The middle-aged man in the lead introduced himself to Fang Bo and the young man. Indeed, Jin Muchen had not misjudged. The young man seemed to be the backbone of their group.
Fang Bo warmly shook hands with the leader while the latter casually extended his hand in return, exuding a natural aristocratic air.
The leading middle-aged man was surnamed Zhang, and he had a long-standing relationship with Fang Bo. His visit to the United States was initially incidental, stumbling upon Fang Bo's shop and purchasing some fine items, thus sparking a lasting friendship. Almost every year since, he made several visits to Fang Bo's store.
"By the way, Fang, have you acquired any good items recently? Show them to everyone."
After some pleasantries, they swiftly got to the point. Fang Bo wasted no time, flipping the 'open' sign at the door and retrieving a few small boxes from behind the counter.
Gathering around, they opened the boxes to reveal several exquisite jade carvings and plaques, unmistakably made from Hetian jade.
While Jin Muchen didn't fully understand, he found the antique jade pieces quite beautiful. On the other hand, Mr. Zhang and his companions were already critiquing them.
"These are splendid! Look at this pair of fish bringing happiness, the craftsmanship is superb. And the Hetian jade quality is impeccable, flawless white jade, aged Hetian jade. See the coloration and the patina, exquisite."
"Yes, the craftsmanship is indeed excellent. It appears to be from the Qing Dynasty."
"What do you mean 'appears'? It is from the Qing Dynasty..."
Mr. Zhang and the other two fat gentlemen were enthusiastically discussing the Hetian jade plaques and carvings, clearly pleased with the pieces.
Doing antique business in America, especially for someone like Fang Bo running a shop, was different from China. Here, everything was priced clearly, unlike in China where sellers often inflated prices and buyers had to haggle, risking being deceived if they weren't knowledgeable.
But such practices were illegal in America. Therefore, antique shops here typically had clear prices, and even then, the prices were nearly a quarter lower than similar antiques in China.
Before coming, Mr. Zhang had already explained the rules to the other gentlemen, so they weren't worried. Fang Bo wouldn't arbitrarily raise prices. Seeing something they liked, they could freely express interest without concern. After all, the prices were clearly marked, and for big-time buyers like them, it was hardly a concern.
However, Mr. Wang seemed uninterested in these jade pieces. After they were displayed, he barely glanced at them, clearly not paying much attention.
At this moment, Mr. Zhang quickly caught on to the vibe. Seeing Mr. Wang's lack of interest, he promptly turned to Fang Bo.
"Fang, do you have any other good items? Don't keep them hidden; we've come a long way, and showing just these jade pieces won't suffice."
Fang Bo had been waiting for this moment. He turned and went to the back, soon bringing out an antique redwood box. The exquisite carvings on the box exterior accentuated the preciousness of its contents.
As he opened the box in front of everyone, the golden silk lining instantly elevated the items inside.
Jin Muchen, who had been serving tea on the side, nearly dropped the teapot when he saw the open-mouthed bowl with yellow ground and pink dragon motifs inside the box. This was the same bowl he had shown Fang Bo just half an hour ago.
Initially, it was simply packed in a cardboard box, but now, with Fang Bo's presentation, its status skyrocketed, catching the full attention of the others.
Even Mr. Wang, who had remained impassive, couldn't help but shift his gaze to the bowl.
"Hehe, Mr. Zhang, Mr. Wang, take your time to look. This is a Yongzheng yellow ground and pink dragon open-mouthed bowl that I recently acquired."
Fang Bo seemed to address Mr. Zhang but mainly focused on Mr. Wang. He had already noticed that Mr. Wang was the key figure among the group.
"Wow! What a remarkable item! Fang, why didn't you show us this when we first came in?"
Mr. Zhang was excited. He picked up the bowl, carefully examining it, while the other gentlemen gathered around, awaiting Mr. Zhang's explanation.
Meanwhile, Mr. Wang, seated next to Mr. Zhang, remained silent, but his eyes were fixated on the bowl, clearly intrigued.
Mr. Zhang seemed knowledgeable. He began appraising the bowl for everyone.
"Yes, this bowl has vibrant colors, impeccable condition. Although there's a slight chip on the mouth, it's not very noticeable and has been skillfully repaired. The porcelain body is finely crafted, delicate, and lightweight, with a bright, exquisite white. The glaze is moist and even, smooth and flawless. Looking at the bottom, though it's marked as made during the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty, it actually confirms that this bowl is an authentic piece from the Yongzheng period. Moreover, it bears the five-clawed dragon motif, likely indicating it was a practical item used by the imperial court back then..."
