Chapter 0148 – Cat Fishiness in the Antique Trade

“Uncle De, you …… you say this is true?”

Zhuang Rui looked at Uncle De with an incredible expression. The words of Uncle De just now had shaken him too much.

Because the heart is really some curiosity, Zhuang Rui asked Uncle De in the pawnshop can have what sordid things, after all, he also worked here for more than a year, although not much over the pawnshop’s business, but also did not see what happened to let a person unacceptable things, Uncle De just a few words, on the contrary, is to evoke the curiosity of his heart.

Being Zhuang Rui asked tightly, Uncle De also said out, the original in each pawnshop, there are pawnbrokers go blind, after all, now the means of artifacts fake more and more clever, many cultural relics and even do more than the big open door is also true, so that it is difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake, this really can not be blamed on the level of these appraisers can not be, if you do not have to use the instrument appraisal, I’m afraid that is a number of masters of the appraisal of the expert will be on the pawnshop.

According to reason, the pawnbroker received these fake objects, should be sealed or destroyed, but they bought these objects, often spend a considerable amount of money. If in accordance with the formal channels to deal with the words, the loss is not small, so some pawnbrokers together with the auction house, these fake antiques auction, and issued by the pawnbrokers of the dead when the paperwork, by the auction house for speculation, to fake for real, to deceive some of the level is not very high antique enthusiasts or ordinary collectors.

As most people, have a kind of cheap psychology, with the pawnbroker issued by the dead when the instrument, and then the auction house publicity posters on the color pages of the vigorously boast, coupled with the starting price is relatively low, so that a lot of people tend to rush, and often this kind of auction is the most easy to shoot, just those who think they are looking for the treasure of buyers, the objects bought are actually fake.

In recent years, some rich bosses of private enterprises began to put into the new line of antiques, some throw money, specializing in picking the “top” national treasures, some of the lion’s mouth, up to “united to eat” There are also superstitious people from overseas “Taobao! “And this part of the rich, that is, pawnshops and auction houses under the knife to slaughter the object.

“My old man lied to you for what, but this thing you know on the line, do not go out, it is easy to offend people. Although it is said that there are family laws, there are rules of the trade, but nowadays, not many people pay attention to this, if you say it out to smash other people’s rice bowls, that is to be someone looking for you to fight for your life.”

Uncle De saw Zhuang Rui face indignant look, hastened to solemnly cautioned him a few words, this kind of thing is involved in a wide range, and even have some multinational large auction company’s participation, the power is very great, is not which one or two people can be shaken, he is afraid of Zhuang Rui impulsive, this thing to stab out, then after Zhuang Rui will not be able to be based on the line inside.

Even Uncle De himself, sometimes under certain pressure, will also take out three or two eye-catching items, to the auction house to auction, just this pawnshop was established for too short a period of time, this kind of thing has only happened once or twice, but this is also one of the reasons why Uncle De decided to step down from the position of manager.

“Uncle Te, these rich people are all considered elites. It’s not that easy to fall for it, right? Wouldn’t they hire someone to appraise it?”

Zhuang Rui is a little puzzled, to say that to go to the store stalls to buy fake objects, that is still excusable, but tens of thousands or millions to buy antiques, that buyers must be very careful right, pawnshops and auction houses want to fool these people, should not be an easy thing.

Others do not say, on the Zhuang Rui know that Shanxi fat horse, go to participate in various auctions, will take a special appraiser to go, in Tibet that grassland auction, due to the fat horse is in the tourism period, so there is no appraiser to follow.

Uncle Te smiled bitterly and said: ”Xiao Zhuang ah! There are a lot of things are not as simple as you think, let’s say, even I can’t distinguish between real and fake objects for a while, do you expect other appraisers to be able to recognize them in a short auction process? There are a lot of buyers who put the auctioned object and display it in their home for several years, without even realizing that it’s fake.”

“I’ll give you another analogy, now Zhejiang Province in the jade antique line when ‘in and out of play’ about four or five thousand people, but the real connoisseurs who know the goods is only a few dozen people, most of them are folk enthusiasts, and some of them are other aspects of the business is successful, switching to the jade antique line to ‘Playing with tickets’. Some people in the circle see that these bosses are rich and powerful, and love face, so they intentionally set up a set, so that it to drill. It is often said: gold has a price jade priceless, many people think jade is priceless, bragging about the price can rise, in fact, with gold and silver, jade is also priced, and in the eyes of the connoisseur, the general valuation will not be too disparate.”

