Irv Graham 
The consumption of baijiu comes with many traditions that must be observed. Chief among these is the vessel that baijiu is consumed from. Rather than a traditional tumbler or wine glass, baijiu is invariably served in a small shot glass that resembles an undersized goblet. This is a far cry from the 14th Century days of the Liangshan Heroes, when baijiu was consumed from oversized bowls.
For Asian antique enthusiasts, one name stands tall – Roger Keverne. Trading under the business name Roger Keverne Ltd, this legendary dealer has hosted and sold antiques from a storefront in the exclusive London area of Mayfair for almost three decades. Keverne and his wife/business partner Miranda Clarke are now moving on from their location in the capital, however – and all remaining stock will be auctioned at Bonhams in the coming summer.
Read moreRoger Keverne Antique Collection to be Sold at Auction at Bonhams
It’s a long-standing dream of most antique enthusiasts to bag a bargain and turn a substantial profit on a piece. What is invariably even more expecting, however, is when a valuable item is sourced from unofficial means, such as a boot sale.
This is exactly what happened to one resident of New Haven, Connecticut, who purchased a small porcelain bowl from a backyard sale for $35 – and now stands to sell it for upward of US$400,000 through auction house Sotheby’s. With the benefit of hindsight, the previous owner is likely wishing they haggled over the asking price a little.
Read moreRare 15th Century Chinese Ming Bowl Purchased for $35 at a House Sale
It’s always advisable to declutter ones home on occasion. Partly, this is just to make you feel a little better and more comfortable in your own surroundings. Tidying up is often proclaimed to be good for the soul. In addition, however, you may just find that your home is hosting unexpected treasures.
That was certainly the case for one couple in West London, who learned that a matching pair of Chinese vases that had gathered dust on their mantle dated back to the Qianlong Emperor. Agreeing to send the vases to auction, the value was truly spectacular – the couple had been sitting on a slice of Chinese history for decades.
The couple called in an antiques expert for a valuation of their possessions, as they were planning a house move. Among the items valued were two Chinese vases, which were an inheritance gift obtained in the early 1950s. Ever since, the vases had sat atop a fireplace. They were deemed to be an aesthetically pleasing decoration, and nothing more.
Read morePair Of Qianlong Ruby Ground Sedan Vases Sell For £324,000
V.I.P Jiu 8 is Britain’s first authentic Imperial craft baijiu that truly embraces and celebrates the history and traditions of China’s favourite spirit.
V.I.P Jiu 8’s unique recipe was first conceived 300 years ago by one of China’s greatest ever emperors and only now, due to an extraordinary set of circumstances has the original recipe been painstakingly and authentically recreated.
The story begins back in 2014, when V.I.P’s creator Irving Graham bid £300 for a cracked Chinese wine cup at an auction in southern England. He later discovered it was a piece from the Imperial Chinese collection once housed in the Forbidden City during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor between 1654-1722.
Read moreThe UK’s First Premium Craft Baijiu – A PROPER Baijiu For The Purist!
A Chinese porcelain vase that lay hidden in open view for fifty years sold for nine million dollars at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. The eighteenth-century vase was found in an eighty-year-old woman’s home in Europe by art consultant Johan Bosch van Rosenthal.
The owner is said to have inherited the vase which cost a meagre fifty-six dollars when first purchased from an auction house in 1954.
The reticulated vase, which is very fragile withstood the attention of the owners four cats. “It is a miracle that this extraordinarily fragile vase survived half a century in a home surrounded by countless pets,” said Nicolas Chow, chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, in a press release.
Read moreCat Lady’s Qianlong Reticulated Vase Sells For 9 Million
Is Kweichow Moutai the worlds biggest baijiu brand living on past glories? Has Kweichow Moutai SOULED OUT? Is Kweichow Moutai now in name only?
Let’s look at a few of Moutai’s past and present glories.
I recently wrote an article titled (Why is Kweichow Moutai so expensive?) within that article is the following passage.
Moutai is marketed as the national spirit of China. This really became the case in 1949, when Chairman Mao rose to prominence. Mao and his comrades toasted the founding of the People’s Republic of China with Moutai. Perhaps that was because it was the tipple of choice of Zhou Enlai, the Chinese premier and Mao’s second-in-command.
Read moreKweichow Moutai – Can You Spot The Cultural Blunder? Is Moutai Now In Name Only?
Specialist premium Baijiu importer and distributor, Cheng International, is launching a four-part online masterclass in the UK, starting on July 13.
The course, to be held on Zoom, will be aimed at key players in the UK drinks trade. Qiqi Chen, Managing Director of leading exporter Cheng International, said it wanted to offer these events to “encourage people to learn about Baijiu and understand how baijiu it is made”. The world’s largest selling liquor has a deep history in Chinese culture that will also be examined.
Each masterclass will demonstrate how Baijiu can really enhance the range of specialised retailers selling premium spirits. There will also be baijiu food pairing and baijiu cocktail making demonstrations.
Read moreCheng International – Fenjiu Baijiu Launches UK Master Class