Chapter 275: Acquaintances

A seven-character regulated verse in running script, "Inscribing Jinling Ferry" by Zhang Hu of the Tang Dynasty.

When looking at calligraphy, first look at the paper.

At first glance, it feels ordinary: the paper is not white, but rather grayish, with a stale scent that comes from having been stored for many years.

Yet the ink marks are very clear, pitch-black like lacquer, with no blurring or bleeding.

Most people seeing this would subconsciously assume it is old paper with new ink, or that the paper has been artificially aged, and would immediately judge this work to be a fake.

In fact, this is the effect of using Amur Cork Tree soaking plus Ming Alum mordant dyeing to prevent insects: the original paper is ivory white with a faint greenish-gray tint. As the paper ages over time, the white fades and the greenish-gray deepens, resulting in this grayish, stale color.

In the Qing Dynasty, there were only six types of paper dyed with Amur Cork Tree: Imperial Kaihua paper, Yangzhou ribbed paper, imitation Song Dynasty Jin Su paper, Imperial magnetic blue paper, imitation Xuande tribute paper, and Jingxian jade plate Xuan paper.

These six are all tribute papers; the others are either mixed with oak acorns, mixed with Amur Cork Tree, dyed with a bright blue base, or mixed with Mica Powder. Only the Yangzhou ribbed paper is mixed with Ming Alum, which, after aging, presents this unique greenish-gray color.

Looking at the ribs again, they are arranged vertically, as fine as hair, neither more nor less, exactly nine lines per centimeter. And when held to the light, they appear wavy, just like a beaded curtain.

This is the curtain-pattern technique improved by the Wang Jinsheng Ink Workshop in Yangzhou during the ninth year of Qianlong, which perfectly matches the characteristics of the peak period of Yangzhou ribbed paper.

Zheng Banqiao resigned from office at sixty-one, then lived as a guest in Yangzhou, and only then did the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou" emerge. Thus, at the very least, the provenance and time period both match up.

After looking at the calligraphy, look at the ink. It is both black and shiny, the edges of the strokes are neat, there is no fading, and there is no phenomenon of bleeding between the ink and the paper.

This is a very rare phenomenon in calligraphy and painting works stored for over two hundred years.

Because ink also ages; as time passes, the ink layer will degum and crack, and the ink particles will pulverize and flake off. Due to moisture or the influence of the air's pH concentration, carbon elements will diffuse along the paper fibers to the surroundings.

Therefore, most ancient calligraphy and painting ink marks will turn gray, become lighter, and give a visual sense of the ink seeping out from within the characters.

But this piece is not like that; no matter how you look at it, it seems as if it were written not long ago.

Based on this, does the reason for judging this piece as a fake seem to have increased by one?

Actually, that is not the case; this is the ink Zheng Banqiao mixed himself in his later years, which he called "Banqiao Ink": ancient kiln soot plus musk, with the glue made from boiled fish maw.

The so-called ancient kiln soot refers to the coal soot clumps on the chimney walls of brick kilns, tile kilns, and porcelain kilns, where the proportion of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides adsorbed in the carbon particles is quite high.

It is oil-loving and water-hating, dissolving in neither water, acid, nor alkali, so whether it is affected by moisture or changes in the pH of the storage environment, the impact is minimal.

Secondly, Zheng Banqiao replaced traditional Bovine Glue with fish maw glue, increasing the hardness of the ink stick and the adsorption capacity of the ink molecules by more than forty percent. Even if left for another two hundred years, there will be no phenomenon of the ink layer degumming or ink particles flaking off.

That is why this calligraphy looks so new.

Then look at the seals: "Vulgar Official," vermilion script. "Old Banqiao of Twenty Years Ago," vermilion script, and "Seal of Zheng Xie," white script.

The first two are fine, especially the last white script seal: the four sides are slightly inwardly curved; among Zheng Banqiao's more than thirty seals, only two have this characteristic.

Even the seal paste is correct: cinnabar mixed with castor oil, which emits a purple light after aging.

Finally, look at the calligraphy: starting the stroke with a reverse tip, moving quickly with a centered tip, and stopping abruptly when lifting the brush.

The pressing of the brush is like a knife splitting a wave, the ending of the stroke stops suddenly with white space left, the horizontal strokes are like broken wood, with the tip exposed at the end. The gossamer-like threads between characters alternate between broken and connected.

