Scarcity makes things valuable. In the United States, perhaps due to its relatively recent history, people place a premium on items of historical value. Chinese antiques, with their unique cultural connotations, long history, and exquisite craftsmanship, have become a favorite in the antique market.
However, antiques are closely tied to culture. Given the arrogance of the American people, aside from professionals interested in studying other cultures, most people only have a superficial understanding through media reports. Given the ideological hostility, the American media's coverage of China is predictable; in reality, everyone is the same: freckles and pockmarks. Consequently, many collectors are unaware of the value of their collections.
It is common to sell Chinese antiques as handicrafts. Andy once saw a news report about a Los Angeles collector who had a well-preserved yellow jade cong. When a collector from China confirmed that the piece was from the Neolithic Age and 7,000 years old, the American realized that he had become a millionaire.
American collectors often rank items based on fame and aesthetics. Therefore, the most valuable items in the US are ancient porcelain from the Celestial Empire, followed by bronzes, paintings and calligraphy by famous figures, and jewelry and jade. Of course, rosewood furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasties is also quite valuable. (This is true; this was the situation in the US antique market before 2008.)
Due to historical reasons, many Chinese antiques are scattered among the American people. If you have the ability to identify the authenticity, this is definitely a good business. Unfortunately, this requires professional skills, so Andy can only think about it. This is what he learned after collecting information after returning from the antique shop in Chinatown. Although he doesn't understand why his soul sense only responds to some antiques, he doesn't know if there is any pattern.
Antiques that appear in charity auctions like this have basically been authenticated and valued. Of course, the prices will not be as high as those of auction companies. They all start at $100. The advance valuation is also to hope that people participating in the auction will understand their value and bid for charity at a suitable price.
Of course, this kind of charity auction also has its drawbacks. Everyone present is rich, but the bidding is not fierce. Everyone knows when to stop and there will be no fighting. Fighting will be very rude and will offend others. In such occasions, no matter who you are, it is not easy to offend them.
So Andy first decided to bid on the main items, the red flower brooch with rubies and diamonds, and the Qianlong jade seal "Jiuzhou Qing'an (Yan) Zhibao". These were the items he would not give up and must have.
As for the other items he was interested in, including a set of ten intact oracle bone inscriptions, a green-white jade peach ornament, a pair of Qing Kangxi blue-and-white bowls with a longevity pattern, and a Ming Dynasty gilt-bronze auspicious beast, no one knew what would happen at the auction. If Andy bid shamelessly, it would definitely cause some dissatisfaction. Andy was just a baby here if it came to competing for wealth. Besides, Andy only had a little over $6 million left.
"Oh, we are still too poor!" Andy sighed with a sad face.
When the ruby and diamond flower brooch made by JARParis went up for auction, Andy smiled and whispered to his mother beside him, "Mom, I'll buy it for you."
As a jewelry designer, Li Wanqing also owns quite a few pieces of jewelry. This ruby-red flower brooch is not precious to her, but she is very pleased with her son's filial piety. With a loving smile on her face, she gently patted Andy's hand.
Andy bids,
The bidding was not fierce. Everyone saw Andy's continuous bidding and knew he was determined to win. For most people, this was a charity and they would not insist on bidding. Everyone had the same concerns. Basically, as soon as the valuation price was reached, no one competed with Andy.
Andy successfully bought the item at a price of 170,000 US dollars. The guests gave him a round of applause. The waiter brought the brooch to Andy. He took the box, opened it to confirm, and then handed it to the happy Li Wanqing.
The auction of Emperor Qianlong's jade seal "Jiuzhou Qing'an (Yan) Zhibao" was not so smooth. Several Chinese guests intervened in the auction, but Andy's determination to win surprised Austin and Li Wanqing a little, and attracted the attention of his tablemates and surrounding guests.
600,000 US dollars caused a low exclamation, and many people whispered. After all, it was just a stone seal. Although it belonged to an emperor, the price was also very high. For several Chinese people, it was a bit confusing. They did not lack this little money, but the opponent was a young man, which was a headache. They also learned about Andy's identity through some friends, and it would be really rude to continue to pester him.
Seven hundred thousand dollars! Andy waved his arms excitedly. It was hiss. The whole audience applauded. Andy stood up with a smile and bowed in the air with both hands clasped in the direction of the Chinese people.
The eyes of several Chinese people lit up, knowing that Andy truly understood Chinese culture. They responded in good faith and applauded, but were a little surprised at his age.
He took the box excitedly and took out the jade seal with trembling hands, "Hiss~~~ As expected, there is a reaction, it feels so grand..." Andy held it in his hand and gently stroked the jade seal. Li Wanqing was also a little excited. She reached out curiously to take it and look at it. Although she was of ABC mixed blood, she was still very clear about the meaning of the jade seal.
