As the attendees settled into their seats, members of the work team carefully moved the boxwood carving aside, awaiting the final appraisal.

Only a few minutes had passed since the boxwood carving was presented, and now the second treasure was being brought forth. If anyone had been paying close attention, they would have noticed one person in the crowd whose expression had soured considerably; perhaps this was the original owner of the boxwood piece.

But the focus had entirely shifted away from the carving now; instead, everyone was fixed on the display stand, watching as a small, exquisitely crafted snuff bottle was slowly unveiled.

“Enamel-Painted Inner Decoration Peony Motif Snuff Bottle!” Old Zhou glanced at the item description, then looked up with a smile. “Interesting. The record states it’s from the Qianlong period, bearing the mark of Gu Yue Xuan.”

“Gu Yue Xuan? Is that for real?”

“You know how rarely true Gu Yue Xuan pieces surface, while fakes are rampant. Could this be a blunder in appraisal?”

Compared to the boxwood carving just shown, the appearance of this snuff bottle immediately captured intense scrutiny from the assembly.

Coincidentally, Wang Guan had been reading up on antiques over the past couple of days and had stumbled upon some introductions to snuff bottles, giving him a basic understanding of them.

A snuff bottle, in simple terms, is a container for powdered tobacco. Snuff was introduced to China during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, and gradually, the snuff box evolved into its Eastern counterpart, the snuff bottle. The materials used to create snuff bottles are remarkably diverse: bamboo, wood, porcelain, metal, ivory, jade, agate, amber, and so on.

Among these, a technique known as famille rose enamel on a porcelain body was particularly exquisite. Snuff bottles crafted using this method were often exclusive to the imperial household, rarely circulating among the populace, making them exceedingly rare.

This famille rose enamel on porcelain involved applying colored enamel paints onto a glass substrate and then firing it at high temperatures. Due to the immense technical difficulty, this craft was historically reserved for manufacturing small objects in the imperial kilns, such as snuff bottles and shallow dishes. Items bearing this technique often displayed the inscription "Gu Yue Xuan" and the firing date.

Consequently, "Gu Yue Xuan" sometimes refers not just to a specific object, but to this particular famille rose enamel-on-porcelain technique itself.

In reality, what exactly Gu Yue Xuan refers to remains a mystery to this day. Some posit it was the name of a specific studio within the Imperial Palace during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. Others suggest it was the work of a craftsman named Hu, whose exquisite glasswork was later imitated by the imperial (official kilns), thus leaving behind the Gu Yue Xuan name.

A third theory proposes that Gu Yue Xuan was the name for the studios used by successive Qing emperors; it wasn't exclusive to Qianlong, and all finely crafted pieces from various reigns were housed there, leading them to simply bear the Gu Yue Xuan mark.

Regardless of the theory, everyone agreed that anything produced under the Gu Yue Xuan name was unequivocally a masterpiece. Gu Yue Xuan had become a brand, which naturally led to an abundance of forgeries stamped with its mark.

Therefore, upon the arrival of a Gu Yue Xuan snuff bottle, the first reaction of many was that it must be a fake. Of course, a small minority understood that one should not jump to conclusions but approach the bottle with an impartial eye.

In any case, the atmosphere in the hall immediately grew charged. If not for the presence of three highly respected senior appraisers presiding, many people would have already surged forward to crowd around the display.

Finally, it was the turn of Gao Dequan, Wang Guan, and Yu Feibai.

Gao Dequan offered no further courtesies; stepping onto the stand, he first picked up the snuff bottle, examined it intently for a long time, then set it down for Wang Guan and Yu Feibai to inspect.

“You look first,” he offered.

Wang Guan had little expertise in snuff bottles. He waited until Yu Feibai had handled it before picking it up himself, observing it closely. Indeed, after a thorough examination, Wang Guan could only conclude that the object was exceptionally delicate, intricately crafted, and opulent.

As for whether it was authentic or a forgery, Wang Guan was completely at a loss.

A short while later, the three retreated. Gao Dequan softly inquired, “What are your thoughts?”

“I can’t be sure,” Wang Guan stated frankly. “I just feel the body quality is excellent, the pigments are rich in variety, and the painting has a three-dimensional quality. Whether it’s a genuine Qianlong piece, I can’t discern.”

Yu Feibai nodded in agreement. “It feels very light, the colors are vibrant and new, almost possessing the texture of glass. Subjectively, it feels new, yet at the same time, I feel only an object in such pristine condition could be a Gu Yue Xuan masterwork.”

“Hesitating, I see,” Gao Dequan smiled. “Hesitation is a good sign; it shows you looked carefully and even noticed some nuances. At least the points you mentioned can serve as evidence for authentication.”

“So, is it real or fake?” Yu Feibai asked urgently.

“In my opinion, I lean toward…” Gao Dequan was about to state his judgment when Elder Zhang stepped forward, approached the display stand, picked up the snuff bottle, and began his careful observation.

The crowd immediately hushed, careful not to disturb Elder Zhang’s concentration.

Soon after, Elder Zhang asked, “You’ve all seen the piece. What are your views?”

“It’s a fake!”

After a brief silence, someone immediately stood up to voice their opinion. Several appraisal meetings had been held already, so people felt comfortable speaking out. After all, the purpose of these gatherings was free exchange of knowledge. Being right was best, but being wrong was not catastrophic; everyone misjudges things sometimes, and one simply gains experience for the next time.

So, once this person finished, someone else immediately rose to offer a rebuttal, providing reasons why the snuff bottle was genuine. Simultaneously, arguments began erupting among the collectors in the hall. Whether genuine or counterfeit, each faction had their viewpoint, and the ensuing debate became a heated clash of words and references, almost sparking visible sparks.

Wang Guan’s eyes lit up at several of the unique insights shared, and he committed them firmly to memory.

The debate did not last long. After everyone had presented their rationale, a silence fell as they collectively turned their gazes toward Elder Zhang, awaiting his final decree. This clearly demonstrated that, in their minds, Elder Zhang represented the ultimate authority.

Of course, authority is not easily forged; it must be earned through irrefutable credibility to gain universal acceptance.

Elder Zhang had clearly achieved this. Under everyone’s scrutiny, he did not rush to a verdict, but instead held the snuff bottle, remarking with emotion, “When speaking of snuff bottles, they truly concentrate China’s arts—painting, calligraphy, carving, inlay, alongside the crafts of jade, porcelain, glass, lacquerware, enamel, and metal—drawing on the best of all traditions to reveal their unique splendor.”

“Especially this famille rose enamel on porcelain technique; it requires several rounds of coloring and repeated firing. Any slight carelessness can undo all previous effort, making it extremely precious and rare,” Elder Zhang spoke fluently from the stage. “However, as you all know, authenticating Gu Yue Xuan items requires paying attention to several aspects. First, the body material; second, the glaze color; third, the form; fourth, the painted decoration; fifth, the style of painting; and sixth, the inscription. One must analyze these details comprehensively to determine the quality of the object…”

.................... Thanks for the generous contributions from book friends hollander and Qiche Jiushi Liudang. Please collect this story, vote with recommendation tickets, and offer much support. Thank you.