There is no need to recall Zheng Banqiao's calligraphic characteristics; just compare it with the piece next to it, and the difference in quality is immediately apparent.

At this point, Lin Sicheng is ninety-nine percent certain: it is an authentic work from Zheng Banqiao's calligraphy transformation period in his later years.

What is even more interesting is that there is a hidden seal stamped in the center of the painting, roughly similar to a modern embossed seal. But it is not that deep, quite shallow, and cannot be seen without careful inspection.

If dipped in seal paste, it looks like this when stamped:

At first glance, it is incongruous and incomprehensible. But few people know that this is a flower-shaped window seal representing the flower-shaped windows of Suzhou gardens.

In his past life, Lin Sicheng had seen two such seals, both used as authentication seals for ancient books and calligraphy, one at the Suzhou Museum and one at the Suzhou Cultural Relics Store.

This seal effectively filled in the final one percent of uncertainty.

Now look at the valuation: 120,000 to 150,000?

Lin Sicheng felt extremely strange: he had never thought that one could pick up a bargain at an auction?

He did not let Ye Anning record it, just took a look at the lot number.

Continuing to look down: Wen Zhengming's fan painting "Leisurely Talk by the River." A hanging scroll on paper "Pine Forest and Flying Springs," as well as a piece of Taoist poetry in clerical script.

There is also Zhu Yunming's cursive script scroll of Li Bai's poetry, a seven-character poem in cursive script, and a painting of a high-minded scholar in the shade of a pine tree by Tang Yin.

And Shen Zhou, Bada Shanren, Wang Duo, Lan Ying... works of calligraphy and painting by famous Ming Dynasty masters are almost all there. There are even more by Dong Qichang: poems, paintings, and calligraphy copybooks, over a dozen pieces, large and small.

The valuations are hard to describe: from tens of thousands to over twenty million, there are all sorts of prices.

Seeing Zhao Da and Zhao Er's eyes light up and eager to try, Lin Sicheng took the opportunity to give his two apprentices a lesson in ideological education:

"In the future, when you come to a place like this, you can look, and if you encounter something with a low price, you can try to buy one or two pieces, just consider it paying tuition. But remember, never be greedy."

The two brothers nodded vigorously, but Lin Sicheng could tell at a glance that they hadn't understood at all.

Lin Sicheng sighed: "Go back and flip through the Auction Law!"

What does being greedy have to do with the Auction Law?

The two brothers were confused and looked at their father.

Zhao Xiuneng glared: You two idiots.

The "Auction Law" stipulates that as long as there is a clear statement, the auction house can be exempted from all responsibility for authenticity.

For example: as long as they write something like "does not assume responsibility for the quality, defects, etc., of the auctioned items" in the promotional brochure or statement, even if an item worth only a few cents ends up being auctioned for hundreds of millions, it has nothing to do with the auction house.

Just like that "Bamboo and Stone Painting" by Zheng Banqiao earlier, why did the buyer give up? Because they couldn't win the lawsuit, and there was truly no way out.

Strictly speaking, it is not that the public is conservative and clings to old rules; even at the legal level, the basic principle of "no refunds after the hammer falls" is still followed in transactions.

Lin Sicheng explained it, and the two brothers suddenly realized.

The group continued forward to the modern and contemporary calligraphy and painting section.

There are even more famous masters here: Fu Baoshi, Wu Changshuo, Liang Qichao, Yu Youren, Zhang Binglin, Sun Yat-sen, Soong Mei-ling, Guo Moruo, Zhou Zuoren... and so on and so forth.

Zhang Daqian's landscapes, Qi Baishi's shrimp, Xu Beihong's horses, the valuation is only a few tens of thousands?

Looking at the items again, Lin Sicheng couldn't help but curl his lip.

So from a certain perspective, so-called top-tier auctions are not much different from the street stalls in the antique market.

Are there good things?

Yes.

But first, you must have a discerning eye.

Thinking to himself, Lin Sicheng looked around like a man on horseback viewing flowers. He barely stopped his feet, mostly just casting a glance or two in passing.

As he walked, he stopped again.

Three contemporary masters: Pan Tianshou, Li Keran, and Huang Binhong.

How famous are these three?

