A diamond and 5.53 carats fancy vivid orangy yellow cushion brilliant-cut diamond ring. Estimate €430,000 – CHF480,000 ($433,139 - $483,504). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015

Set with a fancy vivid orangy yellow cushion brilliant-cut diamond, weighing approximately 5.53 carats, between cushion-shaped diamond shoulders, ring size 6, mounted in platinum

Accompanied by report no. 2155882021 dated 27 January 2014 from the GIA Gemological Institute of America stating that the diamond is Fancy Vivid Orangy Yellow colour, Internally Flawless clarity.  

Christie's. GENEVA MAGNIFICENT JEWELS, 10 November 2015, Geneva

A famille-rose‘lotus’ lantern vase, Daoguang seal mark and period. Estimate 15,000 — 25,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's.

the ovoid body rising from a spreading foot to a waisted neck flaring at the rim, brightly painted with stylised lotus sprays suspending beribboned qing and knots, all between ruyi and lappet bands, the foot encircled by a keyfret band, inscribed to the base in iron-red with a six-character seal mark - 30cm., 11 ¾in.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, Londres, 11 nov. 2015, 11:00 AM

A large and impressive famille-rose'Nine dragon' vase, Qing dynasty, Guangxu period. Estimate 3,000 — 5,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's.

the ovoid body rising from a short spreading foot to a tall waisted neck with everted rim, brightly painted to the front face with a large iron-red five-clawed scaly dragon and with a further eight brightly enamelled dragons writhing around the vessel, all reserved on a millefiori black ground between a wave band at the base and a ruyi collar at the shoulder, the neck with geometric lotus scrollwork reserved on a dark pink ground - 74.2cm., 29 1/4 in.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, Londres, 11 nov. 2015, 11:00 AM

A tsavorite garnet, red spinel, diamond and cushion-shaped red tourmaline bangle, by De Grisogono. Estimate CHF29,000 – CHF48,000 ($29,212 - $48,350). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2015

Designed as a hinged coiled snake, the body set with circular-cut tsavorite garnet and red spinel, the eyes as two marquise-cut diamonds, the head crowned with a cushion-shaped red tourmaline, the articulated tail pavé-set with diamonds, inner circumference 18.0 cm, mounted in gold. Signed de Grisogono 

Christie's. GENEVA MAGNIFICENT JEWELS, 10 November 2015, Geneva

Charles James (American, born Great Britain, 1906–1978). Evening coat, 1949. Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Arturo and Paul Peralta-Ramos, 1954 (2009.300.791).

Charles James (American, born Great Britain, 1906–1978), "Butterfly" Ball Gown, ca. 1955. Brown silk chiffon, cream silk satin, brown silk satin, dark brown nylon tulle. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Friends of The Costume Institute Fund, 2013 (2013.591)

Charles James (American, born Great Britain, 1906–1978), Ball Gown, 1949–50. Red silk velvet, red silk satin, white cotton organdy. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Arturo and Paul Peralta-Ramos, 1954 (2009.300.2786)

Charles James (American, born Great Britain, 1906–1978), Evening Dress, 1946. Black silk-rayon velvet, red silk satin, brown silk faille, black silk crepe. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Arturo and Paul Peralta-Ramos, 1954 (2009.300.795)

Charles James (American, born Great Britain, 1906–1978), "Clover Leaf" Evening Dress, 1953. White silk satin, white silk faille, black silk-rayon velvet. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Elizabeth Fairall, 1953 (C.I.53.73)

Charles James (American, born Great Britain, 1906–1978), Evening Dress, 1948. Black silk satin and black silk velvet. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Millicent Huttleston Rogers, 1949 (2009.300.734)

Charles James (American, born Great Britain, 1906–1978), "Taxi" Dress, ca. 1932. Black wool ribbed knit. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Alan W. Kornberg Gift, 2013 (2013.309)

A green-glazed 'immortal island' jar and cover, Eastern Han Dynasty. Estimate £3,000 - 5,000 (€4,200 - 7,000). Photo Bonhams.

The cylindrical body moulded with a frieze of animals in a continuous mountainous landscape, the domed cover shaped as mountain peaks with further animals, supported on three bear feet, all beneath a dark green glaze falling short of the base and interior of the cover. 28cm (11in) high (2).

Note: Compare a similar jar included in the exhibition, Spirit of Han, Ceramics for the After-Life, Southeast Asian Ceramics Society, Singapore, 1991, no.123, p.132.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 12 Nov 2015 10:00 GMT - LONDON, NEW BOND STREET

A large pottery figure of a shaman, Eastern Han Dynasty. Estimate £5,000 - 7,000 (€7,000 - 9,800). Photo Bonhams.

