the lens of Hu Yang, everyone finally saw the so-called second-hand market, with dozens of stalls of various sizes, mostly frequented by older individuals who leisurely selected items in front of the stalls
The stall owner unexpectedly knows about mosaics
After all, some antiques should not be handled directly, as the sweat from one's hands can have a certain impact on certain items. Therefore, it is common for appraisers to wear white gloves
Some unscrupulous vendors may take advantage of this to extort others, forcing them to purchase items that they have already taken possession of
Without three parts and three, how can one dare to ascend Mount Liang
This time, it is Hu Yang's turn to be bewildered
Is there nothing suitable?" The stall owner asked somewhat reluctantly as Hu Yang stood up
Due to the vendor being right in front of him, Hu Yang could not openly declare that it was a counterfeit in their presence; he had already said everything that needed to be said
At that moment, an elderly person hesitantly placed down a seal
Therefore, what Hu Yang is currently presenting to everyone are all items with relatively obvious flaws; as long as one observes carefully and applies some knowledge of antiques, it will not be easy to be deceived
... ...
I thought it would be quite boring, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be quite interesting
The audience in the live broadcast room burst into laughter. Just a moment ago, the host was right next to them. What is going on? Don't they understand? The elderly person didn't even ask about the price, so how could they complain about it being expensive? You, the stingy uncle, are quite mischievous; you can't be trusted even for a single word!
At the same time, I have finally witnessed the depth of this industry. After seeing so much, not a single item is genuine; fakes are rampant! Taobao is truly like sifting through sand in the waves.
It is simply that the host gives face to the vendor and does not expose the truth in front of them
Huyang gently shook her head: "I haven't found anything that meets my expectations for the time being"
Regardless of whether the host is boasting or possesses genuine skills, those in the live broadcast room are interested in continuing to watch
Although the host does not speak much and often leaves me feeling perplexed, they have indeed captured my attention
It primarily possesses depth, unlike other streamers who either sing or dance; after watching them for a while, it becomes rather mundane
Subsequently, after examining more than ten pieces of "antique" items in succession, Hu Yang effortlessly identified their flaws, which greatly opened everyone's eyes
Huyang crouched down and first picked up a seven-layer copper pagoda, palm-sized and twenty centimeters tall, which at first glance appeared to be exquisitely crafted, resembling a work of art in every way.
Many viewers in the live broadcast room exclaimed how impressive it was, gaining a more intuitive understanding of the fraudulent practices in this industry, as well as a preliminary insight into the hosts' appraisal abilities, which are certainly not just empty boasts
After saying this, he demonstrated for everyone for a while before putting down the bronze tower
Haha! The host is bewildered
This is nature, by the way, I am also live streaming on my phone, do you mind
It seems that the host has some skills
Come, everyone, please voluntarily apply a mosaic.
After a moment of hesitation, the stall owner uncle spoke up: "Can you apply a mosaic? I really don't want to attract attention"
Huyang picked up a piece of jade carving, a jade moth only three fingers wide, which appeared to have some soil rust, as if it had just been excavated from a grave, showing signs of age
Leaving the small stall, Hu Yang glanced at the live broadcast room, where the number of followers was nearing five hundred. His collaboration with Wei Wei had long since concluded, yet there were still quite a few people remaining with him.
This type of item is familiar to everyone. Bronze artifacts, or more specifically, bronze vessels, are considered a popular category of collectibles. Bronze has been part of Chinese civilization for thousands of years, dating back to the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. The exact number of bronze artifacts in China is an unquantifiable figure. Some have estimated that, just counting the bronze artifacts with inscriptions, over 10,000 have been unearthed from the Han dynasty to the present day. If we include those without inscriptions, the total number is unimaginable. Hu Yang explained while looking at the items, noting that some have estimated that, just counting the bronze artifacts with inscriptions, over 10,000 have been unearthed from the Han dynasty to the present day. If we include those without inscriptions, the total number is unimaginable.
Genuine soil rust is the result of hundreds, or even thousands, of years of action, and it cannot simply be removed with a few scrapes
The vast majority of people do not understand: Is this it?
Unlike other streamers, who frequently engage in PKs and constantly urge everyone to send gifts, sometimes I even feel embarrassed just being in there myself
From the appearance of the anchor, it seems that it has already been determined that it is a replica bronze tower
The stall owner is equally unhurried, not shouting loudly like the street vendors to promote their goods
Thus, someone spoke up in the public chat to inquire about the situation
The stall owner breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good!"
In this case, he indeed has some reservations. It is important to note that very few of the items he has are genuine, and one could even say that there are not many authentic pieces in the entire antique market. Such exposure would not be favorable.
Being able to see and personally handle cultural relics, even if one does not purchase them, is a form of enjoyment
This young man, feel free to take a look
Having become accustomed to other types of live broadcasts, many people find Hu Yang's approach of teaching gem identification quite interesting, as it at least broadens their knowledge
The stall owner then noticed the young man's phone. Due to his age, he had not kept up with the trends, and the term "live streaming" was still somewhat unfamiliar to him, leading him to question: "Is it a recording?"
"Young man, this stamp is a treasure. That old man just looked at it for a long time; he probably thinks the price is too high," the vendor said.
Seeing the elderly man stand up and vacate his seat, Hu Yang immediately took the position and casually picked up the seal that the old man had just placed down.
