"Personally, I lean toward this item not being entirely genuine. However, it's not a forgery, but rather a reproduction from the late Qing or Republic of China period. Why do I say that?"

A moment later, Elder Zhang didn't keep them waiting any longer, providing his answer directly and explaining his reasoning: "Look closely at this snuff bottle; while the paste and glaze are pure white and fine, compared to an authentic piece from the Qianlong era, they appear less refined. Furthermore, the density is lower, and the glaze surface exhibits minute pinholes."

Pausing briefly, Elder Zhang weighed the item in his hand, indicating, "The porcelain body is thin, making it light; it feels rather buoyant, which shows the material isn't sufficiently dense or fine. Additionally, the colors in the enameling are not detailed enough, the layer of color is too thick, and the surface luster lacks vibrancy—the colors are intense yet overly garish. Especially when looking at the painting style in conjunction with the colors, the brushwork is stiff, lacking the characteristic repeated wrinkling, rubbing, dotting, and dyeing achieved by layering multiple colors."

"In summary, this is a reproduction from the late Qing or Republic era, imitated very skillfully. Yet, compared to a genuine Gu Yue Xuan snuff bottle from the Qianlong period, there remains this subtle difference."

Putting the snuff bottle down, Elder Zhang expressed a touch of regret: "The item is truly excellent; it's a pity it didn't originate from that era."

Hearing this, quite a few people below sighed softly. These were the individuals who had believed the snuff bottle to be a treasure from the Qianlong reign, and they wondered if the owner of the bottle was among them.

In truth, almost every observation Elder Zhang made was subjective. Yet, no one questioned him; even those who had deemed the snuff bottle a Qianlong rarity inwardly admitted they had misjudged it.

This level of conviction and acceptance was difficult for outsiders to grasp. Sometimes, they found it strange—why did the item appear genuine to them, yet the moment an expert touched it, they declared it fake?

However, they failed to realize this wasn't blind obedience, but rather trust. Trust in Elder Zhang's accumulated experience and knowledge, trust in his character, and even more so, trust that his judgment was more accurate than their own.

The so-called experience and accumulation might sound abstract. But one must admit that they exist. In real life, there are countless individuals who can perform astonishing feats based on their intuition and feeling.

Experienced appraisers generally fall into this category. It is akin to asking a university student to perform addition or subtraction within ten—it is almost impossible for them to make an error. If a mistake occurs, it is due to an exceedingly low probability.

Thus, once Elder Zhang rendered his judgment, everyone unanimously agreed, including Wang Guan, who harbored no suspicion himself. He merely activated his special ability for comparative verification. Focusing his gaze, he saw a faint, pale-white aura floating above the snuff bottle, confirming that both its authenticity and age had been stated perfectly by Elder Zhang.

Wang Guan didn't find this surprising. The collecting circle is not like other fields; it’s not a place for seniority alone. If you possess such a high reputation, you must have the commensurate skill to back it up.

"Alright, let's set the snuff bottle aside for now,"

Just then, Elder Zhou spoke up, saying with a smile, "Next, we look at the third treasure."

As he spoke, a staff member approached and carefully placed the snuff bottle to the side. Simultaneously, the third collectible slowly ascended from beneath the display stand.

The third treasure turned out to be a piece of calligraphy and painting. Wang Guan knew little about shuhua; he only understood that authenticating paintings and calligraphy seemed several times more difficult than porcelain or ancient jade.

After all, no matter how many fakes of porcelain or jade exist, or how sophisticated the forgery techniques, they are still confined within certain parameters. But paintings and calligraphy are different; ancient paper and ink alike can survive through time. Coupled with clever restoration techniques, splicing methods, and the writing styles of painters and calligraphers across different dynasties—and the distinct characteristics exhibited at different life stages, youth, middle age, and old age...

Details like these, if missed even slightly, can lead to misjudgment and an inability to discern authenticity.

Wang Guan recalled that the famous collector Mr. Ma Weidu once said that in his youth, he felt the controversies surrounding calligraphy and painting authentication were too numerous. He noted that several renowned painting experts held different opinions on the same piece, each expressing their views without reaching a unified conclusion. Unable to determine who was right or wrong, he decided to focus exclusively on porcelain.

This illustrates the difficulty in authenticating shuhua; without a profound foundation, one cannot become a master authenticator of paintings and calligraphy.

Even Elder Zhou, one of the three judges, who was profoundly scholarly and highly accomplished in calligraphy and painting, dared not call himself a master authenticator of shuhua, only humbly claiming to have some research in the field.

Of course, for poorly made items that were obviously fake at a glance, Elder Zhou wasn't needed; even the other collectors present could identify them. The real challenge lay in high-level imitations, which truly tested the appraiser's eye.

However, the third treasure wasn't a masterpiece by a famous artist, but a work by a minor literatus from the Qing Dynasty—a name Wang Guan had never heard before. But Elder Zhou, with his vast memory, commented eloquently, analyzing the man's life story and painting style with great precision.

Since this person wasn't a universally celebrated master, it was presumed that forgeries and imitations would be relatively few, so after his critique, Elder Zhou directly affirmed the scroll was an original.

To this, the audience responded with warm applause. Although the piece wasn't an heirloom treasure, it was genuine nonetheless. Perhaps truly old items are becoming increasingly scarce these days, so obtaining one was a cause for celebration.

After the excitement subsided, the treasure competition continued. Following this, the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh treasures were presented in succession: an ivory carving, ancient jade from the Ming Dynasty, an exquisite bronze censer, and fencai porcelain.

These items included both genuine articles and skillfully crafted fakes designed to deceive.

Elder Qian, Elder Zhou, and Elder Zhang took turns examining and commenting, occasionally weaving in their personal insights and reflections. This allowed Wang Guan to appreciate the allure of antiques while simultaneously feeling he was learning a great deal.

However, Wang Guan suddenly realized that this treasure competition felt less like a contest and more like an informal session for instruction and discussion. It was not the gathering of business tycoons and entrepreneurs showing off their wealth that he had imagined.

This was because every exhibited item contained some element of doubt. Wang Guan suspected that for these individuals, presenting and competing over the treasures was secondary. The most important thing was to take this opportunity to seek guidance from the three Elders—Qian, Zhou, and Zhang—to separate the genuine from the false.

Seeing everyone listening attentively and engaging in focused discussion, Wang Guan felt a pang of shame, realizing his own perception had been somewhat superficial, having viewed this exchange too simply. If this gathering were truly about flaunting wealth, given Elder Qian's character, he likely wouldn't even deign to attend.

At this moment, Wang Guan completely understood. While this gathering might also incorporate pragmatic motives like expanding networks, fostering relationships, and gathering information, its central theme was undeniably to facilitate the exchange of antique collecting experience and achieve mutual improvement through this meeting.

.................. The last two days of the Sanjiang event; please collect, recommend, and vote Sanjiang tickets. Thank you for your massive support.