"Really? Old Zhang, let me see..."
The other gentlemen immediately gathered around to inspect the bowl, but they couldn't articulate much. It was evident they were novices in the field of antiques, unlike Mr. Zhang, who was more knowledgeable.
On the other side, Mr. Zhang and Mr. Wang were whispering while Mr. Zhang explained. Meanwhile, Mr. Wang's attention remained on the bowl. When his gaze swept over the other gentlemen, their attitudes shifted immediately. These fellows were astute; Mr. Wang's attitude was clear, and it would be foolish not to follow suit.
"Mr. Fang, this bowl has a damaged mouth; I don't think it's worth this price."
"Yeah, can you make it cheaper?"
These individuals, who initially didn't want the deal to go through, were now bargaining alongside Mr. Wang.
Even Jin Muchen, standing aside, began to doubt Mr. Wang's identity as he watched everyone fawn over him, treating him like royalty, almost as if they were trying to impress him. Could Mr. Wang be a member of the elite?
Hmm, it seemed quite likely.
Meanwhile, Mr. Zhang turned to Fang Bo with a smile. "Fang, we've known each other for a long time. While this bowl is indeed exceptional, can you lower the price a bit? My friends here are straightforward people. Since we're becoming friends today, you can expect us to frequent your store in the future."
"Yeah, just a little discount! We'll all be friends from now on, and we'll definitely come to your store often!"
"Exactly, harmony brings prosperity! Give a little, gain a friend!"
The group immediately chimed in, urging Fang Bo to offer a discount. Fang Bo rubbed his chin, smiling wryly and shaking his head.
"Well, since Old Zhang is my loyal customer and you all are my new friends, I'll reduce the price. Let's settle on $28,000. I can't go any lower; otherwise, I'd be at a loss!"
Listening to Fang Bo, Jin Muchen couldn't help but sigh at Fang Bo's cunning. He had never seen this side of Fang Bo in business before.
But
then again, wasn't this how antique business worked? You don't open shop for years, and when you finally do, you aim to make up for lost time!
"$28,000? In recent auctions in China, similar items have fetched anywhere between a few hundred thousand to over a million. Your bowl, being relatively small and slightly damaged, I think $30,000 is a bit high."
It was Mr. Wang who spoke this time. The one who criticizes the goods is likely the one who wants to buy them. Fang Bo immediately realized that there was a deal to be made here. Seeing Mr. Wang's interest, the other gentlemen fell silent, hoping Mr. Wang's negotiations would lower the price, giving them a chance to swoop in later.
Mr. Wang glanced at the bowl on the table and then at the eager faces of the other gentlemen beside him. Once his gaze returned to the bowl, the other gentlemen's attitudes immediately changed. These folks were sharp; Mr. Wang's intentions were obvious, and it would be foolish not to follow suit.
"Fang, your bowl has a chip, and I don't think it warrants this price."
"Yeah, can you make it cheaper?"
The ones who initially weren't keen on closing the deal were now bargaining alongside Mr. Wang.
Even Jin Muchen, standing on the side, began to wonder about Mr. Wang's identity as he observed everyone fawning over him, treating him like royalty, almost as if they were trying to curry favor with him. Could Mr. Wang be a scion of the red aristocracy?
Hmm, it seemed quite possible.
Meanwhile, Mr. Zhang turned to Fang Bo with a smile. "Fang, we go way back. While this bowl is indeed impressive, could you perhaps lower the price a bit? My friends here are straightforward. Now that we're becoming friends, you can count on us to frequent your store."
"Yeah, just a slight discount! We're all friends now, and we'll surely patronize your store often!"
"Exactly, harmony leads to prosperity! If you take a step back, we'll be friends!"
The group immediately started chiming in, urging Fang Bo to offer a discount. Fang Bo rubbed his chin, smiling wryly and shaking his head.
"Well, considering Old Zhang's patronage and you all becoming my new friends, I'll cut the price. Let's settle on $28,000. I can't go lower; otherwise, I'd be at a loss!"
Hearing Fang Bo's words, Jin Muchen couldn't help but marvel at Fang Bo's shrewdness. It was the first time he had seen this side of Fang Bo in business.
But then again, wasn't this how the antique business worked? After years of closure, when you finally opened, you aimed to make up for lost time!