Lot 519. A very rare stone head of a King of Hell, with wood stand, China, Song-Ming dynasty; H. 37 cm. Estimate 30 000-50 000 €. Photo Nagel

The well-carved head displaying a ferocious facial expression with bulging eyes below raised bushy eyebrows, broad nose, protruding lips, hair combed in a chignon covered with the specific bonnet secured with a band and sculpted to the front with sceptre emblem flanked to each side with sun and moon emblems above cloud formations. The open-work wooden base was probably crafted in Germany in the early 20th ct. Head and stand reach a height of 66.5 cm, the head itself measures 37 cm. Minor chips and traces of age.

Provenance: French private collection former property from the Dr. Hans Koch collection, acquired at Lempertz in June 2012

Note: The Indian god of the realm of the dead, Yama, was incorporated both into the Chinese-Buddhist and the Daoist pantheon. The notion of one king of hell and nine subordinate kings and judges of hell subsequently developed. These kings and judges were to condemn evil souls to the ten hells. During the Ming dynasty, many places saw the construction of temples including these statues, e.g. the ten judges of hell in the Buddhist Shuanglin temple in Pingyao, Shanxi (15th ct.), see: Angela Falco Howard et al.: Chinese Sculpture, New Haven, 2006, p. 410, fig. 4.50.

Nagel. Asiatische Kunst. Sale 100, 16.06.2017

Lot 526. A rare group of three red dry-lacquered and wood figures of Buddha Shakyamuni and a pair of Bodhisattvas, China, 18th century, H. 97 cm. Estimate 20 000-30 000 €. Photo Nagel

the central dry-lacquer figure of Buddha Shakyamuni is seated in vajrasana on a separate carved wood lotus base rising from the waters encompassed by a tiered hexagonal throne, his right hand shows the bhumisparshamudra while the left rests on his lap, wearing monk's garment including an under-garment secured with a knotted rope and a wide-sleeved mantle, his face displaying a serene expression with downcast eyes below arched eyebrows that run into his nose-bridge, curled hair continuing into the low cranial protuberance set with a ratna to the front and a mandorla behind sculpted in ajour with dragons and phoenixes amidst cloud formations and flanked to each side by a dry-lacquer bodhisattva seated in vajrasana on a similarly separate sculpted wood base and mandorla behind, the hands showing a form of karanamudra, wearing under-garment tight up with a rope knotted to the front, wide-sleeved mantle, bejewelled and their faces displaying a meditative expression with downcast eyes below arched eyebrows and their hair combed in a chignon. Minor wear, very minor damages due to age, very minor restorations.

Property from an old German private collection, bought prior 1990.

Nagel. Asiatische Kunst. Sale 100, 16.06.2017

Lot 312. A small russet jade cong and a russet jade ring, probably Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture. Estimate 30,000 — 50,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's.

the cong carved around with registers of taotie masks; the ring of circular form with a central aperture; both stones of a variegated russet colour - 7.6 and 10.6 cm, 3 and 4 1/8  in.

Sotheby's. Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 01 juin 2017, 02:00 PM

Lot 322. A celadon and brown jade cylinder or bracelet and a jade disc, huan, Neolithic period – Shang dynasty. Estimate 30,000 — 50,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's.

the cylinder of a variegated celadon and russet-brown colour; the huan with a tool mark to one side, the stone of a variegated pale celadon and sugar-brown colour - 12 and 5.9 cm, 4 3/4  and 2 3/8  in.

Note: The huan was among the jade items appraised by Na Zhiliang (1908-98) in 1983.

See an example similar to the present huan, excavated in Xincun village, Zhengzhou, Henan province, illustrated in Gu Fang, The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China, vol. 5, Beijing, 2005, p. 20.