The standing figure wearing an animal-skin over a tight three-quarter-length tunic detailed with a long strap and belted at the waist and rope-tied sandals at his feet, holding a writhing serpent in his left hand and an axe in his right, the face with serene expression below a small squared cap, wood stand. 100cm (39 1/2in) high. (2).

The result of Oxford Thermoluminiscence test, no. 666j87, is consistent with the dating of this lot. 

Notes: Figures of shamans have often been excavated from Han dynasty tombs in Sichuan Province, where they protected the tomb occupant against the malign influences that they might encounter in their afterlife. Compare a similar figure included in the collection of the Sichuan Provincial Museum, illustrated by J.Rawson, Mysteries of Ancient China, London, 1996, fig.113, p.211; another similar figure is included in the collection of the Guimet Museum, illustrated by J.P.Desroches, 'The Chinese Art Department's Enrichment Policy', Orientations, May 1991, fig.10, p.87.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 12 Nov 2015 10:00 GMT - LONDON, NEW BOND STREET

Four pottery models of cockerels and hens, Eastern Han Dynasty. Estimate £4,000 - 6,000 (€5,600 - 8,400). Photo Bonhams.

Both cockerels modelled standing on sturdy legs, their heads raised with rounded beaks and upright combs, the wings, arched tails and feathers incised with parallel lines, the largest 49cm (19 2/8in) high; one hen modelled standing upright, the other in a recumbent position, flanked by a brood of chicks to either side of the wing, the largest 25cm (9 6/8in) high (4). 

Notes: Cockerels and hens frequently appear in Han tombs in conjunction with models of farmyards, wells and harvesting tools, denoting the agricultural basis of Han society. Calling to the sun every morning, roosters are symbolic of the sun, yang principle for masculinity and strength, and are associated with benevolence. When occurring in pairs, roosters denote high rank, forming the visual pun for 'May you achieve rank upon rank'. Together with hens, relating to the feminine principle, yin, roosters balanced the forces of the universe. Compare the pottery hen and cockerel in the exhibition, Spirit of Han, Ceramics for the After-Life, Southeast Asian Ceramics Society, Singapore, 1991, no.50, p.96.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 12 Nov 2015 10:00 GMT - LONDON, NEW BOND STREET

ATLANTA, GA.- The High Museum of Art is the first U.S. museum to present a major exhibition of work by visionary Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen, a cutting-edge artist inspired by diverse influences in the arts, sciences, music and philosophy. 

Marking the High’s first presentation of fashion design, “Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion” features one-of-a-kind haute couture—acclaimed for its combination of traditional craftsmanship and futuristic, innovative techniques—and includes some of the world’s first examples of 3D-printed fashion. The exhibition is co-organized with the Groninger Museum (the Netherlands) and debuted at the High, where it will be on view from Nov. 7, 2015, through May 15, 2016, before continuing on a North American tour. 

“Iris van Herpen’s work is an incredible fusion of artistic expression, craftsmanship and creativity,” said Sarah Schleuning, curator of decorative arts and design at the High. “The marriage of traditional, handcrafted designs and 21st-century technology makes her work innovative, dynamic and a signifier of a bold, new future for fashion design. With this presentation, the High continues to champion the outstanding visionaries who design the world around us.” 

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Refinery Smoke, Dress, July 2008. Untreated woven metal gauze, cow leather, and cotton. Groninger Museum, 2012.0196. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios.

Iris van Herpen has garnered international acclaim for her couture designs, which interweave traditional handwork with groundbreaking 3D-printing technology, computer modeling and engraving constructed in collaboration with architects, engineers and digital design specialists. Her visually impressive, sculptural designs—often featuring unusual materials such as magnets, umbrella ribs and synthetic boat rigging—create silhouettes that appear both organic and futuristic. Her work has been worn by style icons such as Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Bjork and has graced the runways of Amsterdam, London and Paris. 

“Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion” features 45 outfits carefully selected from 15 of van Herpen’s collections designed from 2008 through 2015, offering a comprehensive visual survey of her design career to date. Included are 18 pieces from the designer’s six most recent lines and a selection of her shoe designs, as well as 27 pieces from the Groninger Museum’s 2012 solo exhibition of van Herpen’s work—all displayed on custom mannequins and presented with videos from her multimedia runway shows. The accompanying wall texts explore the underlying concepts for each piece and examine how intuition and imagination are central to the designer’s process. 

Key designs featured in the exhibition include: 

· The delicate, transparent “ice” dress from the Magnetic Motion (Spring 2015) collection. van Herpen challenged 3D-printing systems to create the dynamic and groundbreaking design, which was recently acquired by the High as the Museum’s first fashion acquisition. 

