Artifact Reading Inspector

Chapter 67: Clue to the Past (2)

“Huh? What?”

Haejin gave Eric the ashtray. He studied it for a long time. However, there was nothing special. Then, he pointed at the pattern engraved at a corner of its bottom.

“Was it because of this? If there is something about this ashtray, it has to be this.”

The pattern he pointed at had a circle around a smaller circle. Additionally, a strange pattern was around the bigger circle.

“Yes, it’s because of that.”

“What pattern is this?”

“This pattern was used in a country called Baekjae a thousand years ago. It is called Gilt-Bronze Halo. As it was engraved, it looks like it was manufactured in a factory to the ignorant eyes.”

Eric’s jaw dropped.

“Thousand years? This was made a thousand years ago?”

“Yes, do you see the faint circle mark in the middle?”

Even though it had been washed with water before, it used to contain ash and saliva, so Eric frowned to see Haejin rub it with bare hands.

“Do you have to do that?”

“Haha, it’s fine. I’ll wash my hands. Anyway, look here. Something heavy was on this for a long time. As this is made of gilt-bronze, it couldn’t have been a vase. I think it was a gilt-bronze incense burner.”

“Incense burner, you mean with fire?”

“Similar to that. You burn incense made of sap or twig for the scent. You fill a huge container with sand or rice, light the long-stick type incense, and make it stand inside the container.”

Eric recalled something. He slapped his hands.

“Oh! I remember seeing it in a temple. Yes, the monks lighted incense sticks and put them in huge caldrons.”

“We use caldron nowadays but, at the time, in Baekjae, people carved incense burner with great care. Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner of Baekjae are great. When you use it, the smoke of the incense comes out from dozens of holes. It is magnificent.”

“I haven’t seen any incense burner from Baekjae, but I wish I could see that Gilt-Bronze Incense Burner.”

When you see it with your own eyes, you can find yourself overwhelmed by that mysterious beauty. It is totally different from seeing its photos.

“Anyway, the bottom is wide and even the form is simple. It would have been a matching base for the splendid incense burner of Baekjae.”

“Hoo… impressive. You are as great as this base. You recognized all that in such a short time. However, that old man must have been in business for a long time, and he failed to recognize the pattern of that Baekjae?”

“If this pattern had belonged to one of China’s old nations, of course, he would have known. However, even if Korea and China are in the same cultural area, it is hard to know another country’s thousand- year-old pattern.”

“Then, what about you? If you had been in his position?”

Eric didn’t need to ask that question.

“Of course, I would have known. I am an appraiser. On the other hand, that old man is an antique dealer. If he and I have the same amount of knowledge, why would people hire me, paying a high fee?”

Haejin shrugged while Eric touched his nose and smiled.

“Well, of course. Anyway, congratulations on getting an artifact from a thousand years ago. Even if it is a base.”

He was congratulating but, at the same time, he was feeling sorry. As he said, it was a great artifact, but it wasn’t good enough to be one of the main artifacts in Haejin’s museum.

However, if this was the end, Haejin wouldn’t have tried so hard to take it.

He had taken it out because he was hoping to find other artifacts hidden somewhere like this.

If he is unlucky, he would find nothing, but if he is lucky, he might be able to find the matching incense burner.

“However, what were you going to give me as my gift?”

“Why? I gave you a thousand million won. Do you still want more?”

“I’m just curious. I wouldn’t take it even if you gave it to me.”

Haejin wasn’t just saying that. A gift that was worth too much would come back as a price to pay later.

So, Haejin found the thousand million Eric had given him burdening.

“Actually, I was going to stop by at Jason Chang’s painting shop as I am in Hong Kong. You know the massive amount of oil painting that goes in that place, right?”

Was that a coincidence?

“Wow… I just bought a David from Jason Chang’s shop, and we almost went there again?”

“David? Jacques-Louis David?”

Eric looked even more surprised than when he had been about the ashtray.

“Yes. I wasn’t there to buy for myself but to help someone else. However, I really didn’t like that place. He just spread out paintings as if he was someone great and told us to choose… he was openly trying to rip people off!”

“Forget about that. So? Which painting from David did you buy? You wouldn’t be talking about it if the painting you appraised was a fake…”

“Why? You want to buy it?”

“If it’s David’s, of course, I should. Regardless of the price.”

It was a great life. To buy anything one wanted… suddenly, Haejin wondered how much good deeds he had to do in order to be born as Eric Holton in the next life.

“What did you do during the last life that you were born with such a silver spoon?”

“Hhh… I don’t know, either. If I knew that, I would be doing many good deeds now. There’s no guarantee that my good deeds would make me be born like this again in the next life, so I am just enjoying this life. Hahaha!”

Eric burst into laughter. Then, he looked at Haejin.