Sotheby's. Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 01 juin 2017, 02:00 PM

Lot 331. A brown jade ceremonial blade, fu, probably Neolithic period, 10 cm, 4 in. Estimate 15,000 — 20,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's.

of irregular trapezoidal form with bevelled edges, one side with a vertical tool mark, the top with a small hole, the stone of a variegated russet-brown and celadon colour   

Sotheby's. Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 01 juin 2017, 02:00 PM

Lot 353. A brown and black jade cong, Neolithic period, probably Liangzhu culture, 6.4 cm, 2 1/2  in. Estimate 30,000 — 40,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's.

of square section with a central aperture, the stone of a mottled greenish-celadon colour with some dark brown patches, wood stand 

Sotheby's. Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 01 juin 2017, 02:00 PM 

Lot 354. A jade cong, Neolithic period, probably Qijia culture (2200 BC – 1600 BC), 12.7 cm, 5 in.. Estimate 30,000 — 40,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's.

of square section, pierced through the center with a cylindrical tube extending at either end to a short neck and foot, the stone of a variegated celadon and brown colour, wood stand

Sotheby's. Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 01 juin 2017, 02:00 PM 

Réceptacle bulbeux à pied carré ajouré, Vietnam, culture de Dông Son, Période Giao Chi (fin du Ier millénaire avant J.-C. - début du Ier millénaire après J.-C.). H. : 21 cm, diam. : 21 cm. INV. 2505-57 © musée Barbier-Mueller

Vase appartenant à la catégorie des petites jarres rondes, avec couvercle peu bombé, rond et muni d’un anneau de préhension mobile inséré dans une demi-boucle faisant corps avec ledit couvercle.

Les anses imitent des minces bambous tressés et se composent de plusieurs parties, reliées par des boucles, une particularité assez répandue dans la culture Nam Viêt à l’époque Giao Chi.

Les anses imitent des minces bambous tressés et se composent de plusieurs parties, reliées par des boucles, une particularité assez répandue dans la culture Nam Viêt à l’époque Giao Chi.

Sur le couvercle et le pourtour de l’ouverture se voient des motifs circulaires fréquents de la culture de Dông Son.

Édité par Laurence Mattet

Van Viêt Nguyên, Le profane et le divin, arts de l’Antiquité. Fleurons du musée Barbier-Mueller, musée Barbier-Mueller & Hazan (éd.), 2008 : p. 440.

Grand vase avec son couvercle, hô, Vietnam, région nord ou provinces limitrophes de la Chine, culture de Dông Son, Début de la période Nam Viêt ou Giao Chi (IVe-IIIe siècle avant J.-C.), Bronze, H. : 53,5 cm, INV. 2505-14 © musée Barbier-Mueller

Les bossettes et motifs en dents de scie ornant ce réceptacle imposant (des triangles entourés de bossettes visibles sur le couvercle et sur le col au niveau des anses) sont des motifs typiques de la culture de Dông Son, ici sous l’influence de la culture Nam Viêt (pays des Viêts, ou Yue pour les Chinois du Sud), aussi appelée « période Giao Chi » [1].

La tradition dôngsonienne est bien visible dans les anses en forme de U inversé. Des vases similaires apparaissent parfois dans la représentation de bateaux de guerre chargés d’hommes emplumés sur les tambours de type Heger I, comme sur les situles de bronze ; on les voit sous des sortes d’estrade, dans la cale, voisinant avec des scènes de tir à l’arc, etc.

Le corps du vase comme le couvercle sont recouverts d’un semis « granité » ressemblant à la peau d’un crapaud. Le pied est surélevé, de force tronconique, ajouré non par découpage du métal, mais lors de la fonte, comme le prouve la coupe hémisphérique et non plate. Il nous montre une série de cerfs, ou capridés, ayant un bouquet d’herbe ou un buisson sous le ventre, inscrits dans des cadres trapézoïdaux. 

