Reborn Treasure Appraiser: I Really Didn’t Want to Be an Expert

Chapter 45 Adding a little confidence

Wang Qizhi stared at Lin Sicheng, somewhat incredulous.

“Cloisonné is a miscellaneous ware, but strictly speaking, it is also a bronze ware!”

"Professor Wang, I know!"

"I mean: Professor Lin has also studied it?"

Lin Sicheng paused: I can’t let grandpa take the blame this time, otherwise it will be exposed in a minute.

He thought for a moment and said, "I learned it from a book."

Come again?

Wang Qizhi sighed: "Lin Sicheng, do you dare to bullshit again?"

"Professor Wang, it's true!"

Lin Sicheng said seriously, "Professor Zhu Jiaqi of the Palace Museum's 'A Study of Ming and Qing Dynasty Court Enamel Ware', BJ Enamel Factory, the National Arts and Crafts Association's 'Eight Wonders of Yanjing: Cloisonné', and Professor Zhang Tonglu, a master of Chinese arts and crafts,' 'The Art of Chinese Cloisonné'..."

Before he could finish, Wang Qizhi suddenly waved his hand: "Stop!"

What are a few books on art appraisal theory related to cloisonné?
Didn’t Lin Sicheng also point out the flaws in the paper on iron protection that was published just last year?

But the same thing goes: if you can reach Lin Sicheng's level by reading a few books, then any college student who has taken courses related to appreciation, cultural heritage protection, and archaeology can become an appraisal and cultural heritage protection expert.

There is no need for a teacher to teach you.

But the problem is that Lin Sicheng's level is really very high: if it is true as the eldest brother and An Ning said, that he could only barely see the two fish at the bottom of the basin, he might not have noticed it.

Therefore, if Wang Qizhi had not learned it from a book, he would not be able to find any other reason for Lin Sicheng.

After thinking for a moment, Wang Qizhi suddenly sighed, "What about the Qing History Draft and the Qing Palace Archives?"

Lin Sicheng blurted out, "I read it in the school library. I memorized it for a long time!"

Wang Qizhi opened his mouth and wanted to curse: Who the hell would carry this?
Can you recite it? Can you recite it?

Forget it, he's just a piece of shit, he can cover up a lie faster than he can make one up.

"Why didn't you go when the pots were being sold?"

"After being bitten by a dog, shouldn't I go to the hospital for a checkup first?"

Wang Qizhi's eyelids jumped: "Where did you bite?"

"That was almost it. I only bit off half of my trouser leg!"

He breathed a sigh of relief and pointed at the sunflower plate:
"Forget it, I won't ask about anything else, but since you're the one selling the things, you have to be responsible. My request isn't high: please ask Professor Lin to help repair the glaze on these two fish..."

It’s best to use traditional methods for glazing, filling, and blueing… I’ll find any raw materials you need, and Professor Lin can name the restoration fee…”

"It's not a high request!" Lin Sicheng nodded and glanced at it for a few seconds. "But you don't need Grandpa to help. I can do it... You don't even have to pay for the repairs."

What the hell?
Lin Sicheng, is this a question of whether to pay or not?
Wang Qizhi opened his eyes wide and asked, "Did you hear what I said?"

"Hear that clearly: traditional glaze mixing, traditional glaze filling, traditional blueing... In simple terms: minimal intervention, restoring the original form as much as possible, while preserving as much of the original historical traces as possible..."

Lin Sicheng said seriously, "Professor Wang, I'm not lying to you, I really can do it!"

Nonsense, who can't speak with their mouth?
Wang Qizhi did not doubt Lin Sicheng's level of appreciation, but when it came to restoration... this was not a question of how smart or easy to learn, or whether he had followed Professor Lin into the laboratory several times and had personally witnessed Professor Lin repair things several times.

You have to do it yourself, practice over and over again, correct mistakes and make corrections over and over again, and accumulate experience day by day... It is no exaggeration to say that without more than ten or twenty years of restoration experience, who dares to say that he is good at this?
Wang Qizhi squinted his eyes and said, "Lin Sicheng, this is the ancient method of blue-dotting: it requires filling the glaze in layers, firing in layers, and repeatedly testing the glaze ratio and firing temperature.

Moreover, the composition, oxidation degree and color change range of each layer of blue glaze are different. Only after the previous layer is successfully fired can the glaze ratio of the next layer be adjusted.

The most crucial thing is: you don’t know what the appropriate temperature should be for each cycle, yet you must achieve precise temperature control of the kiln.”

Isn’t it very contradictory?

To put it bluntly: it is too old and its origin is unknown, so it is impossible to speculate what kind of environment the original artifact has experienced and what kind of rust and oxidation process it has undergone.

Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the temperature range of the original piece during each firing. It is also difficult to determine the temperature required for the restoration to fully react with the various components of the new glaze and achieve the texture and saturation of the original glaze. However, the original glaze cannot be degraded due to excessively high temperatures.

The point is that there is no good solution, so we can only rely on the restorer's experience and improvise.

The question arises again: Where does Lin Sicheng get his experience?
"Professor Wang, I do have experience: my grandfather has a small studio at home with an electric kiln and glazes, and I often use them to practice."

After a brief pause, Lin Sicheng sighed again: "Besides, no matter how difficult this copper plate is to manipulate, can it be more difficult than the iron certificate? Even without anyone to teach me, I didn't find it that difficult to learn..."

Wang Qizhi leaned back suddenly, and all the words he had prepared were stuck in his throat.

Social science institutions have only just begun to research ironware-related protection and restoration techniques, and only a handful of papers have been published. Doesn't Lin Sicheng understand it?

And don't be too good at it: know how to test, how to analyze, what method is the fastest, and understand systematic maintenance procedures.

No one taught him, and he didn't read it from a book, so where did he learn it from?

In comparison, with the master Professor Lin teaching by example and giving advice in person, shouldn't we learn the knowledge of ceramic restoration faster and better?
The logic is correct, but Wang Qizhi always feels that the logic is wrong.

For example: Einstein solved the problem of the photoelectric effect when he was just twenty years old?

"Professor Wang, how about we give it a try first?"

Seeing that he was a little hesitant, Lin Sicheng blinked his eyes, and there was a hint of temptation in his tone, "If possible, let's borrow the ceramics group's laboratory first, a small one will do.

It doesn't take long, one to two hours. You can first see the finished product after multiple sintering of the sample glaze layer, and then compare it with the original glaze layer. At the same time, you can also test the safe temperature range of the original glaze layer after entering the furnace..."

Wang Qizhi's eyes lit up: Yes, why should we argue with Lin Sicheng here?

Whether it is a mule or a horse, you will know by taking it out for a walk, right?

He immediately stood up and took out his cell phone: "Let's go!"

I like Professor Wang’s attitude of doing things as soon as he says they will happen, without any hesitation or procrastination.

Lin Sicheng closed the box in a rather servile manner and held it in his arms.

Li Zhen was a little puzzled and kept making eye contact, as if asking: If it is inconvenient for Professor Lin, you can just refuse, right?

It was difficult to explain at the moment, so Lin Sicheng smiled.

There are so many research results and patented technologies in my mind. It would be a shame not to use them.

But this requires time, a process, a suitable excuse, and more importantly: a partner who is professional enough, has a strong background, and has a character above the passing line.

Although they had only collaborated a limited number of times, Lin Sicheng increasingly felt that Professor Wang was quite good.

So when necessary, we must give potential partners a little more confidence.

For example now...

(End of this chapter)