Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Complete Victory
Seraphina Sterling paid his attitude no mind. "You’ve overlooked something. The metallurgical industry wasn’t very developed during the Early Dynasty, so the gold from that period wasn’t very pure. You just judged this Gold Carved Gourd to be from the Early Dynasty based on its luster, but luster is incredibly easy to fake."
Joel Xavier’s heart skipped a beat. ’He really hadn’t paid much attention to that.’ He’d only glanced at the overall quality of the gold before concluding it was from the Early Dynasty.
"Based on my experience, the purity of this gourd’s gold far exceeds the metallurgical capabilities of the Early Dynasty. A seasoned appraiser can tell by the weight and feel. If you don’t believe me, you can have the purity tested. You’ll see I’m right."
Seraphina Sterling smiled confidently. ’This wasn’t a skill one could master easily. To think, it took her a full two years of practice to learn this technique!’
"I’ll have a specialized agency test it!" Though he said the words, the confidence had vanished from Joel Xavier’s face. Subconsciously, he already accepted Seraphina Sterling’s assessment.
Seraphina Sterling breathed a small sigh of relief. ’Round one goes to me.’ If her foundations weren’t so solid, Joel Xavier might have actually gotten the better of her. ’With the first battle won, the rest should be much easier!’
"Store Manager Xavier, let’s take a look at these three pieces of blue-and-white porcelain. While they’re all antiques, their ages don’t quite match the inventory list. I wonder, can you tell the difference?"
’Their ages don’t match?’ Joel Xavier froze and checked the inventory list again. Two plates and a bowl, all listed as Ming Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain. ’Could one of them not be from the Ming Dynasty?’
Joel Xavier began to re-examine the three pieces of blue-and-white porcelain. After the skill Seraphina Sterling had just displayed, he didn’t dare to be careless.
Thirty minutes later, Joel Xavier looked up with a solemn expression, holding one of the large bowls. "You believe this is Yorke Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain, not Ming Dynasty?"
Seraphina Sterling smiled and nodded. "That’s right. I believe it’s from the Yorke Dynasty. As I’m sure you know, while both are types of blue-and-white porcelain, pieces from the Yorke Dynasty are far more valuable than those from the Ming Dynasty. It’s not just because they’re older, but also because they’re extremely rare. In the history of blue-and-white porcelain, items from the Yorke Dynasty hold the most value."
Joel Xavier held the large bowl, observing it carefully. "The inside and outside are both painted with blue-and-white patterns. The inner rim is decorated with a border of scrolling flowers, and the center features a scene of mandarin ducks playing in a lotus pond. These are all common motifs for Yorke Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain. The brushwork is fluid, and the cobalt blue bleeds naturally—very clear signs of a Yorke Dynasty piece. However, this is *not* from the Yorke Dynasty."
Joel Xavier stated his conclusion. "Look closely at the base of the bowl. You can see signs of ’fire-stone red.’ All exposed biscuit on Ming Dynasty porcelain shows this phenomenon. Furthermore, while the motifs have Yorke Dynasty characteristics, this particular glaze—white with a bluish tint—was used throughout the entire Ming Dynasty."
"You’re not wrong," Seraphina Sterling said, her tone even more resolute than when she had appraised the Gold Carved Gourd. "But this bowl is from the Yorke Dynasty, not the Ming Dynasty."
Joel Xavier extended his hand in an inviting gesture. "I’m all ears."
"First, to address your point about the fire-stone red. Compared to pieces from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Yorke Dynasty porcelain clay has a feel that is hard, yet with an underlying softness. You can pick up the other two for comparison. If you feel them carefully, you’ll notice the texture of this large bowl is different from the others."
Joel Xavier did as she suggested. There was indeed a subtle difference, but if Seraphina Sterling hadn’t pointed it out, he never would have noticed it, even when comparing them side-by-side.
Seraphina Sterling continued, "It’s precisely because the clay wasn’t meticulously refined that the unglazed base often has sand holes, brush marks, and iron spots. Fire-stone red appears on the rim and in areas where the glaze has shrunk, exposing the biscuit. The presence of fire-stone red doesn’t automatically mean it’s a Ming Dynasty piece!"
"By that same logic, the presence of those features doesn’t prove it’s from the Yorke Dynasty, either! And what about the glaze, the white with a bluish tint?" Joel Xavier pressed urgently.
"Look closer. Compare it to the other two again. The so-called ’white with a bluish tint’ is due to a thick, lustrous glaze. The bowl in your hands is slightly less bright than the other two. The cobalt used for this bowl was ’Sumaliqing,’ which was imported, not a domestic ore. On top of that, these two Ming Dynasty pieces aren’t of the highest quality, and the lighting in this warehouse isn’t great. Putting all three together, it’s easy to see why you’d miss the subtle differences. It’s no surprise you made a mistake."
Joel Xavier’s brow remained tightly furrowed, his eyes glued to the three porcelain pieces as if he could bore a hole through them.
"If you’re still not sure, check their thickness. Large Yorke Dynasty pieces generally have thick, heavy bodies, while smaller pieces are quite thin. Compare them carefully. You’ll see the other two are slightly thicker than this large bowl. Moreover, this bowl has a distinct ’navel’ on its base. You should know that’s another characteristic of Yorke Dynasty porcelain."
Seraphina Sterling offered two more points of evidence.
This time, Joel Xavier was thoroughly and utterly convinced. In that moment, a premonition surged from deep within him: if he followed this young woman, he could restore the Xavier Family! ’The only question is... will Seraphina Sterling even hire me?’
"To have such a keen eye at your age is quite rare, Store Manager Xavier. If you’re willing, you may continue to run this antique shop."