After all, whether or not to interact with the audience in the live broadcast cannot be hidden from the stall owner. It is better to be upfront about it from the beginning to avoid any trouble
The vendor sighed inwardly: business is becoming increasingly difficult to manage
Thank you to the friend who just gave a gift, and special thanks to Weiwei for the support! Collecting is a profound subject; although it seemed easy earlier, we have yet to encounter genuine "counterfeit goods." In the future, when everyone wants to shop on Taobao, they must be cautious to avoid falling into traps. Here, I would like to offer a piece of advice: do not purchase expensive items. In that case, even if you end up with counterfeit goods, your loss will not be significant. Losing a few hundred or even a few dozen yuan can be considered a lesson learned." Hu Yang advised. In that case, even if you end up with counterfeit goods, your loss will not be significant. Losing a few hundred or even a few dozen yuan can be considered a lesson learned." Hu Yang advised.
Hu Yang did not take these words to heart and merely curled his lips
In that case, the vendor's enthusiasm for Hu Yang instantly dissipated, and he no longer paid any attention.
How sophisticated can the counterfeiting of such street vendor goods be? They are not expensive items to begin with, and the cost of high-level counterfeiting is simply not worth it
There is no need for the host's commentary; everyone knows this is the legendary "ancient jade." Whether it is an antique or not will depend on the host's appraisal
"It is not a recording; it is just that some people can also see the entire process through the internet," Hu Yang explained
... ...
Those who watch live broadcasts are all people who enjoy lively events, and naturally, they will not miss such occurrences
Some viewers are generous in giving gifts, even though the host has stated that they do not rely on the gifts from everyone for their livelihood. However, having not a single coin on the leaderboard does not reflect well either
This copper tower, also known as a seven-story pagoda, is a type of Buddhist pagoda. Typically, pagodas with three or more stories have windows, while the remaining stories are equipped with niches for Buddha statues, featuring vivid reliefs of the Arhats. The hall and the tower are interconnected, with the statues of the four great Bodhisattvas: Kṣitigarbha, Avalokiteśvara, Samantabhadra, and Mañjuśrī enshrined from the first to the fourth floor; and the three Buddhas: Bhaisajyaguru, Shakyamuni, and Amitābha enshrined from the fifth to the seventh floor
Weiwei provided Hu Yang with a castle worth 500 yuan, considering it a preliminary investment
Huyang rubbed the soil rust with his hand a few times, and everyone saw that the host's thumb had picked up some dirt, after which he immediately set down the piece of "ancient jade"
Huyang also brought the same close-up camera, allowing everyone to see more clearly
If the host truly possesses the skill of appraising treasures, it would be a great opportunity for everyone to broaden their horizons; however, if the host is merely boasting, watching them get publicly embarrassed would also be entertaining
As soon as the audience in the live broadcast room hears it, they know that the host is a professional. Generally, ordinary people would not ask such questions; only those truly in the industry, concerned about potential conflicts, would ask this in advance.
That old fellow has been staring at that stamp at his stall for almost twenty minutes, hasn't he? He thought he could take a look, but it turns out to be just another customer who looks but doesn't buy. This type of customer is the most annoying.
Moreover, I originally thought that appraising treasures would be very difficult, but I did not expect it to be so simple
In fact, everyone has underestimated it
The stall owner paused for a moment, then nodded: "Alright, but please handle it with care. If it gets damaged, you will have to compensate for it"
Soil rust refers to the phenomenon where objects buried in damp soil for an extended period accumulate hardened soil on their glazed surfaces. Additionally, white ants in the soil may build nests on the objects, resulting in a hardened soil that is difficult to remove.
I do not quite understand, but I have gained some insight
There are still keen observers who have figured out the cause and effect and helped Hu Yang explain: "Didn’t the host just say? Under normal circumstances, the first to fourth floors are dedicated to the four great Bodhisattvas: Kṣitigarbha, Avalokiteśvara, Samantabhadra, and Mañjuśrī. However, the tower just now is entirely carved with images of Shakyamuni, which can be directly negated!"
"Ahem! As long as I don't take a picture of you, it should be fine, right?" Hu Yang felt a moment of frustration
He did not thank each person who gave gifts individually; he truly had not considered asking everyone to send gifts. After all, the system did not have any tasks stating that a certain number of gifts needed to be received. He himself was not in need of money, so he did not impose any expectations on the gifts from others
There is no need for explanation; it is clear to everyone that it is false
For many older generations, visiting antique markets is not merely about purchasing items; it is also a process of mutual exchange, a tradition that has developed over many years
At the next stall, the vendor had observed Hu Yang's earlier performance and naturally could not muster any enthusiasm. He thought he was just a naive young man, but little did he know that he was serious, making it somewhat difficult to swindle him.
This seems to be a common practice, right? Even if one knows it is a counterfeit, one cannot expose it.
OK! Let us continue to the next place, hoping for better luck today and to encounter treasures," Hu Yang said to everyone
Hearing the conversation between the host and the vendor, and then seeing the host's perplexed expression, the audience burst into laughter, suddenly realizing that the vendor is quite adorable as well. How does one blur out content during a live broadcast
However, with the arrival of the host Hu Yang, the audience clearly observed the change in expression of the nearby vendors, as the words "water fish" and "sucker" distinctly flashed across their minds
It is precisely for this reason that the audience in his live streaming room feels very relaxed