The Great Hall of the People hangs works by these three. Once a piece goes to auction, it easily fetches over a hundred million, with plenty selling for tens of millions.

But that was after 2011, when red-themed works suddenly exploded in popularity, becoming more popular year by year, almost tripling or quintupling in value annually.

By 2018 and beyond, any work by these three that went to auction rarely sold for less than twenty million.

But right now, the fame of these three is only considered average: the highest, Pan Tianshou, is only about two hundred thousand per square foot. Li Keran is in the middle at one hundred fifty thousand, and Huang Binhong is the lowest at eighty thousand.

Looking at the wall, there are a dozen or so works by the three, large and small, and the quality is not bad.

Pan Tianshou's "Mandarin Fish," "Ink Sparrow," Li Keran's "Herding Home," and Huang Binhong's "Writing Books in the Spring Mountains."

These are all small pieces, between half a square foot and two square feet, and the valuations are not high, ranging from tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand.

The lowest is a piece by Huang Binhong, "Cockscomb Rock," valued at twenty to thirty thousand.

In seven or eight years, it will be at least five million; what industry could have such high profits?

There are also a few three-to-four-foot hanging scrolls, with the highest valuation being only four hundred fifty thousand.

Lin Sicheng did a rough calculation: based on the valuations, these dozen or so pieces should cost about two million. Being generous, if he bought them all, it shouldn't exceed three million.

By 2015 and beyond, it would start at three hundred million.

It just feels like picking up money, doesn't it?

Even if the Restoration Center is still in its startup phase and money flows out like water every day, who knows, if he secures a few more patents like BTA, he might earn money even faster and in greater amounts.

But Lin Sicheng's heart still itched with desire: to be given something by Heaven and not take it, one will suffer the consequences... better to bid first and talk later.

He didn't deliberately memorize them, just paused briefly to distinguish the genuine from the fake.

They were all authentic works...

Just like that, he made a full circle and looked at every single piece.

Zhao Xiuneng noted down two paintings and three calligraphies, Wang Qi Zhi noted down a Ming Dynasty printed edition, and Ye Anning noted the most, filling five or six pages in her small notebook.

Near noon, the group didn't leave the hotel and booked a table upstairs.

There was no porcelain or Bronze, so Zhao Xiuneng and Wang Qi Zhi didn't have much interest.

This is an auction; it's impossible to lecture on and on, so Lin Sicheng didn't have Zhao Da and Zhao Er follow them.

Around two-thirty, Ye Anning urged him to go downstairs.

Western paintings had nothing worth seeing, and there weren't many people interested in sculptures or strange stones, so the two didn't hesitate and went straight to the stationery specialty session.

She had noted over thirty items in her notebook; even at a one-in-eleven chance, they could still encounter three or four items, so Ye Anning wasn't in a hurry, and the two chatted while looking around.

"You spent three months in Shanxi and didn't return to Xijing once. A month after you got back, you only went home once to get clothes, and didn't even have time to eat a meal?"

"Auntie said she raised an ungrateful wretch!"

Lin Sicheng didn't take it to heart: "My mom is something else, calling you to scold me?"

"What do you mean calling? During May Day, my aunt, your aunt, and I went to the Huaqing Pool to soak in the hot springs. On Children's Day, we took Youjian and ate with Auntie Jiang. During the Dragon Boat Festival, your uncle happened to be back, and Uncle Lin and Professor Lin were both drunk by your uncle."

Without realizing it, several holidays had passed?

Even when he wasn't there, the two families still visited each other quite frequently?

Lin Sicheng didn't take it to heart: "I'll definitely go home this time when I return to Xijing. If there's time, let's eat together."

As soon as she heard "if," she knew that even if he returned to Xijing, Lin Sicheng would definitely be too busy to stand still.

"Lin Sicheng, why are you in such a rush?"

Lin Sicheng sighed: "Time waits for no one!"

Just like this time, if he hadn't been fast enough, and if Wang Qi Zhi hadn't used both coaxing and trickery to lure Wu Hui, who was originally in Shanxi for inspection and guidance, to Xijing, the people in Yuncheng would have already dug up the Guzhen Site.

By then, even if he could prove the connection between Hejin Porcelain and Shadow Blue Porcelain, Sweet White Glaze, and Chenghua Doucai, its influence and representativeness would drop by several levels.