Un vase identique est exposé dans le musée privé Rìng trong Phô (La Forêt en ville) (Thanh Hoa). Un autre, dépourvu de sa base et de son couvercle, très abîmé, a été découvert dans une des sépultures du site de Dông Son même (un dessin, reconstitué, est reproduit dans cat. exp. Paris 2003, p. 68).

Les vases perchés sur des pieds ajourés ont pour origine les poteries des cultures qui se sont développées après le Néolithique le long des côtes du Vietnam, par exemple dans la baie d’Along (province de Quâng Ninh), ou Hoa Loc (province de Thanh Hoa). Le premier vase de bronze ayant un pied comportant des ajourations a été découvert, avec un vase à pied, dans un cercueil fait d’un tronc d’arbre évidéà Viêt Khê (Hàï Phòng). La datation au carbone C 14 de ce cercueil le fait remonter aux IVe-IIIe siècles avant J.-C.

Un certain nombre d’autres vases avec un pied ajouré sont apparus dans des tombes du pays des Viêts du sud (Nan Yue en chinois), dans la province de Guangdong, la région autonome de Guangxi et même la province de Guizhou. La technique permettant la fonte de pièces ajourées était assez largement répandue dans la culture de Dông Son.

Repr. : Cat. exp. Paris 2003, pl. 24. Édité par Laurence Mattet 

Coupe à pied, Vietnam, région nord ou provinces limitrophes de la Chine, culture de Dông Son, Début de la période Nam Viêt ou Giao Chi ( IIe siècle avant J.-C.), Bronze, H. : 20 cm, INV. 2505-13© musée Barbier-Mueller

La partie supérieure a la forme d’un bol évasé, ou d’une assiette profonde. Des deux côtés extérieurs, de doubles anneaux permettaient de fixer des clochettes, des petits objets de décoration, des anneaux.

Le corps du bol est orné, toujours sur sa partie externe, de deux lignes horizontales encadrant un motif en dents de scie.

Le pied présente d’abord une courbure concave sans aucun décor, puis il se forme une arête, et la base (présentant des triangles, des dents de scie ajourées) se pose à 45 degrés sur le sol.

Les « dents de scie » sont une des caractéristiques de la période Nam Viêt de la culture de Dông Son.

Repr. : Viêt 2008, pl. III.3, p. 18.

Van Viêt Nguyên, Le profane et le divin, arts de l’Antiquité. Fleurons du musée Barbier-Mueller, musée Barbier-Mueller & Hazan (éd.), 2008 : p. 442.

Vase sur pied, chân cao, Vietnam, région nord ou provinces limitrophes de la Chine, culture de Dông Son, Début de la période Nam Viêt ou Giao Chi (IVe-IIIe siècle avant J.-C.), Bronze, H. : 14 cm, INV. 2505-70© musée Barbier-Mueller

Objet d’usage quotidien en forme de bol assez profond, formant une seule pièce avec un pied de bonne hauteur. L’origine dôngsonienne apparaît dans le motif, d’ailleurs emprunté à la Chine, en forme de « grecque oblique » [1], que l’on peut aussi décrire comme des spirales géométriques enchaînées, dérivant du double S horizontal et stylisé.

L’éditeur en profitera pour dire deux mots de ce type de décor géométrique. Au centre de la Chine, à l’époque où naît l’art du métal (bronze) lors de la période Shang (vers 1600- 1027 avant J.-C.), existe une culture néolithique dite « de Lung-Shan ».

Apparaissent alors dans la céramique des motifs comme les « méandres » anguleux, ancêtres des « grecques obliques », lesquelles vont se répandre largement lors de la période des Chou occidentaux (1027-771 avant J.-C.), où l’art de la fonte du bronze fait ses brillants débuts, atteignant un sommet avec les Chou orientaux (770-222 avant J.-C.), où cet art gagne les peuples non-Chinois que ceux-ci appellent Yue, dans les provinces du sud de la Chine actuelle et au nord du Vietnam. Tout le Ier millénaire avant J.-C. est celui de la céramique à décor géométrique [2].

