Chapter 4, Level 2
I could hardly believe my eyes as Luo Tian reached out to take the assessment form: "Thank you, teacher!" He casually glanced at the name tag on Eagle Eye's chest and discovered that Eagle Eye's full name was Xu Dashan. Luo Tian firmly etched this name in his memory, for today, Xu Dashan had given him a vivid lesson from which he would greatly benefit
The two pieces of jade placed on the table appeared to be identical in color and texture. Luo Tiand looked closely, noting that both pieces emitted a soft green glow, indicating that they were certainly not fakes. Questions sprang forth like a machine gun: "Which of these two is real? Is it a new imitation or an old one?"
Luo Tian originally thought he had passed the test immediately, but unexpectedly, the Eagle Eye presented another question. He sat up straight, not daring to be careless, as he watched the Eagle Eye place two pieces of jade in front of him: "Luo Tian, here are two pieces of jade. However, this time we are not distinguishing between true and false, but rather identifying their types. I must warn you in advance, if you get it right, then you will pass the assessment. If you do not, your previous scores will be nullified."
Thank you, teacher. Luo Meng sighed inwardly, realizing that a senior is indeed a senior, not to be underestimated. Fortunately, he had passed this hurdle. Just as Luo Tian had just breathed a sigh of relief, the interest of the hawk-eyed examiner was piqued. After finally encountering a somewhat interesting candidate, how could he let this opportunity slip away so easily
Luo Tian let out a breath: "It has passed."
Thinking of this, Luo Tian nodded and said, "I will give it a try."
Whether right or wrong, it all depends on fate
What? Luo Tian opened his mouth wide, unable to utter a single word, while Eagle Eye looked on coldly: "Engaging in the antique business is not as simple as you think. The knowledge and variety involved in antiques are not just one or two aspects. If you want to succeed and thrive in this industry for the long term, you must at least pass my test. Otherwise, what right do you have to enter the ranks of antique appraisers with dignity?"
Snuff bottles are predominantly made of porcelain, with the largest number of those passed down being from the Qing and the Republic of China periods. This genuine piece is a blue-and-white porcelain snuff bottle from the Kangxi era, made from zhuming material, which is relatively rare among snuff bottles. The reason I consider the other three to be fake primarily lies in their glaze and body not being tightly bonded, and although the inner painting imitates the Yipai style, it completely lacks the light and free-spirited essence characteristic of Yipai.
Luo Tian felt a cold sweat break out on his back; this Eagle Eye was using a linguistic trap. Whether these two pieces are real or fake is designed to mislead the candidates. One of them is genuine and the other is counterfeit, whether it is a new imitation or an old one. This statement is even more decisive, firmly asserting that at least one of the pieces is fake, merely distinguishing between new and old imitations. This creates a preconceived notion for the candidates, and if they are not careful, they could easily be led astray. The Eagle Eye is not only experienced but also likely knowledgeable in psychology, which explains why this assessment method makes the candidates feel so apprehensive.
At this moment, Hawkeye openly praised, saying: "Not bad, not bad. Although there are still some shortcomings, you do have a talent for *illustration*. In fact, you missed one point: the colors of the three counterfeit blue-and-white porcelain pieces are somewhat floating, and that is one of them."
Hawkeye laughed heartily: "Hahaha... I have used this trick countless times, and every year there is always a candidate who falls into this trap. This year, you are the first one who didn't fall in." He stopped laughing and put away the two pieces of jade: "Indeed, both of these are white Dushan jade, you are correct."
As the conversation continued, Luo Tian's heart began to race. It was difficult to distinguish between the two pieces of jade with the naked eye. Could this be a trap set by the examiner, using two identical pieces of jade to deceive him? This old man did not follow the rules when posing questions, and such a possibility certainly existed. Luo Tian's mind was in complete disarray. No, he could not take chances. He reminded himself that antique appraisal was not the same as stock market trading; success could not be achieved merely through speculation.
Luo Tian fell silent. This statement was quite straightforward, yet it was indeed the truth. In the antique world, there are many seniors with more experience and deeper qualifications than oneself. Even if one possesses special abilities for protection, it is still not an easy task to carve out a niche. If one cannot even pass this minor test, then what right does one have to break into the antique world
He carefully handled two pieces of jade, attempting to discern any differences in texture and pattern. His focused demeanor earned him a bit more favor from the hawk-eyed observer; in this day and age, there are not many young men willing to dedicate themselves to research.
After leaving the examination room, the remaining candidates immediately gathered around, including the short one: "How did it go? How did it go?"
At this moment, Luo Tianxin felt as if his heart was beating like a drum, thumping anxiously. What exactly was uncertain? Both pieces of jade resembled milk fat, and their luster was quite similar. Could it be that both were white Dushan jade? Luo Tian scratched his head in difficulty: "I can't see the difference; these two should both be white Dushan jade."
This greatly boosted the morale of the remaining participants. Luo Tian quickly said a few words to wish them success before hastily leaving the examination room. In the blink of an eye, he turned into the old bookstore next to the university. Before long, he emerged with a large stack of books, all related to antiques. After the recent battle, Luo Tian's confidence surged, prompting him to seize the opportunity and prepare for the next step of progress.
Luo Tian's heart finally settled back in his chest. He took a deep breath, awaiting the upcoming assessment, only to see Ying Yan take Luo Tian's registration form and heavily stamp it with a bright red seal: "Congratulations, you have passed. Now, keep up the good work! I am very pleased to see another strong newcomer in the antique world!"
This is still uncertain, "These two pieces are neither new imitations nor old imitations; they are authentic Dushan jade. Dushan jade is known for its vibrant colors and good transparency, and it is one of the four famous jades, also praised as Nanyang jade..."
He suddenly pulled out two identical pieces of jade from under the table: "It seems you have some knowledge of the inner painting style, so let me test your understanding of jade artifacts further"
Luo Tian felt it was time to conclude: "I can only say this much. Based on the two points above, I conclude that the other three are false. Please advise, teacher."