“Oh, although you are not as rich as I am, you have great abilities. You must have done a lot of good deeds in your last life, too. Anyway, forget this useless joke, and tell me. As far as I know, there wasn’t any unfound painting from David in Jason Chang’s shop. Then, it must be in a museum or a gallery… what is it?”

“You know David’s The Death of Marat, right?”

Of course, he did. Eric was shocked. Haejin could see his eyes get bigger.

“You’re saying the painting you bought is real? However, it’s in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium!”

“I’m not saying that painting in Brussels is fake. It’s just that David made two paintings.”

“What are you talking about? Two paintings?”

Haejin explained the painting’s history to Eric. However, he found it hard to believe.

“No way…”

“If you can’t believe it, don’t. But at least, I think so.”

“Huh… if someone else had told me what you just told me, I would have called that person crazy.”

“Your expression tells me you are thinking something like that.”

“Actually, a little… okay, I won’t try to deny your appraisal. It’s just so hard to believe.”

“It’s not like you are going to buy it, anyway. So just let it go.”

Haejin was calm while Eric yelled, “How can I let it go like that?”

“It’s not like you spent your money… aren’t you overreacting? If someone sees you now, that person would think you have bought a fake David.”

“It is that shocking. Then, how much did you pay for it?”

“As I said, I’m not the one who bought it, so I cannot tell you. You know it is an unspoken rule. Don’t ask the price, unless it was bought on auction.”

“Huh! I don’t know of such a rule. None of my friends know of that kind of rule.”

“Then, it exists only in Korea. Anyway, I’m not the painting’s owner, so I cannot tell you. But to give you a hint…”

“A hint?”

“It is over a billion won.”

Eric looked disappointed.

“Then, you thought you could buy a David under a billion? From Jason Chang?”

They kept talking about Marat’s Death for a long time, then they went to the hotel Eric had booked.

Haejin had planned to go back right away, but Eric stopped him, saying he shouldn’t go back immediately after coming all the way to Hong Kong. Plus, he wanted Haejin to meet someone.

They took some rest, then Eric took Haejin to the restaurant of the same hotel. He had made a reservation in advance. When they went inside, there was an old gentleman with white hair waiting for them.

Eric smiled and lightly bowed his head. Haejin thought he was being very polite toward the old man.

“It’s been a while, sir.”

“Is it him?”

The old gentleman looked like a Jewish. He had to be at least seventy.

“Yes, sir. I’ve never seen a better appraiser than him personally.”

Haejin bowed.

“Hello. I am Park Haejin.”

“Korean names are always quite unusual. Haejin… it is hard to pronounce, but I guess I will have to get used to it. Nice to meet you, I am Anthony Goldberg.”

Haejin took his hand and shook it. Eric smiled at him and pointed at a chair.

“Sit. You are today’s hero.”

Haejin didn’t know what was going on, so he couldn’t say anything. Therefore, he just sat down.

Anthony lifted a wine bottle and filled Haejin’s glass.

“I think good appraisers deserve to be admired. For that reason, I am very excited and nervous. Do you understand?”

Of course not… Anthony looked extremely rich. Why would he be nervous because of Haejin?

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t believe me. However, it’s true. The harmony between a great artifact and the appraiser always makes me exclaim. When I heard about an Asian appraiser who knows a lot about western paintings, I wanted to meet you.”

“Thank you… but may I ask why?”

“When it comes to business, human relationships matter. One comment brings success or failure, rather than analyzing and assumption based on statistics…”

He could have just said what it was about…

“Are you going to give a gift to someone?”

The old gentleman smiled with the wine in his mouth.

“Yes. I need a gift for the royal family in Saudi Arabia. However, there is a small problem. I want you to handle that problem. Would it be possible?”

“I don’t know if you know this, but my fee is higher than the other appraisers’. I take 1% of the appraised price. Do you still want to hire me?”

“I guess you are worthy of that. Eric here is more accurate about people than about artifacts.”

“Okay then, I’ll take the job.”

“I’ll explain the details tomorrow. Today, you should take some rest.”

“Then…”

Haejin left the room. Eric followed him and put his arm around Haejin’s shoulder.

“Now, let’s go to dinner, just you and me.”

“But who is he? And what does he want from me?”

Eric went into another room, sat down, and spoke. He looked serious.

“Remember what I told you before? About the source of artifacts of that private auction being suspicious.”

Haejin recalled the conversation they had in Eric’s home.

“Yes, but what does it have to do with this?”

“That old man you just met is the only known man among the auction’s hosts.”

“What?”

Eric picked up his fork and lightly hit the table with it.

“I heard there’s this saying in Asia; to catch a tiger, go to the tiger’s cave. I’ll go into the cave, so just check if the tiger is there. Okay?”