Satisfied, Andy carefully placed the jade seal he received from Austin into the box, suppressed his excitement, and continued to watch other people bidding. Apart from a few Chinese antiques that he liked, Andy had no interest in other items. Many celebrity calligraphy and paintings were sold at good prices.
The auction of the Ming Dynasty gilt-bronze auspicious beast did not go very smoothly. It seemed that there was no interest in the paperweight. Andy tried to bid a price and actually got it for US$20,000.
However, the pair of Kangxi blue and white bowls with longevity patterns attracted several people to bid, and Andy did not intervene.
A Qing Dynasty white jade peach ornament appeared, but the price was only announced at US$30,000 and no one bid. Andy saw an opportunity and bought it for US$35,000.
Andy's bidding behavior attracted some people's attention. This unscrupulous leak-finding behavior was a bit excessive. After all, everyone understood that the antiques auctioned here were still of great value, but for the sake of face, no one bid too much.
Auston seemed to feel that his son's behavior was a bit rude, and he scolded him in a low voice with an ugly face: "Watch your behavior, don't go too far!"
Andy touched his nose embarrassedly. He knew very well that what he did was a bit disliked, but relying on his young age, he could just use his ignorance as an excuse. Now that he was scolded, he gave up the idea of taking advantage of others.
Ten pieces of oracle bone fragments were bought by the madman Larry Ellison for 1.5 million US dollars. Andy looked at Larry, who was called "bastard", with some envy as he proudly took the box handed to him by the waiter.
"Damn, what's the point of this idiot buying it? Is it just because his company is called Oracle? He shamelessly registered the name of Oracle!" Andy cursed with a little jealousy.
To be honest, it was a bit boring to just watch others bidding. Moreover, with Andy's current big appetite, the little food he had eaten before was completely useless. The hunger made him feel a little irritable.
All the people around seemed to be well-dressed, but they were actually so hungry that they couldn't stand it anymore. They were just trying to hold on. They were indeed respectable people from the "upper class", Andy complained with some malice.
The charity auction finally ended at ten o'clock in the evening. Andy, who had paid by credit card early in the morning, got the receipt for tax exemption and walked out impatiently, holding Li Wanqing's arm.
"I'm starving. Now I can eat a whole cow!" Andy complained to his mother in a low voice.
Li Wanqing just covered her mouth and giggled. She understood her son's resentment very well. She also didn't like this kind of dinner. She was definitely hungry and tired. After returning home, she could feel the muscles on her face were stiff. It was not easy to keep smiling.
"You, just be patient and find a restaurant to fill your stomach later! But you haven't been behaving well tonight. You've been bidding continuously for antiques, and your eating habits are a bit ugly, making others laugh at you!" Li Wanqing lectured with a little dissatisfaction.
"Hmph!" Auston on the side snorted coldly with a gloomy face.
"Hehe, I just like Chinese culture. Besides, this is charity." Andy smiled wryly and acted like a rogue.
"You~~~ are really a child who never grows up. Be more careful in the future. This kind of thing must not happen again. It will affect your reputation. After all, no one is a fool." Li Wanqing persuaded unhappily.
"I get it! It's really troublesome. It's better for me to attend fewer parties like this in the future!" Andy curled his lips.
"Childish talk! This is New York. Family and tradition are the blood of this place. You are an adult now. You will have to attend such dinners alone in the future. It is a compulsory course for you to remember some family children and their names. You must never do anything rude." Li Wanqing was a little angry at Andy's disdain. Some principles cannot be compromised.
"It's so troublesome. Los Angeles is still more comfortable." Andy complained a little irritably, as he got a headache just thinking about it.
"Hmph! There are only nouveau riche in Los Angeles, no aristocrats." Auston snorted coldly with arrogance.
"Ha~~~" Andy curled his lips and did not refute. He was very disdainful of his father's sarcasm. Where did the aristocrats come from in the United States? It seemed that those on the Mayflower were people who couldn't make it in the British Empire. They were so shameless.
As soon as they got in the car, Andy started shouting about finding a restaurant to eat. Auston looked at his son who was playing tricks on Li Wanqing with a bad temper, and picked up the phone to make a reservation at a familiar restaurant.
At this moment, Andy's cell phone rang. He picked up the phone and frowned. He muttered softly, "Why is it her?"
After answering the phone, Andy hung up after a few words. Reluctantly, he said to his parents, "It's Paris. She's already booked a meal at the Waldorf Astoria and is having a party after dinner. She asked me to come over."