La forme double des anses sur le corps du récipient se retrouve fréquemment sur le corps de réceptacles du Dông Son.

Le pied s’évasant vers le bas à 45 degrés de façon rectiligne est encore le résultat de l’influence chinoise de la période Giao Chi à ses débuts.

L’ouverture du récipient est plus large que le corps du bol. La trace de la fonte prouve qu’il s’agissait d’un moule en deux parties, très répandu pour la fabrication des réceptacles dôngsoniens aux parois minces.

Un objet semblable a été découvert dans un cercueil fait d’un tronc d’arbre évidéà Viêt Khê (Haï Phong) daté par C 14 des IVe-IIIe siècles avant J.-C.

Édité et complété (origine du motif des « grecques obliques ») par Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller

Medusa : Affiche.

PARIS - Medusa porte un regard contemporain, et inédit, sur le bijou. Un regard qui révèle certains tabous. Le parcours s'intéresse ainsi aux frontières traditionnelles de l’art en reconsidérant les questions de l’artisanat, du décoratif, de la mode et de la culture pop. L’exposition réunit plus de 400 bijoux réalisés par des artistes, des bijoutiers contemporains, des joailliers ; mais également des pièces anonymes, plus anciennes ou non-occidentales (de la Préhistoire, du Moyen-Age...).

Comme le visage de Méduse dans la mythologie grecque, le bijou attire et trouble celui qui le conçoit, le regarde ou le porte. C'est un objet au statut ambigu qui, à mi- chemin entre parure et sculpture, reste l’une des formes d’expression artistique les plus anciennes et universelles. Le parcours tente de révéler la force subversive et performative qui entourent les bijoux, en partant des a priori souvent négatifs dont ils souffrent.

Les bijoux créent une indéniable ≪attraction/répulsion≫ selon qui les conçoit, les porte ou les regarde, à l’image du mythique et terrifiant visage de Medusa. L’une des plus anciennes formes d’expression humaine, le bijou est pour autant rarement considéré comme une œuvre d’art, restant souvent perçu comme trop féminin, précieux, décoratif et corporel, ou primitif. Mais les artistes et les créateurs contemporains l’ont éloigné de ses propres traditions, et en le réinventant, ont transformé notre regard.

Suivant un parcours thématique, le musée présente près de 300 pièces : d’artistes  (de Meret Oppenheim, à Man Ray, Calder, Dali, Picasso, à Fabrice Gygi, Thomas Hirschhorn, ou Danny McDonald), de designers (de Rene Lalique, Anni Albers, Line Vautrin, Tony Duquette, Bless), mais aussi de bijoutiers contemporains (de Gijs Bakker, Karl Fristch, Sophie Hanagarth…), de maisons de haute-joaillerie, ainsi que des pièces anonymes ou plus anciennes (des bijoux antiques, amérindiens, ou encore punk, rap, SM…). L’exposition MEDUSA rassemble ainsi des pièces uniques, ou multiples, faites-main, industriellement, voire par ordinateur, confrontant des esthétiques raffinées, artisanales, ou futuristes.

Musée d'Art Moderne. 19 mai -5 novembre 2017

Reproduction d’une œuvre de Salvador Dalí par Henryk Kaston, Broche Ruby Lips, années 1970-80, Broche, Or 18 carats, rubis, perles de culture. Miami, Collection particulière© Photo : Robin Hill

PARIS - Attractive or repelling, beautiful or provocative? Like Medusa, the golden-haired maiden who was transformed into a hideous woman with snakes coiling in her hair after breaking her vows of celibacy with Poseidon, the Medusa exhibition in Paris explores the role of jewellery in a contemporary light and sets about unmasking a number of prevailing prejudices and taboos.

One of the most ancient and universal forms of human decoration, jewellery has an ambiguous status, hovering in limbo between fashion, sculpture and, occasionally art. Medusa sets out to question the traditional boundaries by reconsidering the issues of craftsmanship, decoration, fashion and pop culture.

