Chapter 0634 – Professionalism
“Zhuang Rui, what’s wrong?”
Qin Xuan Bing couldn’t help but ask when she saw Zhuang Rui’s face become odd after receiving the phone.
“Nothing, Huangfu Yun said he was bringing someone to see those Picasso sketches right away, Xuan Bing, you go inside and watch TV first! I’ll entertain them in the living room.”
This from in the restaurant and Huangfu Yun break up, not yet an hour’s time, Zhuang Rui did not expect Huangfu Yun to work so efficiently, this Peng Fei is only just rushed over, this kid just went on the street to buy perfume for his girlfriend, French perfume that is world famous.
“Okay, Zhuang Rui, go for it!”
Qin Xuan Bing was very good and waved her fist at Zhuang Rui, and entered inside the room, they were staying in a deluxe suite, and outside there was a living room where they could deal with official business.
“Huangfu, you and I, we’ve known each other for several years, you won’t lie to me about this kind of thing, right? Can you be sure that that is Picasso’s sketch?”
In a car that was driving towards the hotel where Zhuang Rui was staying, an Englishman wearing a tuxedo and speaking a Chinese language that was not very accurately pronounced was chatting with Huangfu Yun, and next to him, there was also a white man who was around fifty years old.
This Englishman called Ezkena, is extremely famous collector in London, England, and the Ezkenazi family, is in the world are very influential Chinese art collectors, so far, the top ten astronomical price of Chinese porcelain auction record, there are three are from the Ezkenazi family’s collection.
The reason why the Ezkenazi family has so many Chinese art, of course, and their ancestors can not be dissociated from the relationship, as the French Frey, they have been involved in the looting of the Yuanmingyuan act.
To be a world-class collector, it is not enough to have precious artifacts from China, or only from China, but also Western art.
And Ezkenazi family is the most lack of Chinese antiques, but for the Western cultural relics, they are not much collection, so after receiving the phone call of Huangfu Yun, Ezkenazi gave up a dinner party, immediately brought his own appraiser, drove to pick up Huangfu Yun, then rushed to the hotel Zhuang Rui and others live in.
“Mr. Ezkena, with your eyesight, you will surely be able to judge at a glance whether those sketches in my friend’s hands are Picasso’s works or not, do you think I will use such a poor reason to let you appreciate some fake paintings?”
Although Huangfu Yun hadn’t been in contact with Zhuang Rui for a long time and hadn’t seen Zhuang Rui’s so-called real Picasso paintings, he believed that Zhuang Rui wasn’t the type of person who made up his mind.
“The whereabouts of Mr. Picasso’s works are basically verified, and I haven’t heard of any lost ones yet, Mr. Ezkena, I think we are wasting our time.”
The appraiser sitting next to Ezkena, Sterling, shrugged his shoulders, for him, who was already in an off-duty state, this could all be his private time.
“Look at it! The Orientals are a people who are good at creating miracles, maybe that person called Zhuang, really has Picasso’s work?”
For antique dealers, will never let go of any possibility, even if the odds are not great, but also always have to see to believe, pick up the leakage of Taobao story, often is happening in this seemingly small odds.
“Zhuang Rui, this is Mr. Ezkena from England, their family but has a lot of Chinese art, but for the European art is very scarce, this time I want to look at those sketches of yours, whether it is Mr. Picasso’s work?”
After Huangfu Yun knocked on the door of Zhuang Rui’s room, while introducing Ezkena to Zhuang Rui, he winked at Zhuang Rui, the meaning of which is naturally self-evident, if the paintings are real, wait buddy you just go hard under the knife! They have all the good Chinese stuff.
“This is Mr. Sterling, an experienced appraiser.” Huangfu Yun continued to introduce Zhuang Rui.
“Oh, young lad, nice to meet you.”
Ezkena was very friendly and greeted Zhuang Rui in Chinese, due to many factors such as his family and his own collection, Ezkena had a very good understanding of the Chinese culture and knew that Chinese people were especially good at saving face, so he was very enthusiastic as soon as he came up, and didn’t neglect Zhuang Rui in any way because of his youth.
“Hello, Mr. Ezkena, inside please.”
Zhuang Rui didn’t move and let a few people into the room, enthusiasm is of no use, if you want to exchange the Picasso sketch in your hand, then you have to come up with a Chinese antique that can make your own personal heart beat, or else your rich buddies won’t even sell it to you.
Just when Sterling and Zhuang Rui rubbed shoulders, the guy who looks more like a boxer than an appraiser, whispered in Zhuang Rui’s ear: “Young man, can you understand English?”