Uncle De said, while from the waist down a white jade brave play piece, handed to Zhuang Rui, then continued: “This thing is my own to collect a piece of Hetian jade material, looking for someone to process, according to my own valuation, probably can be fifteen thousand dollars or so, a few days ago someone gave me a price of twenty-two thousand, I did not make a bid, this thing is quite exquisite, keep yourself to play is good. Xiao Zhuang, I said 20,000, this is only the circle price, if you get to the market, in the big shopping malls or jewelry stores to sell, such a pendant at least to be worth 100,000, this is the gap between the circle outside the circle. Some bosses like to buy jewelry and jade in the mall to kill the price, thinking that they have picked a great bargain, but do not know but let the circle of people look at the joke.”

“I give a true story, that is, before and after the New Year happened, there is a strong boss in Zhejiang, also fell in love with the antique collection of the line of work, in the year before the time, he spent 100,000 yuan good food to live in a jade appraisal expert in Beijing, that person I know, the boss let the expert to spend a lot of effort to him from home and abroad, collected from the jade for appraisal. After the expert looked at the push but said, identification of ancient jade at least half a year, a bad conclusion, left in a hurry. That boss after the New Year, I got me to go, let me help look, you know? Those dozens of so-called most valuable ancient jade, there is no one is before the Song Dynasty, there are a few pieces of Ming and Qing dynasty jade, has been very good, more is the imitation of jade, of course, the jade is the real jade, but with the imitation of the technology of the new jade of the old, which is worth a lot of different.”

Zhuang Rui was Uncle De these words are said to freeze, the original line of work inside there are so many traps, but he is still a little puzzled, out of the mouth to ask: “Uncle De, these people who buy antiques or like you said to buy jade, they are in the auction house to shoot fake stuff, can be good to let go? These people aren’t just plain old people to be bullied, won’t they just go after (settle) the score.”

Uncle Te laughed, this will say a little thirsty, pour himself a cup of tea, drink before saying: “Xiao Zhuang, you are still too young, you can think of something, is it specialized in eating this business meal, will not think of? Auction house invoices only write ‘handicrafts’, and advertising posters and color pages on the publicity, is completely two different things, you have suffered a loss of lawsuits are useless. Those big bosses who collect antiques and jade may be business wizards, the best in their line of work, but the line is like a mountain, can be successful in this industry does not see the same success in other industries. And jade antiques appreciation is ‘child’s work’, ‘taijiquan’ no ten years eight years of practice, is not into the door, the old man I played all my life, the number of times to hit the eye is also quite a lot of ah! Not to mention those bosses who think they are experts after reading a few books.”

Uncle De these words said Zhuang Rui some blush, he is belongs to their own read a few books, think level is good that kind of people, but Zhuang Rui and those bosses are still different, at least want to let him go blind to pay tuition, those who make fake, I’m afraid that the fake antique in the make aura to be able to do.

“Okay, let’s go to the conference room! It’s almost time, we’ll have a meeting today, as a way to clarify your appointment.”

Uncle De finished standing up, took Zhuang Rui handed to the jade bravery, hung on the waist, Zhuang Rui sharp eyes, see in Uncle De waist, actually also hang three or four jade, this whole a buy jade well!

Uncle De walked to the door of the room, suddenly remembered something, turned around and said to Zhuang Rui: “Xu Ling that little girl is playful point, is now retained to view the period, you if you think not, you can fire her, but she has been performing well, don’t and her general knowledge.”

Zhuang Rui nodded, only then did he understand that in the morning when he entered the pawnshop, Xu Ling’s attitude towards himself why he would be so respectful, dare to stay or not to stay her all in his own sentence ah! However, Zhuang Rui also lazy and her, encounter robbers that is a natural disaster, then again, without this matter, I’m afraid of their own eyes, can not have supernormal capabilities.

Pawnshop conference room is actually an office converted, not big, a round table that can sit around seven or eight people, at this time in the round table next to only sit Xu Ling and Lai Jindong, and the absolute pawn area of the salesman three people, as for the Wang must be missing, Uncle De can not help but pull his face down, he personally called to notify, actually later than he came.