Ring by Karl Fritsch, 2006, made from oxidised silver and precious stones. @ADGP, Paris 2017

Organised around four themes – Identity, Value, Body and Instruments – each section opens with the often negative preconceptions surrounding jewellery to deconstruct them and reveal the underlying symbolism and theatrical potential of this art form. Thanks to surrealist and avant-garde artists of the stature of Salvador Dali and the provocative art of contemporary designers, jewellery has been reinvented, transformed and detached from its own constricting traditions.

Bringing together over 400 pieces of jewellery, the Medusa exhibition is ambitious in scope and showcases pre-historical works; punk and rapper’s jewellery; creations by artists like Alexander Calder, Man Ray and Lucio Fontana; pieces by designers René Lalique and Suzanne Belperron; contemporary jewellery by Gijs Bakker, Otto Künzli, Dorothea Prühl, to name but a few; and high jewellery creations by Carter, Buccellati and Van Cleef & Arpels. 

Gold nose ornament, circa 800-1200, Quimbaya culture, Colombia. @ADGP, Paris 2017

Danny McDonald, Bitten Crystal necklace, 2005. @ADGP, Paris 2017

Cartier, Snake necklace from 1968 set with 2,473 brilliant and baguette-cut diamonds and pear-shaped emerald eyes. Photo: Nick Welch @ Cartier. @ADGP, Paris 2017

Bretony Vernon,  The Boudoir Box, 2000, leather and silver. @ADGP, Paris 2017

German artist Gerhard Richter gestures in front of his painting "Abstract Painting (946-3)" during a press conference before the opening of the new exhibition "Gerhard Richter, New Paintings" of the Gerhard Richter Archive at Albertinum in Dresden, eastern Germany, on May 19, 2017. Photo Robert Michael / AFP.

DRESDEN.- Gerhard Richter (*1932 in Dresden) is one of the most significant contemporary artists. His work covers a period of more than five decades. On the occasion of his 85th birthday, the Gerhard Richter Archive of the Dresden State Art Collections is holding an exhibition from 20 May to 27 August 2017 with new paintings by the artist. Initially, most of his works were already exhibited in Museum Ludwig, Cologne. Now the paintings, supplemented with seven recently created works, will almost all be exhibited in the Albertinum. 

The new “Abstrakten Bilder” [Abstract Paintings] since 2015 are strikingly different from the work created five years before, with its reserved and delicately modulated surfaces. The 32 paintings in total tie in with the works from the late 1980s and impress with their vibrant and fragmented multitude of colouration. In addition to his brush and squeegee, Richter also uses a knife to scratch animated traces into the surface of the image and reveals the multiple layers of oil paint by stripping it all the way back to the layers underneath. This process reminds us of the “Abstrakten Bilder” [Abstract Paintings] created around 1990. However, Richter no longer uses the knife in parallel, vertical tracks, instead, he uses free, gestural movements across the canvas. 

These works differ from all the other “Abstrakten Bilder” [Abstract Paintings] in their pictorial gesture and signify a new dynamic pictorial beginning. 

Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (945-1), 2016 © Gerhard Richter Köln 2017 (20170123)

Gerhard Richter is connected to the Dresden State Art Collections and his birthplace of Dresden in a unique way through the archive, which was founded here and named after him. The artist repeatedly expresses this connection with special exhibitions. An extensive group of new STRIP paintings and works behind glass already had their premiere here in Dresden in 2013. Two years later, Gerhard Richter was presenting his Birkenau cycle in the Albertinum to the public for the first time. 

As the most important research project of the Gerhard Richter Archive, the work is held in the catalogue of works (Catalogue Raisonné) of all paintings and sculptures by Gerhard Richter. After the publication of volumes 1, 3 and 4 (2011 to 2015), the second of a total of six volumes will be published for the exhibition by the Hatje Cantz Verlag. 

