Chapter 422: The Return Channel of Antiques
"Ladies and gentlemen, good morning, welcome to Sotheby's New York. Today is the first day of the New York autumn auction. This is the Sotheby's classic furniture auction. I hope everyone can gain something and return with a rewarding experience!
I am the auctioneer Brad, presiding over this auction. The rules are announced below. This auction is a British auction. I will announce the starting price and minimum increase of the lot. The bidders start from the starting price and bid from low to high! ..."
The auctioneer began to announce the auction rules aloud, and many bidders listened intently.
Only Ye Tian was not listening, flipping through the auction catalog in his hand, looking at the pictures and information of each lot and didn't care about the auction rules.
The antiques he sent for auction have reserve prices and if the bids fail to reach the reserve prices, they will automatically cancel the auction, so he don't worry.
Moreover, the reserve price set by him is not low, basically equivalent to the market price, which is just a little lower. No one should take advantage of it. There is no way!
More importantly, he has no interest in participating in the bidding at all. He just came to feel the atmosphere. After all, it was the first auction and he should come and see how it was.
As he looked through the catalogue of the lot, a whisper was heard from time to time next to him.
Mr. Li, who is engaged in the Internet, is translating auction rules for Ma Weidu and another domestic collector, neither of whom understand English.
About ten minutes later, Brad introduced the auction rules and many precautions and the auction officially started!
The eyes of all the bidders on the scene suddenly lit up, all staring at Brad on the stage and the big projection screen next to the auction stage.
This is a special auction of antique furniture. Many of the furniture are relatively large in size and not light in weight. Some are complete sets of furniture and cannot be displayed on site at all, so they can only be displayed by projection.
Before participating in this auction, the vast majority of bidders have visited the warehouses and conducted careful identification studies. Most of the buyers have a clear mind and can be targeted!
But for Ye Tian, this way of showing made him lose an opportunity.
If those antique furniture are on the scene, maybe he can discover some hidden secrets, or find furniture that is seriously underestimated and maybe pick up a few omissions.
But these antique furniture are not on the scene and his perspective ability is useless. He can only observe and wait for the auction results!
"Ladies and gentlemen, the auction is now starting. The first lot is a side table, from Paris, France. It was made at the end of the 19th century. It is a typical neoclassical style furniture! It has a unique shape and superb carving!"
Brad started to introduce the first lot, speaking quickly and loudly, so everyone present could hear it clearly.
The bidders who are interested in this side table are already excited and eager to try, waiting for the introduction and the bidding officially begins.
"OK! Ladies and gentlemen, the starting price of this side table is 20,000 US dollars, and the price increase shall not be less than 1,000 US dollars. Now the bidding starts, 20,000 US dollars, 20,000 US dollars, does anyone respond?"
Brad quoted the starting price, shouting like a cascade!
At the same time as the offer, his head also began to quickly turn left and right, patrolling the many bidders in the audience, his eyes were very sharp, to see if anyone raised a placard to ask for the price.
There are also two people on both sides of the auction table staring at the many bidders on the spot, ready to remind Brad at any time so as not to miss the bidders!
There were two to three hundred people sitting in the entire auction hall and nearly two hundred bidding plates were issued. An auctioneer simply couldn't keep an eye on it. He must have a helper!
In addition to the numerous bidders who went to the site in person, there were also many telephone and online bidders who were bidding remotely through the phone and the Internet.
There are two rows of computers and telephones on the sides of the auction hall against the wall.
More than a dozen Sotheby's staff are standing there, waiting for instructions from the phone or computer, ready to raise placards to respond to prices.
When Brad reported the price of the first lot, the scene immediately became restless and the other end of the phone and computer also began to restlessly.
The auction hall began to heat up and people's emotions became more and more excited!
This is the charm of on-site auctions. When fierce bidding unfolds and under the control of excitement, the decisions people make are not necessarily the result of rational thinking!
And this is exactly what auction houses and sellers want to see! The more intense the competition, the better!
Someone raised the bid number plate! Followed by Brad's voice.
"OK! Someone responds for $20,000. It's No. 115, a beautiful lady, thank you! Now $21,000, $21,000, which lady or gentleman should respond?"
Brad's shout was uninterrupted, full of breath and passion! The guns fire like a blast!
On the telephone entrusted side, a Sotheby's staff member raised the bidding number plate.
"Someone bid for $21,000. It's a phone bid, No. 260! Now it's $22,000, $22,000. Does anyone ask for it? This is a classic antique furniture from Paris. It's rare. Don't miss it!"
Brad yelled quickly and kept bewitching and inciting the offer, trying to attract more competitors to participate in the bidding.
Soon, someone raised the bidding number plate, the atmosphere on the spot became more and more heated and the competition gradually began to intensify!
