We live in a world of capitalism. Money influences and impacts our society, the running of governments and corporations, and ultimately us. Our everyday choices, actions and trades (in buying and selling) are under the influence and regulation of money. The auction arena is a creation of capitalism. An auction contest is the ultimate spectacle for financial supremacy. Through competitive and incremental bids adversaries use money to battle and subdue one another. It is a pressure cauldron of escalating forces and emotions for which great wealth can be generated.
In recent years the category of antique tea has attracted much interest at high end auctions held in Hong Kong and Beijing. The most sought after Puerh tea, Liu An and Liubao baskets have become attractions generating great wealth at varying levels. Whilst most tea enthusiasts won’t be able to afford teas at this price range, studying the listed items allows us to observe the distribution and concentration of money. For those interested in investing in tea and hunting for bargains the key is in understanding individual lots of tea and their associated value in terms of 1) Recognition, 2) Rarity, 3) Quality. These factors combine with the human element determines the driving force of capitalism. - Below is a link to the results from the latest tea auction in Hong Kong.
In the next entry I will share my thoughts and expand on the key factors that distinguish certain items within the tea auction. We will delve deeper into the human element and how it combines to become a driving force for capitalism.