“Xiao Rai, Wang must be?”

“Uncle De, just now came a customer, there are several pieces of jewelry to Wang must appraise, this is in his office, may have to come a little later.” Lai Jindong’s attitude towards Uncle De was much better than before, but seeing Zhuang Rui just nodded his head slightly, with an indifferent look.

Hearing that Wang must be receiving customers, Uncle De’s face eased down, letting Zhuang Rui sit on the first place at the table, Uncle De looked around at a few people and said, “Today I announce an appointment, after the leadership of the investment company decided to appoint Comrade Zhuang Rui as the manager of the pawnshop, responsible for the day-to-day administrative affairs, everyone has any problems in the future, just look for Manager Zhuang, and also I hope that everyone can support Manager Zhuang’s work as much as they support mine in the future.”

After Uncle De finished these words, Lai Jindong’s face which was still smiling, slowly became stiff, Zhuang Rui took over as the manager of the pawnshop, within the pawnshop, except for Uncle De knew, only Xu Ling understood a little bit of it through the relationship in the investment company, while Lai Jindong and Wang must be, were completely unaware of this matter.

Zhuang Rui in the eyes of Lai Jindong, used to be nothing more than a freshly graduated brat, to experience no experience, to background no background, the two never took him as a competitor, the two of them know that Uncle De will be out of office after a while to lose the position of the manager, so this period of time the two of them to Uncle De are respected, hoping that Uncle De can be in front of the leadership of the investment company, to help them to say a few words of praise, to add a few points.

But I did not expect this in the robbery incident years ago injured Zhuang Rui, today’s first day of work, actually became their own leader, so that and Wang must have fought explicitly for half a year long Lai Jindong, a time completely unable to accept this fact.

“Uncle De, like this thing, the investment company should have documents issued, right?”

Lai Jindong asked somewhat unwillingly, he knew that Uncle De and Zhuang Rui had a good relationship, it was hard to guarantee that this was not decided by Uncle De himself.

“Of course there is, Manager Zhuang’s appointment document, it’s been more than a month since it came down, it’s just that he’s been recuperating from his injuries, so I didn’t publicize it, let’s all take a look!”

Uncle De took out a red headed document from his own bag, the document was written clearly above the rows of head: appointing Comrade Zhuang Rui as the manager of the pawnshop, after Lai Jindong received it, his face became as ugly as dead ashes.

“Let me say a few words! We all know each other, there is no need to introduce myself, I now put the pawnbroker’s future work arrangements to say, Xu Ling continue to be responsible for the cashier’s work, every day to do a good job and the bank’s money and goods handover, Xiao Xie is still in charge of the absolute pawn area, as for Lai appraiser ……”

Zhuang Rui said here, paused for a moment, will be in a daze Lai Jindong to wake up, Lai Jindong see this document after understanding, unless he resigned from the work, otherwise, in the future will have to be subject to Zhuang Rui’s leadership, at the moment heard Zhuang Rui mentioned his name, eyes can not help but look toward Zhuang Rui, at the same time in the heart of the secretly made up his mind, if Zhuang Rui touched his professional field, then he will immediately hand in his resignation.

“As for the Lai Appraiser, the expertise is well known in the industry, let’s put it this way! In the future, when there are auctions about luxury goods and foreign artworks that are absolutely necessary, you and Mr. Wang will deal with the auction house! I’m not going to ask about specific matters, and I’ll also suggest to the investment company to give you full authority.”

Zhuang Rui’s words, so that the original heart like a dead Lai Jin Dong completely silly, he and Wang must have fought for more than half a year of the manager position, one is for the investment funds, the other is to be able to establish a cooperative relationship with the auction house’s authority, which is a lot of cats and dogs, if the operation of the good words, a year to earn a million or two million, the problem is not very big.

In the past, uncle De put this power in the hands of the dead, according to Lai Jin Dong’s idea, Zhuang Rui when the manager, will certainly also firmly grasp this right, but did not think, he took office at the beginning, actually will be and the auction house to communicate with the right to delegate to their own two, but also formally reported to the investment company, which makes Lai Jin Dong feel as if it was a dream.