Rare Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond ring. Sold 5,313,000 CHF at Sotheby'sGeneva, 14 Nov 2007, lot 377A.
Set with a fancy vivid blue pear-shaped diamond weighing 4.16 carats, framed by brilliant-cut diamonds of pink tint, the hoop pavé-set with similar brilliant-cut stones, mounted in platinum and yellow gold, size 45.
Accompanied by GIA report no. 10486260, dated 9 November 1998, stating that the 4.16 carat diamond is Fancy Vivid Blue, Natural Colour, VS1 Clarity.
Important Diamond ring, Cartier. Sold 2,625,000 CHF at Sotheby'sGeneva, 14 Nov 2007, lot 378.
Set with a marquise-shaped diamond weighing 22.25 carats, between tapered baguette diamond shoulders, mounted in platinum, signed Cartier Paris, French assay and maker's marks. size 52.
Accompanied by GIA report no. 16213414 stating that the diamond is D Colour, VVS2 Clarity and additional GIA worksheet stating that the stone is Potentially Flawless after repolishing.
Sceau Yuaanmingyuan, Chine, dynastie Qing, règne de Qianlong (1736-1795). Néphrite. MNAAG, Paris. Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Guimet, Paris) / Thierry Ollivier
Vase fangding, Chine, dynastie Qing (1644-1911), 18e siècle. Néphrite. MNAAG, Paris, MG2727. Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Guimet, Paris) / Thierry Ollivier
Lot 3782. A carved rhinoceros horn ‘Lychee’ libation cup, Qing Dynasty , 17th-18th century. Estimate 500,000 — 700,000 HKD. Lot Sold 1,120,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby’s.
carved on the exterior with stems issuing long furled leaves, floral blooms and two lychees, the lychees detailed with various floral-diaper grounds, the undercut handle formed with two undulating stems, the horn of a warm chestnut tone lightening to a rich amber colour towards the mouthrim, wood stand; 15.2 cm., 6 in.
Sotheby’s. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 oct. 2014, 03:00 PM
Lot 3792. A rhinoceros horn ‘Prunus tree’ libation cup, Qing Dynasty , 17th-18th century. Estimate 200,000 — 300,000 HKD. Lot Sold 937,500 HKD. Photo: Sotheby’s.
the tapered horn carved on the exterior with an irregular surface with subtle ridges and knots simulating a tree trunk, one side detailed in high relief with a gnarled branch and thin twigs issuing prunus blossoms of varying sizes and extending across the exterior and onto the interior of the cup, the horn patinated to a dark brown colour lightening a warm amber tone towards the mouthrim, wood stand; 12.8 cm., 5 in.
Sotheby’s. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 oct. 2014, 03:00 PM
Lot 3573. A large blue and white dish, Early Kangxi period, circa 1670. Estimate $8,000 – $12,000. Price Realized $11,250. Photo Christie’s Image Ltd 2015
The large dish, with narrow everted rim, is decorated in the center with a scene of a warrior standing beneath a willow tree and addressing an approaching figure on horseback with groom, with three fruiting sprays on the rim. The exterior with three similar sprays and a fourth on the base. 14 ½ in. (36.8 cm.) diam.
Provenance: Acquired in London in the 1980s.
Collection of Julia and John Curtis.
Literature: Julia B. Curtis, ‘Transition ware Made Plain: A Wreck from the South China Sea’, Oriental Art, Vol. XXXI, No. 2, Summer, 1985, p. 169, fig. 15b.
CHRISTIE’S. AN ERA OF INSPIRATION: 17TH-CENTURY CHINESE PORCELAINS FROM THE COLLECTION OF JULIA AND JOHN CURTIS, 16 March 2015,New York, Rockefeller Plaza
Lot 3558. A small blue and white beaker vase, 17th century. Estimate $10,000 – $15,000. Price Realized $8,125. Photo Christie’s Image Ltd 2015
Of elongated, cylindrical form flaring towards the neck, the vase is painted on one side with a leaf-shaped panel containing a four-clawed dragon emerging from waves in pursuit of a flaming pearl. The reverse is decorated with a stylized rock formation and a berry branch. 8 in. (20.3 cm.) high
Provenance: Jan van Beers, London, 1984.
Collection of Julia and John Curtis.
Notes: The dragon had long been a favored motif in Chinese art, and it continued to be used as a decorative motif on Transitional wares. A symbol of imperial power, the dragon appeared on Chinese porcelains as early as the 14th century. Its meaning shifted slightly through China’s different political periods. In reference to a Ming dynasty leys jar in the Lenora and Walter F. Brown Collection decorated with a five-clawed dragon, illustrated by Julia B. Curtis in “Tales told in Porcelain: Jingdezhen Blue-and-White Wares at the San Antonio Museum of Art,” Orientations, April 2005 (p. 48, illustrated p. 49, fig. 8), Dr. Curtis notes, “During the Han dynasty, the dragon was the symbol of the east and thus associated with sunrise and spring rain which bring fertility and fecundity. The dragon was always related to water… Thus the dragon came to signify the power of creation, and to be embraced as the giver of life and the life force, and as such, to symbolize the person, power and benevolence of the emperor. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, use of the five-clawed dragon as an imperial decorative device was strictly enforced by sumptuary laws”.
