golden ear

Chapter 134
"Look, here is the AB certificate for antiques issued by the Hong Kong Appraisal Association!" Zhai Jianmin took out two notebooks and asked Wu Tianyuan to read them.

"The so-called B certificate is a hundred-year certificate, which means that your item is more than a hundred years old, and it is an old object!"

"The A certificate is a certificate to determine the specific age, and it is recognized by the whole pedestrian. This is our Hong Kong rule."

The three chatted for more than two hours. Wu Tianyuan gained a deeper understanding of Hong Kong through Zhai Jianmin, which was one of the important goals of this trip.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to meet some friends. Lao Zhai, you take my brother around, and I won't participate."

After dinner, Wang Dagang explained before returning to the room, and let the two of them move about by themselves.Zhai Jianmin looked at Wu Tianyuan's look of anticipation, and said with a smile: "I just happen to take you to meet some old seniors tomorrow, Boss Ye from Minqiu Jingshe, you have been looking forward to it for a long time, right?"

"That is, the main purpose of coming to Hong Kong is to see the real masters!"

Wu Tianyuan excitedly said: "The king of huanghuali, Ye Chengyao, Tianmin Lou Ge Hong, and the old man Zhang Zongxian who will come back the day after tomorrow, the well-known big shot of Minqiu Jingshe."

Min Qiu Jing She is a collector group established in 1960. Its members are a group of Hong Kong collectors who are obsessed with collecting Chinese cultural relics and artworks. They have unique collections in Chinese calligraphy, painting and various cultural relics.We often cooperate with different organizations to organize lectures, seminars and exhibitions, and make the members' collection results and appreciation experience public.

Established in 1960, initiated by Hu Renmu, Chen Guangfu and others, the current site is located in Baoyun Building, Hong Kong.Based on the classic exposition in "The Analects of Confucius. Shu Er Pian", "I am not born to know, but I am also a person who seeks ancient wisdom", they named the collection association "Minqiu Jingshe", and "study art, taste Appreciation of cultural relics" is the purpose of Minqiu.

The members of Minqiu have assembled a group of celebrities who are not only pillars of society, but also outstanding collectors.Their collections are not only high-level and influential, but to a certain extent can be said to be world-renowned.

For example, the paintings and calligraphy of Lezaixuan, Beishantang, and Xuanhuitang; the ceramics of Jiudelou, Tianminlou, and Guan Shanming; the collections of Xu Zhantang and Mai Yali; and the ancient Chinese furniture of Gongyushanfang, etc.

Members gather twice a month on a regular basis. Minqiu is well-organized and has high requirements for membership. First, personal collections must be high-grade, and second, character must be good.When recruiting new members, unanimous approval is required, and a "black ball" is not allowed.The atmosphere of the meeting is very democratic, and the affairs of the meeting are managed democratically. The chairman is elected for a term of two years. At the same time, some inland cultural and museum experts and famous overseas collectors are also hired as honorary members.Although the number of minqiu is less than 37, it definitely represents the highest level of collection in Hong Kong.

"Minqiu Jingshe has very distinctive personal collections, such as the collection of monochromatic glaze wares from official kilns of the Qing Dynasty by the first chairman Hu Renmu, the collection of rhino horn carvings carved from bamboo by Dr. Ye Yi, the collection of Yixing ceramic tea sets by Luo Guixiang, and the collection of Ming and Qing furniture by Ye Chengyao. Li Daming’s high ancient porcelain collection in Jiurutang, Ming and Qing official kiln porcelain collections by Ge Shiqiao and his son in Tianminlou, Xu Zhantang’s porcelain collections from past dynasties, etc.

Zhai Jianmin praised: "Everyone's collection is magnificent. There are hundreds or even hundreds of exquisite works. Anyone can set up a museum!"

"For example, Xu Zhantang, who started from scratch in Hong Kong in 1991, founded the first local private museum - the Hong Kong Xu Museum of Art, and donated many Chinese art museums named after Xu Zhantang around the world. He is known as the world's top ten collectors and is one of them. The only Chinese."

Xu Zhantang has a collection of more than 5000 pieces, including ceramics, bronzes, jades, furniture, dental horns and other categories.As far as the porcelain in its collection is concerned, it ranges from the Machang type and Banshan type painted pottery pots of the Majiayao Culture in the Neolithic period to the hexagonal vases with yellow-ground blue and white clouds and dragons holding birthday pictures in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. The system is complete and compact.

The relationship between Xu Zhantang and the museum is not shallow. Including the Xu Art Museum, Xu Zhantang supported the construction of seven exhibition halls by donating collections and related funds.

