How to have that replica vase declared priceless
By Xu Chi |
March 21, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
BEHIND the booming cultural relics business, some appraisers are seizing the opportunity to cash in by issuing certificates for fake relics and antiques.
A CCTV reporter bought three fake antiques at prices from 100 yuan to 300 yuan (US$15-US$45), but after he paid a fee to appraisers at several of Beijing's major auction companies, the replicas all became "invaluable cultural relics."
According to the CCTV report, an appraiser charged 1,000 yuan to "identify" a 200-yuan vase as a cultural relic which could date back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
The appraiser told the reporter that by paying extra money, he could make the replica much more valuable as he could issue certificates to prove it came from an earlier dynasty.
But he warned that such replicas with certificates should only be sold to amateur collectors and not to experienced ones who could easily discover the deception.
Meanwhile, it seems to be easy for anyone to become an appraiser.
Shanghai Daily has found that many appraisers or antiques experts holding lectures in the city, luring young students by saying they can become a qualified appraiser after a seven-day course costing up to 40,000 yuan.
But Jiang Hanzhi, chief appraiser for a Beijing-based company, said the students were being cheated as only those approved by the country's cultural heritage administration could appraise cultural relics.
A CCTV reporter bought three fake antiques at prices from 100 yuan to 300 yuan (US$15-US$45), but after he paid a fee to appraisers at several of Beijing's major auction companies, the replicas all became "invaluable cultural relics."
According to the CCTV report, an appraiser charged 1,000 yuan to "identify" a 200-yuan vase as a cultural relic which could date back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
The appraiser told the reporter that by paying extra money, he could make the replica much more valuable as he could issue certificates to prove it came from an earlier dynasty.
But he warned that such replicas with certificates should only be sold to amateur collectors and not to experienced ones who could easily discover the deception.
Meanwhile, it seems to be easy for anyone to become an appraiser.
Shanghai Daily has found that many appraisers or antiques experts holding lectures in the city, luring young students by saying they can become a qualified appraiser after a seven-day course costing up to 40,000 yuan.
But Jiang Hanzhi, chief appraiser for a Beijing-based company, said the students were being cheated as only those approved by the country's cultural heritage administration could appraise cultural relics.
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