Did the other store tell you in what specific way it was inferior? If you can find out, maybe you can run it by Karin_mt, our resident geologist.

"marble from China was nowhere near the quality of a true statuary marble", then where did Chinese people get all type of gorgeous marbles for their beautiful structures built thousands years ago?

Often, even from same quarry, one could pick different grades of slabs, all depends on the prices.

I think that true statuary is really an awesome stone.
Even though the Chinese play the name game I have worked on good Chinese quality stones and bad ones.
If you like the stone you were showed take a sample home and test it. See how porous and soft it is.
For porosity just do the water test.
Do the same with a sample of statuary and make your comparisons.
Do you like it honed or polished-if polished it may etch like crazy.