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Magnetic Motion, Dress, September 2014. In collaboration with Niccolò Casas and 3D Systems. 3-D-printed transparent photopolymer and stereolithography resin. High Museum of Art, Atlanta, purchase with funds from the Decorative Arts Acquisition Trust and through prior acquisitions, 2015.82. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios

· Three dresses made from the ribs of children’s umbrellas from Chemical Crows (January 2008), a collection inspired by the ancient tradition of alchemy and a group of crows living near van Herpen’s studio in Amsterdam. Like the creations of ancient alchemists, van Herpen’s designs demonstrate a passion for controlling and transmuting materials, and the pieces in this collection suggest the shapes and movement of wings and feathers.  

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Chemical Crows, Skirt, Collar, January 2008. Ribs of children's umbrella, industrial boat filament yarns, cow leather, and metal eyelets. Groninger Museum, 2012.0191.a–b. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios 

· Fashion’s first 3D-printed dress presented in a runway show from Crystallization (July 2010), van Herpen’s collection inspired by limestone deposits and water in its various states, such as splashes or ice crystals.  

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Crystallization, Skirt, Top, July 2010. In collaboration with Daniel Widrig and Materialise. 3-D-printed polyamide, goat leather, and transparent lasered acrylic sheets. Groninger Museum, 2012.0207.a–b. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Crystallization, Dress, Collar, July 2010. Transparent polyethylene terephthalate, ECCO leather with oil treatment, goat leather, silver chains, and viscose. Groninger Museum, 2012.0206.a–b. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios

· A dress made of black acrylic sheets constructed in serpentine forms that writhe and “breathe,” nicknamed the “snake dress,” from Capriole (July 2011), a collection evoking the dramatic feelings before and during a free-fall parachute jump (a collaboration with Isaie Bloch).  

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Capriole, Ensemble, July 2011. In collaboration with Isaïe Bloch and Materialise. 3-D-printed polyamide. Groninger Museum, 2012.0209. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios

· Fashion’s first flexible, 3D-printed outfit from the Voltage collection (January 2013), which visually examines the effects of lightning and electricity as they move through the body and nature (a collaboration with Neri Oxman and Julia Koerner).  

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Voltage, Dress, January 2013. Mirror foil, transparent acrylic sheet, and viscose. Courtesy of the designer. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios 

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Wilderness Embodied, Dress, July 2013. In collaboration with Jólan van der Wiel. Iron filings, polyurethane resin, and cotton. Courtesy of the designer. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios

· A selection of shoes designed by van Herpen (including 3D-printed examples), created in collaboration with United Nude. 

To provide a more in-depth look at van Herpen’s creations, a gallery in the exhibition is devoted to showcasing the designer’s innovative materials, with examples available for visitors to touch. These samples are accompanied by detailed descriptions that explain how van Herpen’s partnerships with architects, designers, scientists and 3-D printing companies inform, inspire and shape her work. Also on view is a 10-minute video featuring an interview with van Herpen and footage from her six most recent runway shows. 

The exhibition is co-curated by Schleuning, Mark Wilson, chief curator for the Groninger Museum, and Sue-an van der Zijpp, curator of contemporary art for the Groninger. Following its presentation at the High, the exhibition will travel to multiple venues throughout North America, including the Grand Rapids Art Museum (Fall 2016), the Dallas Museum of Art (Spring 2017) and the Phoenix Art Museum (Spring 2018).  

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Radiation Invasion, Dress, September 2009. Faux leather, gold foil, cotton, and tulle. Groninger Museum, 2012.0201. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios

Iris van Herpen (b. 1984 in Warmel, the Netherlands) had an intuitive appreciation of fashion and art as a youth and became interested in designing clothes while attending the Preparatory Course Art & Design at the Artez Institute of the Arts Arnhem. Iris van Herpen went on to study Fashion Design at Artez and held internships with Alexander McQueen in London and Claudy Jongstra in Amsterdam. Iris van Herpen’s 2006 graduation collection “Machine Jewellery” demonstrated her interest in the visualization of elusive concepts and intangible elements and her inventiveness in material use and treatment. A year after graduating, van Herpen began designing womenswear collections under her own name. Through her extensive interdisciplinary research and collaborations with other artists, van Herpen has developed a unique and avant-garde style aesthetic that has been lauded by TIME Magazine, InStyle and Women’s Wear Daily, among other notable publications. In 2011, at age 27, she became the youngest member ever to join the exclusive official calendar of the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week, and in 2014 she was awarded the highly prestigious ANDAM Award. Her designs are currently featured in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Synesthesia, Dress, February 2010. Lacquer leather, cow leather, gold foil, metal eyelets, busks, and cotton. Groninger Museum, 2012.0202.a–b. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios 

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Hybrid Holism, Dress, July 2012. In collaboration with Julia Koerner and Materialise. 3-D-printed UV-curable polymer. High Museum of Art, Atlanta, purchase supported by the Friends of Iris, 2015.170. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios.

