Chapter 7: The Only Authentic Item

What is your name?" Xie Ming finally stopped in his tracks

In fact, I came today for an interview. Luo Tian decided to seize the opportunity: "However, I am not very familiar with the application process, so I haven't prepared thoroughly today"

Luo Tian, where "Luo" refers to camel and "Tian" refers to sky

Xie Ming placed the pottery in Luo Tian's hands and said, "Take a good look."

"There are silver spots on this surface, take a look," Luo Tian pointed to the area of the glaze he had just examined, where there were silver-white specks of varying sizes and a natural color. "Silver spots cannot be replicated to this extent, so I believe this is a genuine article"

Have you studied antique appraisal

In the box, Xie Ming briefly introduced the contents: "This batch consists entirely of Tang Sancai, which has already passed the first step of authentication. This is a re-inspection, and as long as it passes, it can basically be officially classified as an auction item."

Although he already knows the truth, Luo Tian still wants to find out where the forgery was made. Therefore, he does not dare to be careless at all. A genuine Tang Sancai must be old, after all, it has endured a thousand years of wind and rain and has been buried in the soil, so the surface of the body must be worn. This piece of Tang Sancai has no soil rust, but it is a "faux antique". Even if a counterfeit is made to look old, it can never blend seamlessly with the body; a fake is still a fake. The wear of a genuine piece, however, is integrated with the entire ceramic.

"Learning is what has been learned." Luo Tian found it somewhat difficult to speak: "However, I did not receive formal education; I have never attended university. My college diploma was obtained through self-study, and my knowledge in appraisal comes from books, as well as appraisal programs on television. Oh, and also interviews."

The last piece of Tang Sancai is a warrior-shaped pottery. Luo Tian focused his gaze, and this time it emitted a soft green light; this piece is indeed genuine! After carefully examining it in his hands, he suddenly felt uncertain, as if he had lost his bearings. His eyes, which could quickly distinguish between authenticity and forgery, seemed to have opened up, yet to identify the key points, he still had to rely on his own abilities. This final piece truly posed a challenge for him.

Xie Ming's eyes narrowed, feeling puzzled. How could this young man determine the truth from a distance of one meter at a glance? He did not seem to possess the level of a self-taught individual. What was going on? Moreover, judging by his earlier demeanor, he appeared to have a solid understanding already, subsequently verifying his own judgment. This indicated that he was very confident in his judgment abilities.

Luo Tian was not very clear about the auction process, quietly listening to Xie Ming's explanation while mentally noting the key points. His demeanor further endeared him to Xie Ming; the young man was neither arrogant nor impatient, which is essential for significant progress.

If it weren't for your sudden interruption that caused this incident, I would not have personally inspected the goods. Xie Ming glanced at Luo Tian, and at that moment, Luo Tian felt a wave of fear wash over him, a chill creeping up his neck. If the items were to break and they were genuine, he would be in serious trouble, Tang Dynasty pottery!

Oh, what work have you done before

Xie Ming did not respond directly: "Why?"

I apologize. Luo Tian can only offer his apologies

I do not have a formal job. Luo Tian knows that one cannot lie in this society; checking the social security payment records will reveal whether he has a formal job. Therefore, he simply admits, "I have been relying on picking up bargains in the black market to make a living."

There were a total of three boxes placed on the ground. Excluding the one that had just been inspected, there were still two lying quietly on the ground awaiting judgment. Xie Ming took a pair of white gloves from the drawer and tossed them to Luo Tian: "Let's inspect them together."

Among the three items, only this one is genuine! The thought that all three had passed the initial appraisal caused Xie Ming's expression to darken. He carefully repackaged the three Tang dynasty artifacts and the three-color pottery, choosing not to handle them further, and instead walked back and forth in the office with his hands clasped behind his back

Xie Ming chuckled softly, as the box in his hand was completely opened, revealing an exquisite container. Upon opening it, he found a piece of pottery shaped like an animal, which appeared old and antiquated. Luo Tian fixed his gaze on it, and five seconds later, a glaring red hue emerged around the pottery. Luo Tian sighed, realizing that it was yet another fake.

Xie Ming nodded involuntarily, confirming that the silver spots are an important manifestation of the lead-return phenomenon in Tang Sancai, and they are also the most troublesome aspect for counterfeiters of Tang Sancai. This is because replicating the silver spots is extremely difficult, and even if one can manage to create them, they appear quite stiff, which is tantamount to exposing the forgery.

What should I do? Luo Tian's mind is a bit confused. Not all Tang Sancai have a halo, but it does not rule out the possibility that Tang Sancai without a halo could be genuine. It is impossible to determine authenticity based solely on this point. Luo Tian decided to temporarily set this aside and focus on the important aspects of the pottery. The most crucial part is the glaze. After enduring a thousand years of time, it will surely leave traces on the glaze, which are the signs of soil erosion. Luo Tian carefully examined every part of the glaze, and when he turned to one area, he finally breathed a sigh of relief: "This is real."

Because it is impossible for imitation sancai to possess a halo, yet this piece exhibits a faint halo, which left Luo Tian feeling uncertain. Xie Ming observed the gravity of Luo Tian's expression, and his own anticipation grew even stronger. If this kid could thoroughly examine this piece as well, then he would truly have some skill.

This is an antique. Luo Tian felt relieved, as this gave him great confidence in his previous knowledge accumulation: If possible, one can scratch it with a hard object to find out; the aging is only superficial, but a genuine item is also aged inside.

Xie Ming nodded slightly, said no more, and gestured for Luo Tian to put the items back in their original place: "Take a look at this last item again."