173: Chapter 173 Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

He picked up the magnifying glass, examined the glaze on the bowl's body, and pointed it out to the three seniors: "Everyone can see that the glaze on this bowl has fine, dense crackle patterns. These patterns formed naturally, spaced evenly, without any signs of artificial creation. The crackle patterns of the Ru Kiln were naturally produced during the firing and cooling process due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the glaze and the body. After centuries of oxidation and patina formation, these crackle patterns present varying shades—some areas yellowish, others brownish. This is the mark left by time, something no modern imitation can perfectly replicate."

Prof. Lin Ru couldn't help but speak up upon hearing this: "Little Hu is right. The crackle patterns of the Ru Kiln are indeed an important basis for authentication. While later imitations can also create crackle effects, those are often too uniform, lacking naturalness, and have a monotonous color, missing this layered depth accumulated over time."

Hu Tian nodded and continued: "Fourth, looking at the spur marks on the base."

He flipped the bowl over and pointed to the three tiny marks on the base: "Everyone can see that the base of this bowl has three sesame-seed spur marks, arranged neatly, small and clear. The sesame-seed spur firing technique is a unique firing method of the Ru Kiln. To ensure the integrity of the glaze, craftsmen used extremely fine spurs to support the vessel during firing, removing them afterward to leave these tiny marks. This technique is extremely rare among other kilns of the song dynasty and can be said to be one of the signature features of the Ru Kiln."

Seeing that the three seniors were listening intently, Hu Tian breathed a sigh of relief and continued: "Fifth, looking at the body material."

He pointed to a chip on the rim: "There is a small chip on the rim of this bowl, which exposes the internal body. As you can see, the body is incense-grey, with a fine and solid texture, free of any impurities. The clay for the Ru Kiln was sourced from unique local porcelain clay, and after fine washing and aging, it presents this unique incense-grey color after firing. This body color is an important feature that distinguishes the Ru Kiln from other kilns."

Professor Ma Yunhe picked up the magnifying glass, examined the chip carefully, and nodded after a moment: "Indeed, this incense-grey body is truly a typical feature of the Ru Kiln. Moreover, looking at the cross-section, the body is dense with no air bubbles, which indicates that the firing temperature was very well controlled."

Known for his rigor and rarely praising students to their faces, Professor Ma Yunhe could not hide the excitement in his eyes, his voice rising a few decibels: "Good! Very good! The density of this body is as if it has been compressed by time. I have studied song dynasty porcelain for a lifetime, and today I have finally seen a living textbook!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding students gasped; for Prof. Ma to praise it so effusively, the weight of this broken bowl could be imagined.

Hu Tian smiled slightly and continued: "Sixth, and this is the most critical point, looking at the crystalline structure of the glaze layer."

His tone became more professional: "The glaze layer of the Ru Kiln contains a large amount of agate components. During the high-temperature firing process, these agate components form a special crystalline structure. Observing through a magnifying glass, one can see fine bubbles and crystals inside the glaze layer. These bubbles vary in size and are unevenly distributed; some cluster together, while others are sparsely scattered, forming an effect like 'stars in the morning sky.' This crystalline structure is a microscopic feature of the Ru Kiln glaze layer and is also one of the important bases for authenticating the Ru Kiln."

He paused and continued: "In addition, from the chip, one can clearly see a very thin layer of slip between the glaze and the body. The function of this slip is to make the glaze color more uniform and pure. When firing, Ru Kiln craftsmen would apply a very thin layer of slip on the surface of the body before applying the glaze. This way, the fired vessel would have a more warm and pure glaze color. This technique was also used in other kilns of the song dynasty, but the slip layer of the Ru Kiln is particularly thin, almost integrated with the body, which is a testament to the superb skills of the Ru Kiln craftsmen."

Hu Tian's tone softened slightly: "Looking at the thickness of the glaze layer, the glaze of this bowl is between 0.8 and 1 millimeter, uniform in thickness, with no signs of glaze piling or leaking. The glaze layer of the Ru Kiln emphasizes being 'as thick as piled grease,' but it cannot be too thick, otherwise, it would affect the aesthetics of the vessel. The thickness of this bowl's glaze layer is just right; it ensures the warmth of the glaze color without appearing bulky."

He pointed to another part of the bowl: "Everyone can also notice that there is a subtle orange-peel texture on the surface of the glaze. This is caused by the uneven surface tension of the glaze as it flows at high temperatures. This orange-peel texture is very common on Ru Kiln vessels; it is naturally formed, not artificially created. Although modern imitations can also create similar effects, they are often too uniform and lack this natural randomness."

Hu Tian added: "Finally, looking at the overall patina and signs of use."

He gently stroked the body of the bowl with his fingers: "After being passed down for hundreds of years, this bowl has formed a natural patina on its surface. This patina is warm and soft, not dazzling or ostentatious, possessing a sense of weight accumulated over time. Furthermore, judging by the wear marks on the rim and the base, this bowl must have been used for a long time. The worn areas are natural and smooth, without any signs of artificial aging."