After nearly ten rounds of bidding, the auction of this side table has come to the final stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, is there anyone else asking for the price? The first time for $40,000, the second time, the third time, sold! The deal! $38,000! Mr. 156, congratulations!"
Brad quickly completed the countdown. Seeing that there was no more bid, he immediately waved his right hand and knocked the auction mallet down and at the same time stretched out his left hand and gestured to the location of No. 156.
"boom!"
The final word, the first antique furniture was sold.
Then, the big screen showed a second piece of antique furniture.
This is an antique desk made in New York on a mahogany wood floor. It was made in the early twentieth century. It has been passed down by several celebrities. It has an orderly heritage and is worth a little money!
The auction started soon, with a starting price of $42,000!
Ye Tian is not interested in these antique furniture that can't be seen.
He just learned about the situation, his attention quickly shifted, chatting with Betty in a low voice, waiting for his two antique furniture to appear.
The first few lots are all European and American antique furniture and Ma Weidu and the others are not very interested, they are talking in a low voice.
While chatting, these few turned their attention to Ye Tian again.
"Ye Tian, I heard that you swept the entire Corridor 127. It's true? If it's true, then it's too exciting! You should rob these foreign devils severely and you should be revenge!
I watched the preview of the Sotheby's Chinese Porcelain Special Auction. There are a few porcelains that are very good. As far as I know, the Emperor Kangxi's imitation Ru kiln came out of your hands, right?
In the future, if you find antiques similar to top-quality porcelain, or traditional Chinese paintings, calligraphy, etc., don't give it to Sotheby's, just pass it to us, we will definitely give you the most reasonable price!
In this way, we can get the beloved boutique antiques and bring them back to our country and your kid can also get the benefits, so as not to let Sotheby's make money from both of us and even think about it!"
Mr. Ma interjected a few words, feeling quite a bit unhappy.
He was right. If an antique art passed through Sotheby's auction house, buyers and sellers would have to be stripped of the skin, which would add up to 30% or more of the auction price!
If he can save this money and put it in his own pocket, then it would be better!
"Mr. Ma, that Kangxi's Ru kiln is indeed mine. In addition, I have a few antique porcelains that will also appear in the Chinese porcelain auction, but they are not as refined as the Kangxi's Ru kiln!
Your suggestion is very good. We really don't need to let these foreign devils take the skin twice. When you come back, you leave a contact information. If I receive good Chinese antiques, I must contact you as soon as possible.
As for the Corridor 127, it is indeed true. In the face of our ancestors' strategy passed down for thousands of years, americans brain is not enough to see and it was indeed looted by me!"
Ye Tian smiled and said in a low voice, his pride was beyond words.
"Hahaha, good job!"
Mr. Ma and the others laughed softly and they were very happy.
At the same time, the eyes of a few of them suddenly lit up, shining straight, with excitement!
Despite his youth, this guy is a legendary professional treasure hunter. He has found a lot of heavyweight antique works of art, many of which are the best!
If they have a relationship with this guy, won't there be a steady stream of fine antiques in the future?
Moreover, this guy vision is extremely sharp and they has never seen it before. This can avoid the worry of buying fakes and save a lot of worry!
One more thing, the antique artworks bought from this guy are returned from Europe and the United States. Not only can they avoid a lot of trouble, they can also stand on the side of justice!
Where can they find such beautiful things? How can they miss it if them ran into it!
Thinking of this, Ma Weidu and the others immediately took out their mobile phones and exchanged contact information with Ye Tian.
Invisible, a channel for the return of Chinese antiques and cultural relics was formed so easily. Both sides benefited and everyone was happy!
Only Sotheby's auction house has lost a lot of business and lost a lot of profits. There is no doubt that them are the most unlucky ones!
But who can control them? Love it!
After putting away their phones, several people continued to chat in a low voice, not paying attention to the auction on the spot.
The two auctions shown one after another are still Western antique furniture and everyone is not interested.
"Ye Tian, talk about your experience in Corridor 127, we heared related rumors in China. It's a bit magical! Now that we encountered you here, you will tell us about it!"
Mr. Liu whispered, eyes full of excitement and curiosity.
"Okay, it's okay to talk about it! But the location is not right now, I will just say a few words, after this auction is over, let's talk more!"
Ye Tian smiled and nodded in agreement, and then began to narrate what happened in the Corridor 127.
Ten minutes later, six or seven pieces of antique furniture have been auctioned on the spot and there is no first-class auction. The auction went smoothly!
Another picture of antique furniture was projected on the big screen, and a full-scale and multi-angle display began!
At the same time, auctioneer Brad's voice followed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the next lot will be more special. This is an American rustic-style desk and a Duke chair, cherry wood made, from Chattanooga, Tennessee, made in 1925,..."
Hearing this, Ye Tian stopped talking and looked up at the big projection screen.
Finally it's the turn of his antique furniture! Don't know what price can be sold?