The condition of the three lamps can be described as completely rejuvenated. The rust on the lamp bases has completely disappeared, and the cracks on the lampshades are now spotless, without a hint of fracture.
As soon as he took the three lamps out of the amethyst space, he immediately felt a sense of relief throughout his body. The soreness and fatigue that had plagued him just moments ago vanished in an instant.
Indeed, it seemed that these three lamps were related to his sudden exhaustion. It appeared that restoring these old antiques was not an easy task, as evidenced by the fact that he slept for over a dozen hours.
Realizing this, he quickly retrieved his phone and noticed several missed calls from Candice. He promptly returned the call and reassured her before proceeding.
At that moment, Fangbo happened to bring up the ginger tea he had brewed. Handing it to him, Fangbo's eyes immediately lit up upon seeing the three lamps placed on his bedside.
"What treasures are these? Where did you find them?" Fangbo inquired eagerly, circling the lamps placed on the table. Mu Chen pinched his nose, downed the bowl of ginger tea, then got up and approached Fangbo.
"These were acquired from Long Island..." He then recounted his encounter with Harvey and Mike on Friday, how they went to Harvey's vacation villa, and how he found out about the garage sale next door.
Of course, Mu Chen didn't dare mention that he obtained these lamps for free. Instead, he vaguely mentioned that they were covered in dust and looked very dilapidated, and that the owner was unaware of their value.
Finally, he mentioned how he had spent most of the night cleaning them up after returning yesterday evening. Fangbo glanced at the dirty water basin and the sponges and rags nearby, and believed his story.
Fangbo went downstairs to fetch a few light bulbs and installed them in the lamps, turning them on. Immediately, the room was illuminated.
"These are incredible finds! You, my boy, have extraordinary luck. Back when you chose to be my apprentice, it was indeed the right decision. You know, you may have hit the jackpot again this time, and it's a big one!" Fangbo exclaimed, turning off the lights and flipping the lamps over to examine the inscriptions underneath.
Mu Chen listened in astonishment. He had thought the lamps were valuable, but Fangbo's appraisal far exceeded his expectations. To think that Fangbo would say he had hit the jackpot again—could these lamps be some kind of treasure?
Carefully examining the first lamp, Mu Chen turned it over in his hands, trying to determine the material of the green lamp. After scrutinizing it for a while, Fangbo spoke up.
"I don't know about the other two, but this lamp is definitely the most valuable of the three."
"Why is that?" Mu Chen asked, scratching his head.
"You still have much to learn, my boy! This lamp is made of tortoiseshell, whereas the other two are simply made of bronze, brass, and glass. The material alone determines the value of this lamp."
"Ah, it's made of tortoiseshell? No wonder the material of this lamp seemed so strange to me. I studied it for half a day and still couldn't figure it out," Mu Chen said, scratching his head.
"Hehe, kid, looks like you're about to make a fortune..." Fangbo once again leaned in under the lampshade, scrutinizing it carefully, then muttered to Mu Chen, who listened in astonishment.
"Take a look here," Fangbo pointed to a very inconspicuous spot inside the lampshade and said to Mu Chen. Mu Chen leaned in and saw, to his surprise, a very small signature inside the lampshade.
louisfort-tiffany!
"Do you know who this guy is?" Fangbo asked, grinning at Mu Chen. Mu Chen shook his head like a rattle drum. With so many antique experts in China, he couldn't remember them all. How was he supposed to know this foreigner?
Fangbo directly smacked him on the head, then pointed at him with some annoyance. "You, you really are clueless. Haven't you heard of Tiffany?"
"Of course, I've heard of Tiffany. They mainly deal in jewelry, I know. They also produce lamps on the side, but I believe their main business is still diamonds and jewelry, right?"
"It seems you still have some studying to do. While I'm not an expert in Western antiques, Louis Comfort Tiffany, or Louis C. Tiffany, as he's known, is a notable figure in the Western antique world!" Fangbo explained, shaking his head at Mu Chen, then proceeded to elaborate.