CHRISTIE’S. AN ERA OF INSPIRATION: 17TH-CENTURY CHINESE PORCELAINS FROM THE COLLECTION OF JULIA AND JOHN CURTIS, 16 March 2015,New York, Rockefeller Plaza
Natural Conch pearl, 7.50 ct. Photo courtesy Theilkaes
Natural pearls "orient" necklace. Photo courtesy Theilkaes
Bowl, everted rim, shallow foot, interior: molded petal and floral meander motif; Tonkin, Vietnam, 14th century-15th century, stoneware, clear glaze, 5.5 × 16.5 cm diameter. Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Michael Abbott, Founder Benefactor, 1984; AS80-1984 © National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Bowl, everted rim, raised foot, four incised/stamped flower motifs running , Tonkin, Vietnam, 14th century-15th century, stoneware, green copper glaze, 6.2 × 16.9 cm diameter. Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Michael Abbott, Founder Benefactor, 1984; AS79-1984 © National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Anneau, Chine, dynastie Shang (c.1600-1046 avant J.-C.). Néphrite, bronze. MNAAG Paris, MA3843. Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Guimet, Paris) / Richard Lambert.
Oiseau, Chine, dynastie Shang (c.1600-1046 avant J.-C.). Néphrite, bronze. MNAAG Paris, MA3845. Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (musée Guimet, Paris) / Thierry Ollivier.
Lot 4. A Lacquer Casket Commissioned by the Portuguese, Momoyama period, late 16th century © Christie's Image Ltd 2016
The rectangular casket with domed hinged cover, decorated in gold hiramaki-e and inlaid in mother-of-pearl on a black ground, the cover and the front with camellia and kiri [paulownia], the sides with morning glory and vines, the back with further vines, each panel bordered with bands of geometric patterns and namban tendril, copper fittings engraved with stylised flowers - 22.3cm. wide
Note: For another similar example, see Sezon Museum of Art and Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, eds., ‘Porutogaru to Nanban bunka’ ten: mezase toho no kuniguni [‘Portugal and Namban culture’ exhibition : Via Orientals] (Japan, 1993), p. 194-195, no. 168 (the Confraria de Nossa Senhora da Luz collection, Arraiolos).
A similar example sold Christie’s London, 20 November 1990, lot 1006.
Christie's on line. JAPANESE ART AT THE ENGLISH COURT
Lot 5. A Lacquer Casket Commissioned by the Portuguese, Momoyama period, late 16th century © Christie's Image Ltd 2016
The rectangular casket with domed hinged cover, decorated in gold hiramaki-e and inlaid in mother-of-pearl on a black ground, the cover with prunus, camellia with flowering vines and tachibana, the front with kiri [paulownia], prunus and peony, one side with morning glory and tachibana, the other side with vines and autumn flowers, the back with further vines and flowers, each panel bordered with inlaid bands and namban tendril, copper gilt fittings engraved with stylised flowers - 18.3cm. wide
Note: For similar examples, see Sakai City Museum ed., Namban shikki - shitsugei ni miru tozai koryu [Namban lacquer wares - lacquer art and the exchanges between East and West] (Osaka, 1983), p.37, 39; Edith Strasser and Mark Hinton, Ex Oriente Lux - European and Oriental Lacquer from the BASF Lacquer Museum Cologne (London, 1977), p. 72, no. 142; Sezon Museum of Art and Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, eds., ‘Porutogaru to Nanban bunka’ ten: mezase toho no kuniguni [‘Portugal and Namban culture’ exhibition : Via Orientals] (Japan, 1993), p. 194-195, no. 168 (the Confraria de Nossa Senhora da Luz collection, Arraiolos); and Fundação Oriente, Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Arte Namban: os portugueses no Japão (Lisboa, 1990), p. 55, 100, no. 53.
Christie's on line. JAPANESE ART AT THE ENGLISH COURT
Vase in a Song dynasty style, Qing dynasty, Qianlong mark and period (1736-1795), China, Jiangxi province. Porcelain, guan ware. H. 8 3/8 in x Diam. 5 3/4 in, H. 21.3 cm x Diam. 14.6 cm. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P2321 © 2016 Asian Art Museum Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture
Vase with raised grooves in Song style, Qing dynasty, Reign of the Yongzheng emperor (1723-1735), China, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province. Porcelain with crackled glaze, guan ware. H. 9 1/4 in x Diam. 5 3/4 in, H. 23.5 cm x Diam. 14.6 cm. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P2280 © 2016 Asian Art Museum Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture
Lot 3774. A rare agate cup, Incised seal mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735). Estimate 500,000 — 700,000 HKD. Lot sold 1,060,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's.
the exquisite caramel and golden-yellow material highlighted with attractive darker-brown veins, superbly carved with delicate sides rising steeply from a short splayed foot, the countersunk base incised with a four-character seal mark - 10.7 cm., 4 1/4 in.
Provenance: An old Scottish collection.
Note: A closely related cup of slightly smaller size, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, was included in the Museum’s exhibition Harmony and Integrity. The Yongzheng Emperor and His Times, Taipei, 2009, cat. no. II:67, together with a smaller agate cup and dish, cat. no. II:70, and seven agate bowls, cat. nos II:61-66 and II:68; and another smaller cup and dish, from the collection of Sir Adrian and Lady Holman, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 26th April 2004, lot 1125. See also a Yongzheng mark and period shallow bowl, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Chinese Jades Throughout the Ages, vol. 11, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 28; and a mallow-shaped example from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection, sold in these rooms, 4th April 2012, lot 125.
Sotheby’s. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 oct. 2014, 03:00 PM