Iris van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984), Biopiracy, Dress, March 2014. In collaboration with Julia Koerner and Materialise. 3-D-printed thermoplastic polyurethane 92A-1 with silicone coating. Collection of Phoenix Art Museum. Gift of Arizona Costume Institute. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios

A jian ware 'oil-spot' bowl, Song Dynasty. Estimate £2,000 - 3,000 (€2,800 - 4,200). Photo Bonhams.

With deep conical sides, the interior and exterior covered with a lustrous dark brown glaze suffused with silvery black streaks, the glaze ending irregularly around the foot to expose a dark grey stoneware body. 13cm (5 1/8in) diam.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 12 Nov 2015 10:00 GMT - LONDON, NEW BOND STREET

A rare large Junyao dish, Yuan Dynasty. Estimate £30,000 - 50,000 (€42,000 - 70,000). Photo Bonhams.

The shallow body rising from a tapered foot rounding upwards at the rim, covered inside and out with milky blue, opaque glaze thinning to a mushroom tone on the rim, ending at the foot which has fired to a reddish-brown, the similarly glazed base with five spur marks, fitted box. 27.5cm (10 6/8in) diam. (2).

Provenance: Christie's New York, 19 September 2007, lot 252 

Notes: Large Junyao dishes of this size are rare. A comparable example, however, formerly in the collection of T.Y. Chao Family Trust (n.100), was sold at Sotheby's London on 17 November 1999, lot 854. Other examples are illustrated in the Idemitsu Museum of Arts, Sung Ceramics, Tokyo, 1979, n.70, and in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, Vol.I, Tokyo, 1976, n.399, p.136.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 12 Nov 2015 10:00 GMT - LONDON, NEW BOND STREET

A rare Qingbai ewer and a cover, Yuan Dynasty. Estimate £6,000 - 8,000 (€8,400 - 11,000). Photo Bonhams.

Well potted, the pear shaped body rising to a tall, flared neck, the shoulder applied on each side with phoenix in flight with scrolling tail, fanning out into a blooming lotus, below scrolling foliage and above petal lappets containing ruyi heads, rising from a flared foot, the handle moulded as a sinuous fish-dragon, its mane forming a small loop for attaching the cover, the curving spout issuing from the jaw of a dragon, connected to the body by an elaborate S-shaped bridge, the neck surrounded by a a further band of ruyi heads alternating with upright lappets, all beneath a pale blue transparent glaze, together with a stepped domed cover. 24.7cm (9 5/8in) high (2).

Provenance: a British private collection 

Published and Illustrated: A.Joseph, Chinese and Annamese Ceramics, London, 1973, fig.18, p.43 (offered as part of this lot). 

Notes: The overall shape of this ewer may have been influenced by Middle Eastern metalworks, which were imported to China from Iran and Turkey during the 14th century. Indeed, the multiple decorative techniques employed on the vessel, such as moulding and slip painting, would seem to attest to the increasing demand for rich ornamentation which was later satisfied by the use of underglaze colours. 

Compare the ewers illustrated by J.Ayers, Some Characteristic Wares of the Yüan Dynasty, in Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society, vol.29, 1954-5, pl.38, fig.17, A.du Boulay, Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, London, 1984, p.110, fig.1.

A similar ewer was included in the Meiyingtang collection and sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 7 April 2011, lot 39. Another example, sold at Christie's New York, 22 March 1999, lot 256.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 12 Nov 2015 10:00 GMT - LONDON, NEW BOND STREET

A large white-glazed jar and cover, 16th century. Estimate £30,000 - 50,000 (€42,000 - 70,000). Photo Bonhams.

The jar well potted, of ovoid form interrupted by a luting line around its broadest section, rising from a wide foot ring to a high shoulder and short neck culminating in a slightly everted rim surmounted by a domed cover with a raised roundel at the top and a finial shaped as a lotus bud, the jar and cover applied overall with a white glaze tinged with light blue save for the unglazed base, fitted box. 50cm (19 6/8in) high (3).

Note: Compare a related jar, incised with lotus designs, illustrated by R.Krahl, Chinese Ceramics From the Meiyintang Collection, London, 2010, vol.4, no.1633, p.70, sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 9 October 2012, lot 11.

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 12 Nov 2015 10:00 GMT - LONDON, NEW BOND STREET

A rare Longquan celadon-glazed model of a rhinoceros gazing at the moon, 16th century. Estimate £10,000 - 12,000 (€14,000 - 17,000). Photo Bonhams.

Provenance: a Swiss private collection 

Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, 12 Nov 2015 10:00 GMT - LONDON, NEW BOND STREET