Abroad, there are "Xu Zhantang Chinese Art Gallery" in the Victoria and Albert Museum in the United Kingdom, "Xu Zhantang Chinese Art Gallery" in the National Gallery of Australia, and "Xu Zhantang Chinese Art Gallery" in the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada.

In the mainland, he contributed US$100 million to help the Shanghai Museum build a ceramics museum, and donated collections to set up the Xu Zhantang Ceramics Museum; shortly thereafter, when he learned that the Nanjing Museum had difficulties in building a new art museum, he generously promised to donate US$80 for the bronze museum and For the construction of the Ceramics Museum, Nanjing Museum not only has the "Xu Zhantang Ming and Qing Porcelain Museum", but also employs Xu Zhantang as the honorary dean.

"Before Hong Kong's return to the motherland, people were moved. There were not a few people who immigrated or planned to emigrate. In the Hong Kong collection circle at that time, some collectors had already packed their collections and prepared to ship them abroad. When the director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage led a delegation to visit in 1988 When we were in Hong Kong, Xu Zhantang invited colleagues from Minqiu Jingshe to take the initiative to invite Zhang Deqin and his colleagues to visit Minqiu Jingshe’s meeting house."

Zhai Jianmin recalled: "Xu Zhantang asked Zhang Deqin directly, after the return of Hong Kong, will the Mainland's "Cultural Relics Protection Law" be extended to Hong Kong? Can Hong Kong's cultural relics still be able to leave the country freely? After receiving a clear answer from the leader, the majority of collectors will Develop with peace of mind and prevent the bad consequences of a cultural relics outflow."

Zhai Jianmin said with a smile: "I also worked hard until last year to become an honorary member of Minqiu Jingshe. It's not official yet! I'm already a relatively young person. I'm optimistic about you, brother! Maybe in a few years you will be the youngest official member!"

Wu Tianyuan nodded, this is also the direction of his efforts, so to make more money, the older generation of collectors are getting old, and the descendants don't like to collect much, and the collection in hand is facing an important moment of shortage.

In the early 80s, Sotheby's Hong Kong held two exclusive auctions for the collection of the great collector Qiu Yanzhi, which triggered a bidding boom.In the special auction of Qiu Yanzhi, there are many Ming Dynasty fine official kilns, large and small, such as Ming Xuande blue and white group phoenix pattern rib mouth wash, Ming Xuande blue and white bowl with folded branches and fruit pattern, Ming Chenghua blue and white Sanskrit wine cup, Ming Xuande white glaze bowl, etc. Many senior members of Qiujingshe purchased and collected.

In November 1984, shortly after the death of Dr. Ye Yi, Sotheby's held a special auction of his collection in Hong Kong. These collections include early Ming Dynasty porcelain, bronzes, bamboo carvings, rhinoceros horns, Song Dynasty albums, etc. The patterned bowl was sold at a high price of 11 million Hong Kong dollars.Many of the lots were purchased by members of Minqiu. For example, Ge Shiqiao, the owner of Tianmin, bought a Ming Yongle blue and white flower and fruit pattern plate.

In June 1985, Hu Renmu also handed over his collection to Sotheby's in New York for a special auction. There were a total of 6 pieces of Ming and Qing porcelains in the auction. Among them, a Ming Jiajing multicolored fish and algae jar was hammered at 79 million US dollars, setting a record for Chinese porcelain at that time. The record for the highest price at auction.

After 7 years, Hu Renmu submitted the remaining one to Sotheby's for auction, and the result was 260 million US dollars, which set a new high price for Chinese porcelain.In Hong Kong, many of the high-priced Chinese artworks traded in the art market were purchased in a low-key manner by brokers entrusted by members of Minqiu Jingshe.

Wu Tianyuan plans to wait for the older generation to die, and he will take over!Take back all important collections, put them in Tianyuan Museum, and keep them in their hometown forever.

"Go to bed early, Mr. Zhang will come back the day after tomorrow. You are also acquaintances, and we will have a chance to meet in the future. First, I will take you to meet Mr. Ye. His Ming-style furniture is unique, no worse than Mr. Wang Shixiang's. There is also Tianminlou's." Ge Lao, there are hundreds of pieces of blue and white, absolutely shocking."

Zhai Jianmin left and made an appointment to take Wu Tianyuan to see it tomorrow. Wu Tianyuan was very excited, and it was another good opportunity to absorb the energy of the Ming Dynasty.Especially in Tianmin Building, there are dozens of Ming blue and white flowers, more than museums, which is one of the reasons why he came to Hong Kong.

(End of this chapter)