PS: It's been the third watch, the monthly pass hasn't been updated by me much, I'm sad and sad, and I ask for support.

The original meaning of golden branches and jade leaves is to describe the beauty of flowers and trees. Later, it mostly referred to the descendants of the royal family, such as princesses and the like. As for the modern age, it is a metaphor for a noble-born, or a delicate and weak person. However, it is very obvious that what Fang Mingsheng is talking about now is not an adjective, but a reference to a certain object.

At this time, the shopkeeper took out the things and put them on the counter, and everyone could see them very clearly. This object is actually a gold-inlaid jade artifact, with a golden cicada inlaid on a leaf-shaped piece of jade. As we all know, the cicada is also known as Zhi, and the knowledge and the branch are homophonies, and the golden cicada jade leaf is also the golden branch and jade leaf. This is a very beautiful meaning.

Of course, the auspicious meaning does not mean anything, the key is that the workmanship of things is very exquisite. A golden cicada, with its feet crossed sideways, its wings slightly open, and its mouth slightly open, as if it was playing a sonata; The jade leaves have distinct veins, white and flawless, holding up the golden cicada slightly.

At this time, Wang Guan carefully picked up the things, and with a little feeling, he knew that the jade leaves should be finely carved from Hetian white jade. After careful polishing and carving, the veins of the leaves are very clear, the veins on the front of the leaf are cut into arc grooves, and the veins on the back are correspondingly rubbed into convex ridges, making the leaves very realistic.

As for the golden cicada, there is no need to say more, the production technology is very complicated, it is simply carefully created with the real cicada as the original shape, and then combined with the jade leaves, the whole picture is cleverly conceived, the combination of movement and static, full of fun, has a very high ornamental value.

After looking at it for a moment, Fang Mingsheng couldn't help but sigh: "Wang Guan, it's still your sharp eyes, and you have found something good all of a sudden." ”

"Stuff is good."

Wang Guan nodded slightly, and then smiled: "Mr. Yu, help me ask the price." ”

"No problem." There was also a bit of regret in Yuwei's eyes, he also felt that things were good, but unfortunately Wang Guan took the lead. But now that Wang Guan has spoken. He also dutifully relayed it, and asked the shopkeeper about the origin of the things.

After exchanging two sentences, the aftertaste's expression suddenly became a little weird: "The boss said that he only bought the goods a few days ago, and he only took them out in the warehouse and put them on the counter today, I didn't expect you to see it immediately, it's really discerning......"

"Luck, luck." Wang Guan smiled and asked again, "How much is the thing?" ”

"It's not just luck, it's a big hit."

At this point, the aftertaste body turns slightly. Don't let the shopkeeper see his envious expression: "The boss offers five hundred pounds." ”

"What?"

For a moment, Wang Guan and Fang Mingsheng looked at each other, and they were suddenly very surprised. It's not that the unexpected price is too expensive, but the unexpected price is much lower than they thought.

"It's not surprising."

At this time, Yu Wei explained: "I forgot to tell you, the British have no love for jade, and think that it is just a good stone, not very valuable, so they only estimate the price of the golden cicada." ”

This is probably a cultural difference. After all, the pursuit of jade is the unique cultural connotation of the East. However, in the Western world, Eastern culture is not the mainstream. If you lack understanding of the jade culture of the East, you will naturally not know its value. Other words. It's an opportunity to pick up the slack.

"Really." Wang Guan's eyes lit up, and he immediately said happily: "Help me repay the price, and ask him if three hundred pounds is okay?" As he spoke, he also held out three fingers and shook them at the shopkeeper. Presumably, the shopkeeper should also understand what he meant.

“NONONO……”

The shopkeeper shook his head repeatedly, stretched out five fingers, and then withdrew his thumb: "Four, four!" ”

"Four hundred pounds. This is the floor price. ”

Without an aftertaste, Wang Guan also understood the meaning expressed by the shopkeeper, and immediately nodded: "OK!" ”

When paying, Fang Mingsheng couldn't help but sigh: "I knew that I would also buy jade." ”

"It's luck."

At the right time, Yu Wei hurriedly said: "Not every shopkeeper doesn't know the price of jade, there are also some people who are very clear about oriental culture, and the price offered is not much lower." Anyway, with the presence of Chinese collectors all over the world, antique dealers around the world will continue to adjust their prices, and there are fewer and fewer opportunities to pick up leaks. ”

"But then again, their cultural connotations of things and things, such as the auspicious meaning of ornamentation, are definitely not as transparent as the Chinese, and they still leave us a little opportunity."

At this time, Yu Wei said softly: "Taking this golden branch and jade leaf as an example, the shopkeeper may not be unclear about the price of jade, but he can't distinguish the value between Hetian jade and ordinary jade, and he doesn't know what the meaning of inlaying golden cicadas on jade leaves represents, so he must have sold it cheaply." ”

"It's really cheap." Fang Mingsheng said in a low voice: "Don't say it's 400 pounds, it's 40,000 pounds, I'll also consider buying it." ”

"yes."

The aftertaste is deeply convinced, judging by the exchange rate of the two currencies, 40,000 pounds is less than 400,000. But measured by the delicacy of the golden branches and jade leaves, as well as its meaning, it may not reach this price, but it is not far off.