But like now: excavation and research are integrated; once announced, it will definitely make the Research Center an overnight success.

As the saying goes, if you miss this village, you won't find this shop.

Chatting as they walked, they unknowingly made a full circle. Only then did Ye Anning realize that the two hadn't looked at anything.

She glanced into the cabinet twice, and her eyes lit up: "Lin Sicheng, look!"

Lin Sicheng turned his head: Oh, a Chengni Inkstone?

Oh no... it's all Inkstones!

From where they were standing to both ends, it was all Inkstones: jade inkstones, stone inkstones, bronze inkstones, porcelain inkstones.

All kinds, dazzling to the eyes.

Looking at this one in front of them:

The inkstone body is massive, the surface is flat, the back is carved with a hollowed-out grip, and it comes with a copper-mounted burl wood inkstone box.

The top of the inkstone features a Relief Carving of a cloud dragon, with flowing long whiskers, riding the clouds and mist, powerful and vigorous.

The color of the inkstone is green with a hint of yellow, simple and elegant. The carving is meticulously crafted, delicate and realistic, and the firing technique is just right. The style is elegant, robust, and solemn.

Even among the peak Qing Dynasty Chengni Inkstones, this one could be called the best of the best.

But the valuation is only thirty to fifty thousand?

Looking closer, there is an inscription carved on the side of the inkstone: Jiangyun Tower.

Lin Sicheng suddenly understood: this was the residence and library of the late Ming and early Qing dynasty writer Qian Qianyi and Liu Rushi.

If not for the "water is too cold" and "scalp is itchy" incidents, based on his status as the leader of the late Ming poetry scene and the head of the Donglin Faction, this inkstone could have fetched four or five times more.

If he had resolutely jumped into the river back then, he would have been the second Wen Tianxiang. Never mind thirty thousand, even if it were a hundred times that, people would probably still want this inkstone.

Of course, even so, it wouldn't be as low as thirty thousand; this inkstone is still worth seventy or eighty thousand, so don't even think about it failing to sell.

Ye Anning pointed to another one nearby: "Take a look at this?"

Lin Sicheng took a look: Red Silk Stone, Fowen Inkstone?

The so-called Buddha Patterns refers to that circle of square-toothed patterns around the inkstone that have already been worn down until they are unclear. The inkstone is very old, much older than the one belonging to Qian Yiqian, and there are many inscriptions, all by famous masters:

"Firm yet not stubborn," inscribed by Ji Xiaolan.

"Ji Xiaolan loved my Buddha Patterns inkstone, so I gifted it to him, and I wrote an inscription saying: The stone's texture is dense and its bone is strong, gifted to the Censor to write memorials, this old man and this inkstone are truly a match. Second month of the Renzi year, Shi'an. Seal script: Yong."

Just by these two sentences, one can tell: this is Ji Xiaolan's collection seal, later gifted to Liu Yong.

Afterwards, there are also poems and inscriptions by Jiang Shiyao, a Director of the Ministry of War in the late Qianlong period; Gui Fu, a County Magistrate, painter, and seal carver in the late Qianlong period; as well as Yi Bingshou, the Prefect of Yangzhou, who was also a painter and seal carver.

After thinking carefully, Lin Sicheng also remembered: in Ji Xiaolan's "Inkstone Catalog of the Reading Micro-Grass Hall," this inkstone is recorded.

The item is definitely authentic, now look at the valuation: starting bid with no reserve price.

Lin Sicheng gave a "ha" sound: "Don't even think about it, just based on the two names Ji Xiaolan and Liu Yong, this inkstone could sell for five or six hundred thousand."

Ye Anning followed his advice and pointed to the side again: "What about this one?"

Lin Sicheng glanced at it, and a strange feeling arose in his heart: Ha, Qianlong again, can I run into him just by turning a corner?

And there are two pieces: one is an inkstone, one is an ink stick.

There are many inscriptions, but only two seals, both are Imperial Gift inscriptions by Qianlong: Qian, Long.

On one side of both the inkstone and the ink stick is a line of small characters: Made in the 30th year of Qianlong, respectfully presented by subject Zheng Rui.

