RICK HARRISON: Hey, what do we got here?
RICK: A Ch'ien-lung bowl.
RICK HARRISON: A Ch'ien-lung bowl?
Uh-huh.
OK, explain what a Ch'ien-lung bowl is to me.
Ch'ien-lung was the period around
1700 when this bowl was done.
RICK HARRISON: Well, there's a Chinese stamp
on the bottom of it. RICK: Right.
Yeah.
And this has the date on it even, 1795.
RICK HARRISON: OK.
Well, I think it's beautiful.
Where'd you get it?
About 52 years ago, I bought this.
RICK HARRISON: OK, so, at least, I know
it's, at least, 50 years old.
[laughs]
But it's a lot older than that.
I came down to the pawn shop today
to sell my Ch'ien-lung bowl.
I bought it 50 years ago from a dealer.
I'm asking $6,000 for it.
The least I would take would probably be $4,000,
and I figured, well, maybe it's time for somebody else
to be able to enjoy it.
RICK HARRISON: You know, I just love everything about this.
I mean, remember, this was done with no power tools.
There was no massive temperature controls or anything like that.
It was more of an art than a science.
RICK: Yeah.
So do you know much about the Ch'ien-lung dynasty?
RICK: No, I don't.
RICK HARRISON: OK.
I don't know a whole lot about Chinese porcelain.
In Europe, in the 1700s, 1800s, they were fascinated
by Chinese porcelain. RICK: Right.
Yes, they were.
And it wasn't until, I think, the late 1700s
that they even figured out how to make porcelain in Europe.
The Chinese, they were really tight on the way
they made their glazes, the way they fired it,
and everything else like that.
Yes.
So there had to be a lot of experimentation in Europe
to try and figure out how are the Chinese making this stuff.
And it took a very long time for the Europeans
to figure out how to make porcelain,
which is very refined clay.
I think it's really cool.
I mean, Asian ceramics have always sort of fascinated me.
I've never really got into them a lot.
But they're the ones who invented this stuff.
Well, there's no chips in it. I can tell you that.
RICK: No, there isn't. RICK HARRISON: Oh, yeah.
I'm not going to drop it.
[laughs] So you're looking to sell it, I assume.
Yes.
Yeah.
How much are you asking?
I'm asking $6,000.
[suspenseful music]
I'm assuming, if it's a bowl from the 1700s,
there is a lot of value here.
What it is exactly, I don't know.
I've seen them on the internet by the same maker
for in the tens of thousands.
But something 10 years ago from today in a lot of things,
it's two completely different worlds.
After the crash, so many things changed.
Almost everything went down in value,
and only part of those things went back up.
And I couldn't tell you about the bowl.
I don't know a lot about it.
If this is, in fact, Chinese porcelain over 200 years old,
it will be the nicest piece of porcelain
I have ever had in my shop.
But I got to make sure it's real before I lay out a dime.
If you don't mind, I'd like to have a friend come down.
He's an expert in Asian antiquities.
He will know everything there is to know about it.
Good.
And one other thing-- he dresses a little weird,
so don't be shocked. OK?
OK. OK.
RICK HARRISON: I'm going to give him a call.
I'll be right back.
All right?
All right, very good.
PHINEAS KASTLE: Wow.
This is a gorgeous, gorgeous piece of Chinese ceramic.
It's still absolutely in impeccable condition.
I mean, I'm going to say museum quality for what I've seen.
I am Dr. Phineas Kastle, and I'm an expert in Asian art
and antiques and architecture.
I lived in Asia for seven years, studying the art,
the architecture, and the artifacts
from an anthropological point of view.
RICK HARRISON: So tell me what you know about it.
PHINEAS KASTLE: You know what I love about it?
Do you see the iridescence of that bowl?
The iridescence was actually done
by grinding pearls and putting pearls into the glaze itself.
This bowl was used to hold water and rose
petals for the royal court.
RICK HARRISON: I find it really interesting.
I find it really cool, but is it real?
PHINEAS KASTLE: So to really know
whether this is a Ch'ien-lung bowl
or not is to look on the back.
As you look at ancient Chinese configurations,
you're going to get six figures--
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
So when I look at this, what I'm seeing here, this means Chia.
And this says Ching.
Chia Ching Dynasty.
Unfortunately, this is not Ch'ien-lung.
This is another dynasty.
And the Chia Ching Dynasty was after Ch'ien-lung.
This was the dynasty of his son.
RICK HARRISON: So it's Chia Ching, not Ch'ien-lung?
PHINEAS KASTLE: We are Chia Chin bowl.
OK, Chia Chin.
So I absolutely do believe it is authentic to that dynasty.
RICK HARRISON: All right.
So what do you think it's worth?
PHINEAS KASTLE: OK.
So I'm going to say a good, solid wholesale price on it
would be $3,000.
RICK HARRISON: OK. Well, thanks, man.
Yes, sir. Absolutely.
RICK HARRISON: We really appreciate it.
My pleasure.
I am absolutely amazed that there is a bull
like that floating around.
How did that bowl get to Las Vegas?
My hope is that someday it may end up in a museum.
RICK HARRISON: OK.
My final offer would be $4,500.
You know, I should pay $3,000 for it.
I'll pay $3,500, because I find it a really fascinating piece.
And I think it'll sell.
Well, I have been offered more for it.
Would you consider 4?
RICK HARRISON: I'll tell you what, I'll go 38,
and I'm probably crazy for doing it.
[suspenseful music]
OK, I'll take the 38.
RICK HARRISON: OK, cool.
I really appreciate it.
Leave that right there.
Follow me, and we'll go do some paperwork.
MAN: $3,800 is pretty close to the $4,000
that I was really asking.
I am smiling, because I can buy another piece.