"Let's go, keep shopping."

After paying, Wang Guan became a little more interested: "Take a look at other stores, maybe there will be a chance to pick up the cheapest." ”

"Good ......"

Fang Mingsheng nodded immediately, even if Wang Guan didn't say it, he also planned to do it.

After a while, a few people left the store with their belongings, and then went to another shop that was more pleasing to the eye and looked for it. However, unlike the aimless indiscriminate glance just now, this time they focused on finding something related to jade.

However, they were disappointed by the results of their search, and although the shop also had Chinese antiques, most of them were porcelain, and even some fine handicrafts, but there was no jade they were looking for.

Westerners don't pay much attention to jade, so naturally they rarely buy it. It is said that when the Eight-Nation Coalition entered China to plunder, they looted all the things in the palace, looted all kinds of pearls and gems, and even did not let go of clothes and cotton jackets. After all, the clothes belong to silk and satin, and they are still more valuable in foreign countries.

I won't mention much about the smashing and looting, anyway, those who can move things have been moved, and those who can't be moved will be smashed, and finally they will simply set a fire and burn it all. These things can still be seen in major museums in Britain and the United States, but if you pay close attention, you can develop relatively few jade objects. It's not that there isn't, it's just that the proportion is relatively low.

The reason for this may be that the Westerners involved in the looting felt that it was a stone. It didn't have any value, so it was simply thrown away.

In fact, this is a problem of mainstream cultural value orientation, and now it is Western values as the mainstream, people do not agree that your things are precious gems, and you have no good way except to scold the other party for not knowing the goods.

Of course, Wang Guan also believes that with the continuous improvement of China's comprehensive national strength, Western countries must accept the universal values of Chinese culture if they want to make money in the hands of Chinese. Chinese porcelain is just one of them. Perhaps in a few years, jade culture will also become popular in the West, and it will be more difficult for Chinese collectors to choose the cheapest ones.

But that's a thing of the future, now I walked around the antique street, but there was nothing to gain, everyone also felt a little tired, and then looked at the time before noon, so I simply found an elegant café nearby and sat down for a while.

When the waiter brought three cups of coffee, Fang Mingsheng raised his glass and took a sip. Moistened his throat a little and sighed: "This person, really want to talk about chance." If you miss it, you won't be able to touch it. ”

"It's your vision." Wang Guan smiled: "I also saw some ancient jade just now, but you can't look down on it." ”

"Either it's in poor condition. Either the asking price is too high, which is naturally unsatisfactory. Fang Mingsheng shook his head, and then said curiously: "Wang Guan, what age is your golden branch and jade leaf?" Take advantage of the time you have now. You might as well take it out and study it. ”

To put it bluntly, he just wants to watch. Even if it's not your own, it's good to take a look.

on this. Wang Guan was not stingy, and immediately took out the things, and then put them in the middle for the two to admire.

The golden and jade relationship itself is a very beautiful meaning. Perhaps it should be the emergence of the gold-inlaid jade process first, which gave rise to the word gold-jade relationship. However, no matter who comes first, anyway, under the skillful hands of ancient craftsmen, the splendor of the golden cicada, coupled with the warmth of the white jade, the two lusters are perfectly fused together, representing the most traditional gold and jade culture in China.

With the backdrop of beautiful jade, the golden cicada, which was already relatively tacky, suddenly became detached.

"It's beautiful."

After watching for a while, Fang Mingsheng was full of praise, and at the same time pondered: "It's just not good to break the generation." ”

It is indeed difficult to determine the dynasty, after all, there is no obvious inscription on the artifact, and it is impossible to leave a note like the official kiln porcelain, or calligraphy and painting, and it is difficult for ordinary people to guess its specific age.

However, this kind of thing is not difficult for experts. For a true connoisseur, you don't need to look at any style, just observe the carving of jade leaves and the casting process of the golden cicada, you can know when things are made.

It's a pity that a few people present, although they can conclude that the thing is an ancient object, are not real experts, so only you look at me, I look at you, and then shake your head helplessly.

"Wang Guan, can't even you see it?" Fang Mingsheng was a little unconvinced.

"Gold is a miscellaneous collection, I don't know much about it......"

Wang Guan frowned, picked up the thing and looked at it carefully, and then muttered: "But judging from the carving of the jade leaves, it seems to be a bit of a Ming Dynasty style." As for whether it's deliberately imitated, I'm really a little unsure. ”

The so-called deliberate imitation is actually retro style. In the Qing Dynasty, the antique atmosphere was very serious, up to the emperors and generals, down to the common people, they all preferred things with ancient style, so it was more normal for the Qing Dynasty to imitate the Ming Dynasty.

"But judging from the color of the jade leaves, I think it is more likely to be the Ming Dynasty."

After starting to analyze from the jade leaf, Wang Guan continued to look at the golden cicada, and then began to scratch his head a little. The production technology of the golden cicada is very complex, using the process of pressure mold casting, thin leaf extension, engraving, welding and so on. The problem is that these crafts were already very popular in the Ming and Qing dynasties, so naturally there is no difference.

There may be a difference, but the king is blind if he can't see it.

"Huh?"

However, at this moment, after Wang Guan carefully observed, he suddenly made a discovery...... (To be continued......)