It turns out that Louis Comfort Tiffany was the son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, the founder of Tiffany & Co., and also the second-generation head of the company.
Originally, Louis didn't want to be a jeweler; he wanted to be a painter. However, due to family obligations, he eventually took over the family business and managed it quite successfully.
But alongside his jewelry business, he also had his own interests and pursuits, one of which was producing and designing stained glass.
In 1886, he established his own stained glass manufacturing company. At that time, America was experiencing rapid development, with many cities constructing churches that desired the stained glass windows used in European churches.
Taking advantage of this trend, his stained glass company flourished. After the market for stained glass became saturated, he turned to making handmade vases and lamps with stained glass.
Louis wasn't just a simple businessman; he was also an artist, a design master. He personally designed and produced many stained glass vases and lamps.
Because he always considered light as a unique element in his designs, the stained glass patterns on his lampshades emitted a unique charm, making his works exceptionally exquisite and desirable, greatly sought after in the market.
Hence, there was a saying back then about Tiffany: Women hoped to own a set of Tiffany jewelry, while men hoped to have a Tiffany lamp.
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Tiffany lamps had gained considerable fame in the United States and even worldwide. Many people were willing to pay a fortune for Tiffany's works. At this point, due to his advanced age and the heavy responsibilities of managing the company, Tiffany rarely personally designed and manufactured works anymore.
"Moreover, during that time, with the changing times, high-power fluorescent lamps started becoming popular. People thought that Tiffany's works could no longer meet their daily needs, nor reflect the effects of contemporary art. But he alone firmly believed in his own works and artistic style, always standing out from the rest, and he was sure to be revitalized in the future. Starting from the 1970s, his firm belief, along with the changing trends, turned into reality. His works began to be recognized and sought after anew. And now, his genuine works are even harder to come by!"
"Did you know about this?" Mu Chen said after listening to Fangbo's explanation.
"Otherwise, what do you think? Louis Comfort Tiffany is a famous contemporary American artist, a design master. Nowadays, his works are often hard to find, and many collectors specifically seek out the glass bricks, lamps, and vases he designed and made back then. His works, even a common glass brick, start at a hundred thousand dollars!" Fangbo said to Mu Chen, who was stunned. A single glass brick costing a hundred thousand dollars to start?
"Yeah! Starting at a hundred thousand dollars. Because this Louis Comfort Tiffany is American, you see? So his works are quite popular among American collectors." Fangbo continued, likening it to the Chinese preference for simple and elegant blue-and-white porcelain or antique landscape paintings. Once national pride is involved, the value of many antiques immediately changes.
With three exquisitely crafted lamps like these, wouldn't they be worth several hundred thousand dollars? Now he was really going to make a fortune! Mu Chen felt his heart trembling uncontrollably.
"These three lamps of yours are exceptionally well-crafted, and with Louis's signature on them, they should have been made in 1907. By then, he rarely personally participated in the design and production of Tiffany lamps. These should be his masterpieces from that period. After all, that was the golden age of his artistic career. And because it was towards the end, the prices should be reasonable. But as for the exact value, I really can't say. After all, I'm only half knowledgeable about Western antiques. If you want to sell them, I'll give Rick a call later, you can take them to him and let him contact the buyers for you. Such valuable items, I don't think he'll turn them down!" Fangbo looked at Mu Chen and said. Mu Chen nodded repeatedly. That would be great.
The next day, Mu Chen took his first day off and didn't go to the delivery center to work. Instead, he drove straight to Citybarn Antiques in SoHo.
When he arrived, old Rick was already waiting for him in the store. He had received a call from Fangbo yesterday, saying that Fangbo's nephew had brought in three exquisite lamps personally made by Louis Comfort Tiffany, and he couldn't sleep all night out of excitement.
After all, it wasn't easy to catch a glimpse of Tiffany's masterpieces these days. Many of the master's works were now collected by various wealthy individuals, and it wasn't easy to see them.