Gerhard Richter Catalogue Raisonné. Volume 2 No. 199-388 1968-1976, edited by Dietmar Elger, text(s) by Dietmar Elger, German, English, 2017. 656 pages, 715 Abb., Hatje Cantz Verlag, ISBN 978-3-7757-1979-7, 248.00 EUR.

Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (946-3), 2016, oil on canvas, 175 x 250 cm© Gerhard Richter Köln 2017 (20170123)

Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (947-3), 2016© Gerhard Richter Köln 2017 (20170123)

Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (946-5), 2016, oil on aluminum, 27 x 35.5 cm © Gerhard Richter Köln 2017 

Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (947-2), 2016, oil on wood, 40 x 50 cm © Gerhard Richter Köln 2017

Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (947-8), 2016, oil on wood, 50 x 60 cm © Gerhard Richter Köln 2017

Fan Ho with camera.

Hong Kong - Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery is thrilled to present Visual Dialogues: Hong Kong through the Lens of Fan Ho, the most comprehensive exhibition on Fan Ho’s photography, from 14 to 30 June 2017. This selling exhibition features over 30 vintage works by celebrated photography master and film director Fan Ho (1931 – 2016). Each photo captures a moment in time, nostalgically documenting life in Hong Kong in the 1950s.

For the first time, Fan Ho’s photography and related objects, among them the original Rolleiflex f3.5 camera used throughout his lifetime and his book Thoughts on Street Photography (published 1959), will be exhibited. The new photo book, Fan Ho: Portrait of Hong Kong, which presents some of his most important works and documents his contribution to Hong Kong’s street photography, will be released and available for sale at the exhibition. Taken together, Visual Dialogues is the most comprehensive retrospective of Fan Ho’s award-winning body of works and career as photographer.

Jasmine Yan, Gallery Director, Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, said: “‘A picture is worth a thousand words.’ This old idiom holds true especially when viewing Fan Ho’s photography. It is hard to restrain yourself from gazing into each photograph, contemplating what life was like then, romanticising and perhaps for a moment you might have time travelled to old Hong Kong.

Sotheby’s is pleased to collaborate with Fan Ho’s family and Sarah Greene to present this comprehensive exhibition, which not only features Fan’s vintage photography, but also the numerous awards and related objects pertaining to him as an iconic photographer and as visual artist. Many of these objects have never been exhibited to the public. We hope Hong Kong audience and collectors will enjoy Visual Dialogues.”

ABOUT FAN HO (1931 – 2016) 1

Born in Shanghai in 1931, Fan Ho delved into photography at the early age of 10 when he started taking pictures with a Kodak Brownie camera his father had left behind. Later at the age of 18, his father bought him a twin lens Rolleiflex camera with which he took all his award-winning photographs.

In 1949, Fan Ho’s parents moved to Hong Kong, where the young Fan Ho continued pursuing his passion for photography, in particularly for street photography. Dubbed the “Cartier-Bresson of the East”, Fan Ho’s works earned him close to 300 local and international photography awards and titles. His talent was discovered also by the film industry where he started out as an actor before moving into film directing until his retirement at age 65.

During his lifetime, Fan Ho taught photography and film-making at various universities worldwide. His works remain in private and public collections which, most notably, include that of M+ Museum (Hong Kong), Heritage Museum (Hong Kong), Bibliothèque National de France, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Art (USA) and more.

EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS

Fan Ho is renowned for his romantic and distinctive use of light and shadow, lending his images an exquisitely composed background of geometrical construction, patterns and textures. Fan Ho’s images of Hong Kong’s streets scenes and stalls, alleys and wet markets taken in the 1950’s and ‘60s, remain, to this day, some of the most iconic images of the city ever photographed.

 Fan Ho, Afternoon Chat, 1959, Silver Gelatin Print, 35.7 x 49.4 cm.