After Zhuang Rui nodded, Sterling continued, “That’s good, young man, I can tell you, with me here, you don’t have to think about taking some shoddy fake paintings to fool Mr. Ezkena’s, if you’re sensible, it’s best to admit it right now, then I won’t embarrass you when it’s time to wait a while.”
“Hm? Damn, uneducated, the thing hasn’t even been looked at yet, and you dare to make a big deal here.”
After Zhuang Rui heard the words coming out of Sterling’s mouth, he couldn’t help but feel annoyed in his heart, and coldly said in English, “If your eyes weren’t blinded by lard, you should be able to easily distinguish the authenticity of a painting.”
Zhuang Rui knows that there are a lot of people in foreign countries look down on Chinese people, I did not expect that I live in this five-star hotel luxury suite, there are actually people who look down on people, which makes Zhuang Rui very upset.
Walking in front of the Ezkena, very clearly heard the conversation behind the two, but he just smiled slightly, and did not persuade the meaning, for him, the seller and the appraiser relationship the worse, that is the more there will not be any catnip existence.
To know, not only the domestic “set” and “layout” things, such things are also common in foreign countries, and more sophisticated techniques, as for the collusion of appraisers this kind of, that is only on the surface of the small means only.
“Peng Fei, take out a few paintings and show them to this ‘expert’.”
After coming to the living room and sitting down, Zhuang Rui didn’t have the intention of pouring coffee or drinks for the guests, and directly opened the door for Peng Fei to take out Picasso’s sketches.
Before Ezkena and the others came, Zhuang Rui had already categorized the thirty-two sketches, the six sketches of the nude woman were divided into one, the eighteen sketches of the children were divided into three, and finally the sketch of the still life was divided into one, totaling five.
In these five sketches, there was a sketch with Picasso’s autograph, and it was believed that the appraiser who was really familiar with Picasso’s works could distinguish the authenticity.
Peng Fei these days follow Zhuang Rui, also grew a lot of insight, at least know to take calligraphy and painting a class of antiques, is to wear gloves, is now both hands are also wearing a pair of white gloves, seemingly from the coffee table in front of the body, pick up a stack of six figure figure, placed in front of the Ezekenna.
“Sterling, it’s better if you do it!”
Ezkena slightly shook his head, got up and sat down to the side, leaving a place for Sterling, who really didn’t know much about European artwork, except for knowing its staggeringly expensive price, Ezkena knew very little about it.
“Slow down ……”
Just as Sterling was about to pick up the sketch in front of him, he was suddenly stopped by Zhuang Rui.
“What? You said it was real just now, but now you won’t even let us look at it?”
Sterling looked at Zhuang Rui with a bad face, he simply didn’t believe that this yellow man would have Picasso’s works, and also dozens of them, this was like an Andersen fairy tale, completely impossible.
“Mr. Sterling, I don’t know if your teacher taught you when you were learning to appraise, that you must wear gloves when appraising works of calligraphy and painting, this is the basic knowledge.”
Zhuang Rui looked at Sterling with a disdainful face, and after finishing the above sentences, he turned his face to Ezkena and said, “Mr. Ezkena, I am very dissatisfied with your choice of appraiser, he completely does not possess the qualities that a professional appraiser possesses. I would like to remind you, Mr. Ezkena, for these collectibles of mine, if there is any loss caused by the appraiser’s improper operation, you have to be mentally prepared to accept my claim against you.”
Zhuang Rui’s words made Ezkena and Sterling change color at the same time, they did not expect this young man to be so sharp, but Zhuang Rui’s words were not excessive at all, Sterling indeed did not show the qualities that an appraiser should have.
Ezkena nodded and first said in Chinese, “Mr. Zhuang, please rest assured that I will be responsible for these works.”
Immediately after that, Ezkena looked at Sterling and said, “Mr. Sterling, please remember your professional ethics, you are appraising a painting that is most likely Mr. Picasso’s painting, not a one pound a piece sketch that those artists by the side of the road drew for you.”
Sterling’s arrogance was completely gone at this time, if his behavior today was spread out, it would definitely have a very bad effect on his reputation, knowing that no matter what industry one is in, one’s professionalism, is extremely important.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Ezkena, I’m sorry, Mr. Zhuang, it’s my negligence, I think, I still have the ability to identify these sketches, whether they are from Mr. Picasso’s handwriting or not.”
Sterling quickly adjusted his mind, stood up and respectfully bowed to Zhuang Rui and Ezkena, his attitude showing extreme sincerity.
Zhuang Rui had no intention to bother about this with Sterling, waved his hand and said, “Well, Mr. Sterling, I hope your performance will be the same as what you said, no need to waste time, please start the appraisal!”