Fang Yi and Tony got out of the car and walked up the steps of the auction house together. As soon as they entered the door of the auction house, Fang Yi found that there didn't seem to be many people here today, and Fang Yi didn't recognize most of the faces.
...Of course, such a scene is understandable. These people are here to take pictures, and most of them are not engaged in artistic work.
As far as today's photo session is concerned, there is nothing too eye-catching. Naturally, most of the people who come are young men, and there are only a few oily big fish. In the past two years, it can be said that Fang Yi has participated in the photo session.
They all gathered together a bunch of top-notch wealthy people. Of course, the newspapers called these people art patrons and the like.
The type of customers we have today are the same as when Fang Yi and his friends visited the United States for the first time.
Whether Fang Yi recognizes the person or not does not mean that others do not know Fang Yi now. As soon as he entered the door and walked a few steps, Fang Yi saw several people nodding and smiling at him, even though he did not know Fang Yi.
He could only smile kindly. However, he had no intention of stopping, and he and Tony walked side by side towards the inside of the auction house.
When they arrived at the small exhibition hall where the auction was held, Fang Yi and Tony met Li Lin and Zhang Xu.
"Why didn't you wait for us to come together?" Tony looked at the two of them and asked curiously. We were all staying in the same hotel and on the same floor, and the car Fang Yi rented was so big, so why didn't the four of us come together?
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After listening to the little secretary's translation, Zhang Xu looked around and saw that no one was around. He couldn't help but make a joke with Tony and said: "We won't go with you. When you came in, you were too eye-catching.
We wanted to keep a low profile. And it’s so annoying to have him next to what we’re shooting this time!”.
Fang Yi couldn't help but be stunned when he heard what Zhang Xu said, fearing that Tony would ask again.
But obviously Tony didn't mind Zhang Xu's words too much: "Then you'd better stay away from him. Everyone knows Yi. As for those who know me, not one out of ten knows me!".
Zhang Xu obviously didn't want to talk to Fang Yi anymore, so he waved to them and took Li Lin to continue browsing the auction items. Fang Yi and Tony simply left the exhibition hall and went to a nearby lounge.
, found a secluded corner and sat down to chat.
Fang Yi thought that the two of them would find a so-called secluded corner and be safe. He never expected that his reputation would shine like a bright bug in the night, attracting the attention of many people.
After just chatting with a manager from Softby for a while, Fang Yi saw three little devils at the door on the other side looking at him and smiling, then turned towards him and walked over.
"Damn! Are these three little devils a team of comrades? How come they got together again!" Fang Yi couldn't help but muttered in a low voice.
"What?" Tony didn't hear what Fang Yi said clearly, and even if he did, he wouldn't understand it because Fang Yi subconsciously used his native language and spoke Chinese.
Fang Yi looked at the three little devils who were five or six meters away from him. He stood up from his chair and said to Tony, "It's nothing!".
The three little devils are here, so let's deal with it. After saying hello to the three of them, Fang Yi wanted to introduce the three of them to Tony.
Tony smiled and said, "We all know each other!".
"We have all met Tony. And we are old friends!" Hashimoto bowed to Tony, and then shook hands with Tony.
As soon as he heard this, Fang Yi understood that these three little devils and Tony really knew each other. If they hadn't come up to him, they wouldn't have called Tony by his first name, but by their surname. But it's also easy to understand. He has always wanted to leave Asia and join Europe.
The kid is really yearning for Europe, and naturally he is also diligent in going to European museums. It is really strange that the three of them know Tony.
"Fang Jun! What are you interested in when you come to the auction this time?" Hashimoto sat down and asked Fang Yi after chatting for a minute or two.
Fang Yi smiled: "I'm just more interested in that painting by Zhao Ji. Of course, if you are also interested, we can fight for it!".
"That's a coincidence! One of Inukai's clients also wants to buy this painting!" Hashimoto said after hearing this, pointing at Hiroshi Inukai who was sitting next to him.
Inukai Hiroshi bowed to Fang Yi and said with a smile: "I'm really embarrassed!".
Fang Yi smiled and said: "It's okay!". Dog breeding is entrusted by others, and Fang Yi is preparing to join in the fun. If the price is beyond his expectation, Fang Yi plans to raise the price. For
When it comes to things like auctioning things, Fang Yi will not bring some so-called nationalism. Whatever is lost must be brought back. Buying at reasonable prices and unreasonable prices will not let people make huge profits in vain.
Hashimoto asked Tony and Fang Yi again: "I don't know if it's possible for us to see Master Michelangelo's painting of the Three Sages!".
When Tony heard Hashimoto say this, he said happily: "You will probably be able to see it soon, in the New York Museum of Art!".
Fang Yi was very curious after hearing this: "What's wrong? This painting by Martin is going to be sold?". Two days ago, I heard Martin saying that this work should be kept forever. How could it happen in the blink of an eye?
It becomes for sale.
"For sale?" Hashimoto's face looked a little happy when he heard it. It seemed that this sale could be said to be something anyone could buy if they had money!
Tony looked around at the people around him and continued: "It's ready for sale, because the New York Museum of Art's bid has reached 300 million US dollars! Unless you hear someone bidding higher than this price, otherwise this Michelangelo master
My work will be taken away by the art museum!”.
When he heard about 300 million US dollars, Hashimoto's face showed a bitter look, and Inukai and Matsumoto also shook their heads. Fang Yi was surprised at the generosity of the American museum, for a work by Michelangelo and it was not too big.
The largest works have sold more than 300 million US dollars!