Fan Ho, On the Stage of Life, 1954, Silver Gelatin Print, 25 x 49.2 cm.

Fan Ho, Back Alley, 1955, Silver Gelatin Print, 49.2 x 16.8 cm. 

Fan Ho, Lunch, 1962, Silver Gelatin Print, 47.4 x 19.5 cm.

 Fan Ho, Pattern, 1956, Silver Gelatin Print, 36 x 49.4 cm.

Fan Ho, Approaching Shadow, 1954, Silver Gelatin Print.

Fan Ho, As Evening Hurries By, 1955, Silver Gelatin Print.

Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, 5/F, One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong. 14 – 30 June 2017

1 The biography is extracted from Fan Ho’s official website, http://fanho-forgetmenot.com/about/

Lot 2077. An exceptional 3.98 carats rectangular-cut fancy vivid blue diamond ring, by Moussaieff. Estimate HKD 64,000,000 - HKD 85,000,000 (USD 8,000,000-11,000,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The rectangular-cut fancy vivid blue diamond, weighing approximately 3.98 carats, within a cushion and triangular-shaped pink diamond surround, to the baguette-cut pink diamond bifurcated half-hoop, mounted in gold, ring size 5. Signed Moussaieff

Please note that the pink diamonds have not been tested for natural colour 

Accompanied by report no. 2145913049 dated 2 July 2014 from the GIA Gemological Institute of America stating that the diamond is fancy vivid blue colour, VVS2 clarity 

Christie's. Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels, 30 May 2017, Convention Hall 

Lot 2074. A charming pair of 4.64 and 4.01 carats fancy purplish pink diamond and diamond earrings. Estimate HKD 22,000,000 - HKD 30,000,000 (US$2,800,000-3,800,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Each set with an oval-shaped fancy purplish pink diamond, weighing approximately 4.64 and 4.01 carats, to the pear and marquise-cut diamond partial surround, mounted in gold, 2.5 cm

Accompanied by two reports nos. 2165432878 and 1162342933 dated4 August 2014 and 18 August 2014 from the GIA Gemological Institute of America stating that the diamonds are fancy purplish pink colour, VS1 and VVS2 clarity 

Christie's. Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels, 30 May 2017, Convention Hall  

 Lot 2075. A rare multi-coloured diamond and diamond bracelet. Estimate HKD 22,000,000 - HKD 30,000,000 (US$2,800,000-3,800,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Designed as a series of flowerheads, each set to the centre with an oval-shaped multi-coloured diamond, weighing approximately 1.32 to 0.63 carats, within a circular-cut pink diamond trim and pear-shaped diamond petal surround, alternating with florets, each set with a circular-cut fancy vivid purplish pink diamond, weighing approximately 0.13 to 0.09 carat, with pear-shaped diamond detail, mounted in platinum and gold, 18.8 cm  

Please note that the smaller circular-cut pink diamonds have not been tested for natural colour 

Accompanied by sixteen reports dated from 31 January 2014 to 28 July 2015 from the GIA Gemological Institute of America stating that the 1.32 to .09 carat diamonds range from fancy vivid to fancy intense, purple-pink, pink, purplish pink and blue colour, VS2 to I1 clarity 

Christie's. Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels, 30 May 2017, Convention Hall

Lot 2069. A charming 5.28 carats fancy intense green diamond and diamond ring. Estimate HKD 18,000,000 - HKD 28,000,000 (US$2,300,000-3,500,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Set with a square-shaped fancy intense green diamond, weighing approximately 5.28 carats, flanked by a rectangular-cut fancy intense purplish pink and fancy vivid purplish pink diamond, weighing approximately 0.52 and 0.49 carat respectively, within a partial surround of circular-cut pink diamonds, mounted in platinum, ring size 5 ½ 

Please note that the circular-cut pink diamonds have not been tested for natural colour

Accompanied by three reports dated 1 August 2013 to 13 October 2015 from the GIA Gemological Institute of America with the following details:

Report Weight Colour Clarity Cut
1176229335 5.28 Fancy Intense Green VS2 Square
6167748050 0.52 Fancy Intense Purplish Pink VS1 Rectangular
5151112182 0.49 Fancy Vivid Purplish Pink SI2 Rectangular

Christie's. Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels, 30 May 2017, Convention Hall

Lot 2076. The Red Winter Flower. An impressive fancy red diamond and diamond brooch, by Scott West. Estimate HKD 15,500,000 - HKD 25,000,000 (US$2,000,000-3,200,000) © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Designed as a vari-cut diamond flower brooch, centering on a square-shaped fancy red diamond, weighing approximately 1.58 carats, within a surround set with a square-shaped fancy purplish red diamond, weighing approximately 0.36 carat, rectangular-cut fancy red diamond, weighing approximately 0.30 carat, and pear-shaped fancy red, fancy purplish red and fancy red diamond, weighing approximately 0.27, 0.26 and .022 carat respectively, mounted in platinum and gold, 5.6 cm. Signed Scott West

Accompanied by six reports dated 13 August 2012 to 6 October 2016from the GIA Gemological Institute of America with the following details:

Report Weight Colour Clarity Cut
1162861692 1.58 Fancy Red N/A Square
2155631118 0.36 Fancy Purplish Red VVS1 Square
5141115865 0.30 Fancy Red VS1 Rectangular
1152211425 0.27 Fancy Red N/A Pear
1152205484 0.26 Fancy Purplish Red N/A Pear
2145936461 0.22 Fancy Red SI1 Pear

Note: Coloured diamonds are a natural phenomenon. The geological conditions required to yield these exceptional gemstones are rare, making diamonds with distinct colours of red, green, blue and pink unique and valuable. To avid gemstone collectors, pure red diamonds are considered to be the most precious of all fancy coloured diamonds. Even with notable deposits in the Argyle mines in Australia in the 1980s, only few pure red diamonds have been documented, examined or even discovered. Red diamonds are so rare, that GIA records show that over a 30 year period from 1957 to 1987 there was no mention of a GIA lab report issued for a diamond with “red” as the only descriptive term. It is no wonder that the last significant ‘Fancy Red’ diamond Christie’s sold, a 2.09 carats heart-shaped fancy red diamond ring, by Moussaieff, made a record price of HK$39,320,000, or US$2.4 million per carat.

It is important to note that no other gemstone’s ‘red’ can be compared to a red diamond’s due to the latter’s specific brilliance and lustre. The cause of its colour is not yet thoroughly understood; it is generally concluded that the hue results from structural features in the diamond’s crystal lattice combined possibly with minute quantities of nitrogen. It is also the only colour grading in the diamond family which doesn’t come with a prefix like ‘intense’ or ‘vivid’; the GIA considering the red colour itself as an intensity grade. 

The Red Winter Flower is an extraordinary piece by Scott West. Featuring six red diamonds, each diamond took more than five years to acquire and the design took more than 3 months to conceptualize. Inspired by nature’s beauty and phenomenal creation, this is a true collector’s dream.

Christie's. Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels, 30 May 2017, Convention Hall

Lot 3117. A fine Xiangzhou moulded celadon ‘floral’ dish, Northern Qi-Sui dynasty (550-618), 4 ¼ in. (10.6 cm.) diam., box. Estimate HKD 120,000 - HKD 180,000 (USD 15,495 - USD 23,243) © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

The dish is supported on a low solid foot, finely moulded with a central flowerhead in high relief, surrounded by lotus petals separated by rows of dots, below a band of vertical lines around the rim, covered with an olive-green glaze pooling at the recesses, stopping mid-way on the reverse above the foot.

Provenance: Acquired in Hong Kong, 5 July 1999

Christie's. The Imperial Sale / Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 31 May 2017, Convention Hall