This person is not recorded much in formal historical materials, but the space given to him in the Qing Palace Archives and court-related historical materials is extremely large:

He held important posts such as Superintendent of Jiangning Weaving, Supervisor of Huaian Customs, and Supervisor of Yuehaiguan, and was highly trusted by Qianlong, handling all the errands for procurement for the palace.

The kickbacks were not exactly thin, but Zheng Rui would frequently have deficits; the key is, it wasn't that he was embezzling or misappropriating, it was all caused by him having too many ideas and too much personality.

Qianlong was angry that he wouldn't listen, and would raid his home every few days; just according to the records of the Imperial Household Department, there were eighty-five pieces of Imperial Gift items that Qianlong confiscated from his home and returned to the palace.

Later, Qianlong sent him to receive the British Macartney Embassy; in order to force the British envoys to perform the kowtow ceremony during the audience, he locked the embassy group up and lectured them for a week.

He also demanded that the gifts must be labeled "English Imperial Tribute," but the British insisted on not writing it, so he sent people to change it themselves. He even changed all the British warships' flags to "Tribute Ship."

If it weren't for the people below being afraid of being implicated and secretly submitting memorials to report him to Qianlong, it would have almost caused a diplomatic incident.

Even so, Qianlong only issued an edict scolding him as "muddled and ignorant of affairs"...

Looking at the label again, there is a specific explanation: This inkstone and the previous Chen Duanyou Peace and Auspiciousness Duan inkstone were obtained from the same collector. In 1948, the collector moved the whole family abroad, the object followed the owner, and it spent sixty years overseas. One ink stick and one inkstone, same form but different quality, very rare.

Chen Duanyou is the founder of the Shanghai School of inkstone carving; Lin Sicheng knows this, but he truly has no impression of the Peace and Auspiciousness seal. As for who collected it, he knows even less.

But since it was mentioned in the description, why not write the name directly?

Secondly, the characters are wrong, and the format is also wrong. If it were an Imperial Gift inscription by Qianlong, there should be a date, and he wouldn't just carve these four characters directly on it.

Most importantly, it is too new: the inkstone is new, the ink stick is also new, and the inscriptions are even newer. Bright and shiny, glowing with light, it doesn't look like something that has been passed down with a clear provenance and treasured for over two hundred years.

If one says it was just dug out of an ancient tomb like a sand pit, it might be somewhat possible.

Look at the price again: three hundred fifty to four hundred fifty thousand?

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "The price is a bit high!"

Ye Anning understood in a second and pointed to the side again: "How about this one?"

Lin Sicheng took a look: an Eel Yellow Mud-based Begonia inkstone, paired with a wooden carrying box.

The inkstone is quite old, and the box is also quite old; inkstone inscription: "The Begonia inkstone is also ancient, striking it sounds like gold and jade. It benefits the ink and benefits the brush, though my remaining years are few. Chi Weng."

Inkstone box inscription: "Ming Dynasty Chi Weng Begonia Inkstone, Yu Yue." Seal: "Qu Yuan Sou."

Lin Sicheng looked carefully for a long while before straightening his back.

Old Man of the Pond refers to the Ming Dynasty painter, Shen Zhou's close friend Xu Duanben; there are not many records in historical materials.

But Yu Yue is extremely famous, a Presented Scholar from the 30th year of Daoguang. He served as a Compiler in the Hanlin Academy and Education Commissioner of Henan. In his later years, he presided over the Classic-Refining Academy in Hangzhou; Zhang Taiyan, Wu Changshuo, and others all studied under him, a grandmaster of classics of a generation.

The valuation is not high: box plus inkstone, only forty to sixty thousand.

The box is indeed correct, but the inkstone is not; nine times out of ten, it was later imitated based on this carrying box.

Just by visual inspection, Lin Sicheng inferred it should be around the Xianfeng to Guangxu period...

Roughly correct, he shook his head again: "Too expensive!"

As his voice was about to fall, a "pfft" sound of laughter came from the side.

The two turned their heads subconsciously: a man and a woman, the man around thirty, in a suit and leather shoes. The woman twenty-five or twenty-six, quite pretty, wearing an evening gown.

The woman held back her laughter, raised her hand and waved: "Anning!"

As she spoke, she sized up Lin Sicheng: "Where did you trick that little puppy from?"

Ye Anning rolled her eyes: "Then what do you count as, an old mongrel?"

The woman was stunned for a moment, and the man beside her turned black in the face.