He paused and summarized: "Combining the above points—the vessel shape, glaze color, crackle, spur marks, body material, glaze crystalline structure, slip, patina, and signs of use—I judge that this bowl is a genuine product of the Northern song dynasty Ru Kiln. Moreover, it is in perfect condition, with almost no other flaws except for a small chip on the rim. It can be said to be a rare treasure."

As soon as Hu Tian finished speaking, the whole room fell silent.

Immediately after, Elder Qin slapped his thigh, his eyes flashing with brilliance: "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Not only are the macro features grasped accurately, but even the microscopic changes of agate in the glaze and the thickness of the slip can be analyzed so logically. These insights, even if presented at a seminar at the Museum, would be enough to make those old guys shut up in amazement!"

Standing to the side, Shen Huairen's face instantly turned pale, and fine cold sweat oozed from his forehead.

He had originally thought that Hu Tian was just lucky to have picked up a bargain at Panjiayuan Antique Market and even wanted to use the experts to make him embarrass himself in public. But now, looking at Hu Tian, who was surrounded and highly praised by the three leading figures, he only felt his face burning with pain, as if he had been slapped hard several times.

He opened his mouth, wanting to nitpick but unable to find a single word, and could only stand there stiffly, like a superfluous joke.

Standing in the back row, Zhou Waner's beautiful eyes were sparkling, and her hands were unconsciously twisting the corner of her clothes.

She looked at the eloquent and confident Hu Tian, and the admiration in her heart surged like a tide—this man not only had a handsome appearance that made people's hearts beat, but also possessed peerless talent that was convincing; he was simply a perfect male god who walked out of a novel!

As for the other students, they were already completely confused.

Terms like "crystalline structure of the glaze layer," "thickness of the slip," and "orange-peel texture effect" were words they all recognized, but when combined, they were like heavenly books.

They looked at Hu Tian, then at the ordinary notebooks in their hands, and couldn't help but feel a strong sense of inferiority: they were all students, so why was the gap so large?

Elder Qin picked up the small bowl again, examined it carefully for a moment, and then slowly said: "Little Hu is right. This bowl, from all aspects, indeed meets the characteristics of the Ru Kiln. The shape is dignified, the glaze is warm, the crackle is natural, the spur marks are clear, the body is fine, and the patina is natural. It can be said to be a rare genuine Ru Kiln piece."

He paused, his tone carrying a touch of emotion: "Very few Ru Kiln pieces have been passed down. Currently, worldwide, there are no more than a hundred recognized genuine Ru Kiln pieces, most of which are collected in major Museums. Those that circulate among the people are even rarer. For Little Hu to be able to find such a genuine Ru Kiln piece at Panjiayuan Antique Market, I have to say, this is a great stroke of luck, and also a kind of fate."

Professor Ma Yunhe also nodded in agreement, staring at the bowl with burning eyes: "Indeed, Ru Kiln vessels have always been considered 'even with a family fortune of ten thousand strings of cash, it is not as good as a piece of Ru porcelain.' Nowadays, in the auction market, even a damaged Ru porcelain specimen can be auctioned for a sky-high price. Although this bowl has a small chip on the rim, the flaw does not obscure the beauty, and it is still a priceless treasure. Conservatively estimated, if taken to an international auction, the starting price would be at least over thirty million. If you meet a top collector who truly understands the trade, it is not impossible for the transaction price to break the sixty million mark!"

Thirty million to sixty million!

This number exploded in everyone's ears like a thunderclap.

The few students who had just thought this was just a "broken bowl" now had their eyes popping out, looking at Hu Tian as if they were looking at a walking vault.

Prof. Lin Ru said with some concern: "Little Hu, this bowl of yours is not only a priceless treasure in terms of money, but also a historical artifact carrying the pinnacle of song dynasty aesthetics. You must keep it safe and never let it get bumped or chipped."

Hearing the words of the three seniors, Hu Tian also felt a surge of excitement.

Although he had long known through his Treasure Hunting Radar that this bowl was a genuine Ru Kiln piece, receiving confirmation from three authoritative experts and even getting such an astonishing market valuation gave him a sense of accomplishment.

He nodded and said calmly: "Thank you to the three seniors for your guidance. I will keep it safe."

Elder Qin gently placed the bowl back on the table, then turned to look at the ashen-faced Shen Huairen beside him, and said lightly: "Xiao Shen, you proposed for Little Hu to take this bowl out for everyone to see today, which can be considered a good deed. It gave us old guys a chance to see a genuine Ru Kiln piece circulating among the people with our own eyes, so it was not a wasted trip. Come to think of it, I have to thank you for giving Little Hu this opportunity to show it."

Hearing this from Elder Qin, the expression on Shen Huairen's face became even more awkward, turning red then white, which was quite spectacular.

He barely squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying and said: "Elder Qin, you are too kind... I just wanted everyone to take a look together. I didn't expect this bowl to really be a genuine Ru Kiln piece, and I didn't expect Brother Hu's eye for antiques to be so sharp."

The poem says:

The rain passes, the clouds break, that is the color for the future.

Sesame spur marks hide ancient charm, a thousand years of treasure light reflects on the pavilion.

The world says Ru Kiln is precious, the discerning eye finds the pearl right here.