Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The dark, gilded silverware before her, though somewhat faded with age, exuded an undeniable aura of grandeur.
This object belonged to the Great Open Door, and one could immediately sense its profound historical significance and precious value.
A wave of indescribable shock and awe surged within Ma Zhao.
Changing her angle, she carefully admired the silverware from every side. The more she looked, the more astonished she became, and it increasingly reminded her of the top national treasure—the Tang Gilded Parrot Pattern Silver Kettle—housed in the Chang'an History Museum!
The Silver Jug before her was taller than the one in the museum, standing nearly centimeters high with a mouth diameter close to centimeters.
Its appearance featured a wide mouth and short neck, a round and bulging body, a trumpet-shaped foot, and a movable handle inserted into two gourd-shaped ears welded to the shoulder of the jug. The handle was adorned with diamond patterns.
The body of the jug was entirely decorated with parrots as the main subject, surrounded by flowering branches, forming two sets of balanced circular patterns. The parrot spread its wings among the flowers, lively and adorable, vividly depicted on both sides of the handle, while the remaining blank spaces were embellished with single flowering branches.
From a craftsmanship perspective, this Silver Jug employed at least seven techniques: hammering, casting, cutting, polishing, engraving, gilding, and welding.
It was evident that the creator was a highly skilled craftsman with unique ingenuity; this Silver Jug was likely a piece of courtware.
If it were an old artifact from the Tang Dynasty like the gilded handle Silver Jug in the history museum, then its value would be immeasurable!
Since Chen Zao stepped into the Treasure Hall this afternoon, Ma Zhao had been guessing what treasure Chen Zao had packed inside.
However, she never expected that Chen Zao had carelessly stuffed such an extraordinary treasure into his bag without any protective measures!
Did he even realize that this could very well be an artifact from the Tang Dynasty? Why such a casual wrapping?
He had just bought a BYD Tang and expressed his fondness for the Tang Dynasty; was he deliberately trying to let her hear that?
Ma Zhao silently observed Chen Zao for a moment. From Chen Zao's cryptic demeanor, she seemed to read something.
She guessed that there was a strong possibility Chen Zao knew about the origin of this treasure.
Based on her knowledge and understanding, it was almost impossible for this old object from the Great Open Door to have been collected by Chen Zao from the common folk.
The jar is too eye-catching; anyone with a bit of discernment can tell that this is a top-tier treasure!
Once this item is exposed to light, it will surely be snatched away by various collectors who are eager for it.
Today, Chen Zao brought it to the Treasure Hall, and it is likely that this is the first time this item has appeared on the market.
I remember Ma Fulong mentioning that both Chen Zao and Jindeli had an unusual aura about them, resembling that of experienced tomb raiders.
From this, Ma Zhaojun deduced that this Silver Jug was highly likely just unearthed by Chen Zao from a Tomb!
If Chen Zao is indeed a somewhat skilled tomb raider, he must have visited the Chang'an History Museum and certainly has some knowledge about antiques.
He must know that the appearance of this Silver Jug is identical to that of a national treasure in the museum, and it is even larger and more precious than that national treasure!
The Gilded Parrot Pattern Silver Kettle in the Chang'an Museum is known to be the largest and most exquisite Silver Jug from the Tang Dynasty discovered so far.
However, in comparison to Chen Zao's even larger and more exquisite Silver Jug, that national treasure pales in significance!
If that Silver Jug is a national treasure, then this Silver Jug is an unparalleled gem!
Of course, all of this hinges on whether this Silver Jug is truly an ancient artifact from the Tang Dynasty; if it's a replica or counterfeit, then it's worthless.
There are many methods to determine the age of such antiques.
The most commonly used method is to rely on experience for judgment.
Based on Ma Zhaojun's experience and keen eyesight, she felt that the aura of this Silver Pot was extraordinary, with an irreplaceable sense of antiquity etched into its surface, which is particularly rare.
The probability of this being a genuine article is exceedingly high.
Her heart couldn't help but surge with excitement.
On the surface, however, she maintained her composure and cautiously asked Chen Zao, "Mr. Chen, may I ask where you acquired this large Silver Jug?"
"What do you think?" Chen Zao asked Ma Zhao in response.
"I have never seen a Silver Jug this large; I can't guess its origin."
"Based on your insight, which dynasty do you think this item belongs to?"
Hearing Chen Zao's implication, Ma Zhao realized he couldn't play coy about the age of the Silver Pot. He replied, "This Silver Jug resembles the Tang Gilded Parrot Pattern Silver Kettle found in history museums, so it is likely from the Tang Dynasty."
Chen Zao nodded and further inquired, "What are the notable characteristics of silverware from the Tang Dynasty? Are they reflected in this piece?"
"The gold and silver items from the Tang Dynasty are often ornate and exquisite, with complex and refined craftsmanship. At that time, industries commonly employed techniques such as gilding, casting, welding, cutting, polishing, riveting, and plating, achieving a high level of manufacturing skill. In terms of forming objects, aside from casting, the Tang Dynasty predominantly used hammering techniques; this Silver Jug is a typical example of hammered formation."
Using the Silver Jug on the tea table as an example, Ma Zhao elaborated, "In fact, the shapes and decorative themes of gold and silver items serve not only to beautify vessels but also reflect certain characteristics of their era to varying degrees. This Silver Jug has a wide mouth, short neck, bulging belly, and round body with a trumpet-shaped foot. It features two gourd-shaped ears above the shoulder where the handle is inserted and welded inside. The overall shape conveys a sense of weightiness and fullness, easily evoking the Tang Dynasty's aesthetic preference for plumpness and its admiration for strength and health."
Chen Zao nodded in agreement. He felt similarly; such a plump and opulent Silver Jug would likely be most esteemed by people of the Tang Dynasty.
Ma Zhao continued, "The main decorative theme of this Silver Jug is the parrot. Due to their beauty and ability to speak, parrots were one of the favorite pets among nobles during the Tang Dynasty. The Ming Huang Miscellany records: 'During the Kaiyuan era, a white parrot was presented from Lingnan; it was raised in the palace for many years and became tame, intelligent and articulate; even the noble consorts called it 'Snowy Lady.' This shows how much people admired parrots at that time. Therefore, parrots became a favored subject for Tang craftsmen. This is also one of the significant characteristics of this Silver Jug's era."
Looking at the vividly carved parrot on the jug's body, Ma Zhao exclaimed, "Look at how this parrot is depicted—its wings poised for flight, lively and full; it's truly vivid! The various plant patterns are handled with an appropriate balance of complexity and simplicity in different forms. They not only enhance the parrot's vitality but also reflect the craftsmen's beautiful pursuit of life—pomegranates symbolize fertility, honeysuckle and curled grass signify prosperity, while grapes represent ethnic harmony and peaceful living due to their origins in foreign lands. This Silver Jug is very likely from the Tang Dynasty."
Unable to contain his shock and curiosity any longer, Ma Zhao broke the rules of the Treasure Hall and nervously asked Chen Zao, "Director Chen, I’m just making a random guess—please don’t take it to heart; I mean no offense. I just want to assist in determining this Silver Jug's age. Is it possible that this Silver Jug was excavated from underground as a Ming artifact?"
Comment 0 Comment Count