"In the past few days, one museum has spent 300 million US dollars? It turns out that the New York Museum of Art is the real rich man!" Fang Yi said jokingly to a few people after finishing his surprise.
"They don't have much money, and they don't want to take money from the pockets of those shareholders. But since the New York Museum of Art has said it, then the 300 million will come out." Tony said: "Originally, I was going to try my luck for our museum, but
Don’t even mention 300 million. I can’t afford even 100 million!”
The current Italian economy is really not that good, so Italian museums have to tighten their belts to live a healthy life. Some museums even sell off works by unknown or not-so-famous artists to maintain the museum's livelihood.
Fang Yi sighed at the three hundred million US dollars. To be honest, Fang Yi was a little confused now. Three hundred million US dollars is not two to thirty million US dollars!
In fact, what Fang Yi didn't know was that Hashimoto and the other three had long known about the sale of Martin. They brought this matter up just to liven up the current atmosphere. Obviously, the atmosphere has now reached the level Hashimoto wants.
, the meaty drama began.
"Fang Jun! I have been commissioned by the Tokyo Western-style Museum. I would like to ask you if you intend to sell the painting "Plenty" in your hand! We can discuss the price. I believe you will be satisfied!"
Hashimoto looked at Fang Yi and said solemnly.
Upon hearing this, Fang Yi jokingly asked Hashimoto without thinking, "You don't think I'm short of money, do you?".
What Fang Yi means by this is that you think I am short of money? I have reached the point where I want to replace the paintings in my hands with printed banknotes? Everyone who collects these things knows that this thing is better than any government-issued banknotes.
It maintains its value much better. Don’t look at the fancy printing of banknotes, which is troublesome. Because the banknotes themselves have no value, as long as the direction changes or the value depreciates to a certain level, this thing will be too hard to clean!
Hearing Fang Yi ask this question, Hashimoto couldn't understand what Fang Yi meant, so he owed his body: "I also know that this is not easy, but I have to ask you if I am entrusted by others!" After finishing talking to Qiao,
I didn't want to worry too much about this kind of thing, so I changed the topic.
To be honest, it wouldn't be too uncomfortable to chat with Hashimoto and the others, but for Fang Yi, who was always unhappy looking at the little devil, he still felt that the few minutes of chatting seemed like half an hour. Just right.
He looked up and saw that the auction time was coming soon, so he took Tony and said goodbye to the three little devils.
"Why are you in such a hurry to go in?" Tony asked Fang Yi, a little confused.
Fang Yi had no choice but to find an excuse: "Go in early and find a good seat!".
After hearing this, Tony was a little speechless. Is there anyone jockeying for position in the auction? It’s not like listening to the teacher’s lectures. Those who love to learn grab the front, and those who don’t love to learn grab the corners. What you should see and understand about this auction is before entering the auction house.
The time is almost here, not to mention entering the first gate of the day, those who are interested have even drawn their own bottom line. Where do you want to grab a position here?
However, Tony did not refute Fang Yi and followed Fang Yi to sit in a small corner at the back of the auction room.
While waiting for the auction to begin, Zhang Xu and Li Lin took the first shot, buying some kind of South American antique bottle for more than ten thousand dollars. Anyway, Fang Yi saw that the thing was quite well made.
It looks like a chamber pot from long ago in China.
"Why did they buy these fakes?" Tony didn't have any idea after seeing the first one. He thought Li Lin and Zhang Xu just liked these things. But when they bought the third one, Tony couldn't figure it out.
He turned around and asked Fang Yi. Thinking about it, Tony thought that these two people's appreciation level should be quite high when they have a friend like Fang Yi. How could they buy something that is out of place!
Not only Tony discovered it, but many people in the venue also discovered that the two Asians who frequently raised their hands in the first few auctions did not have such good taste! After ten sketches, these two people raised their placards every time, but seemed not to do so.
Pai felt unhappy. If the auction hadn't been of such high quality, some people would have thought that Zhang and Xu were just new shills hired by the auction house.
Before the work arrived, Zhang Xu and Li Lin became the ones who had the largest number of items on site. They sold a total of three rags, which made them look like kings of rags.
"If it looks good, just buy it. For them, if it costs between ten and two hundred thousand, it will make them happy!" Fang Yile said happily.
This means of eating was not something that Fang Yi could have imagined. It was Zhang Xu who came up with it himself. The so-called caution made the Wannian Ship! The value of Vermeer's imitation paintings made Fatty Zhang use his fat brain.
"The picture below is a copy of Rubens' "Plenty". This work was sent to Japan by the Tokyo Museum of Western Art. Everyone knows that this work has just been confirmed to be a copy..." The main photographer motioned for everyone to look at the two people.
He then told the story of the painting, from the time it was bought by the Japanese to Fang Yi's conclusion that it was a forgery, and briefly summarized it.
Hearing what the photographer said, Fang Yi seemed to feel that this work was not bad, at least the experience was strange. It can be seen that the photographer's words are quite provocative.
"The starting price is 17,000 US dollars!" The main auctioneer knocked on the table and announced that the bidding for this work had begun.
"Fifty thousand!" As soon as the main photographer finished speaking, Li Lin raised the sign in his hand and chatted quietly with Zhang Xu while holding the sign, as if he didn't mind.
The main photographer had just shouted out the base price of 17,000, and suddenly it reached 50,000. The main photographer had to open his mouth and shout: "Fifty thousand! Someone has offered 50,000, is there any higher price?".
"Sixty thousand!" An old man sitting in a corner raised the sign in his hand.
Fang Yi couldn't help but look at the old man, and found that the old man's face was also very calm. The old man did not look around, but looked directly at the painting being carried by two people. (To be continued...)