Lot 77. A wucai jar and cover, China, Transitional period, circa 17th Century. Hauteur totale: 35 cm. (13 ¾ in.). Estimate EUR 15,000 - EUR 25,000 (USD 17,639 - USD 29,399). © Christie's Images Ltd 2017

Jarre couverte en porcelaine wucai, Chine, époque Transition, circa XVIIème siècle 

La panse est à décor d'une scène de personnages sur une terrasse dans un jardin arboré et rocailleux. Le couvercle est orné de trois garçons rieurs ; fêles.

Provenance: Collection of the late French diplomat Georges Dubail (1845-1932), acquired in China prior to 1906.

Christie's. Art d'Asie, 13 December 2017, Paris

Lot 1890. A rare blue and white pouring bowl, Yuan dynasty (1271-1368); 16.2 cm., 6 3/8 in. Estimate 400,000 — 500,000 HKD. Lot Sold 500,000 HKD. photo: Sotheby's 

of shallow rounded form with a slightly domed interior base, set at one side with a small spout of square section applied underneath with a small scroll loop, painted in underglaze-blue with flowerheads among foliate scrolls on the interior encircled by a double line border and a band of classic scroll at the well, the exterior with lotus petal panels, the rim unglazed, the base with a thin coating of translucent glaze. Quantity: 1

Provenance: Sotheby's New York, 4th December 1984, lot 320.
Sotheby's London, 12th November 2003, lot 88.

Exhibited: Song Ceramics from the Kwan Collection, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1994, cat. no. 205.

Lot 2802. A fine and extremely rare early Ming pale celadon-glazed stembowl, Ming dynasty, early 15th century; 6 in. (15.1 cm.) wide, box. Estimate HKD 1,500,000 - HKD 2,000,000. Price realised HKD 4,340,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2010

The bowl potted with steeply rounded flared sides supported on a slightly splayed stem foot, covered overall with a rich sea-green glaze thinning to a pale tone on the rim and pooling on the exterior just below the rim, and above the foot rim.

Provenance: Previously sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 19 November 1986, lot 215
Greenwald Collection, no. 36 

Literature: Gerald M. Greenwald, The Greenwald Collection, Two Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics, 1996, Catalogue, no. 36 

Note: The glaze of the present vessel is very thin and pools near the extremities relating closely to the celadon glaze on a covered jar in the Qing Court collection, dated to the Yongle period, illustrated in Monochrome Porcelain, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Commercial Press, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 135, no. 123 (see fig. 1). A comparable stembowl with a horizontal bow-string on the stem foot, is illustrated, ibid, no. 124 where it is mentioned that vessels of this type was produced during the Yongle period to imitate the celadon colours of earlier Song dynasty Longquan wares. It is possible that a number of these vessels, along with blue and white wares of the same form, were also sent as gifts to the High Lamas of Tibet for use on Buddhist altars, cf. a similarly glazed cup dated to the Yongle period, illustrated in Ming and Qing Dynasties Ceramics Preserved in Tibet Museum, 2004, p. 26. 

Lot 2805. A fine and rare yellow-ground blue and white decorated dish, Zhengde six-character mark within double circles and of the period (1506-1521); 11 3/4 in. (29.5 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 2,000,000 - HKD 3,000,000. Lot sold HKD 5,780,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2010

Finely potted with shallow sides, the centre painted in shades of cobalt-blue with a single branch of pomegranate growing two large blooms in profile, detailed with leaves and buds, the cavetto with four fruiting branches including peach, persimmon and cherry blossom between double-circle borders, the exterior with four lotus sprays, all against a vibrant yellow enamel ground, the slightly concave base with a transparent glaze.

Provenance: Yin Chuan Tang Ltd., Hong Kong
Greenwald Collection, no. 34 

Literature: The Spendor of Ancient China, Yin Chuan Tang Ltd., Hong Kong, 1994, no. 35
Gerald M. Greenwald, The Greenwald Collection, Two Thousand Years of Chinese Ceramics, 1996, Catalogue, no. 34  

Note: Dishes of this floral design in underglaze-blue against an enamelled yellow ground first appeared in the Xuande period, such as the dish in the Edward Chow and T.Y. Chao collections, sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 18 November 1986, lot 56. The style found much popularity in the mid-Ming period and were produced in dishes of varying sizes with either a pomegranate or a stylised flower that may possibly be identified as gardenia to the interior well. Published examples of this group of yellow-ground dishes bearing the Chenghua, Hongzhi, Zhengde and Jiajing marks are known.

Lot 2807. A very rare Ming white-glazed lobed brushwasher, Zhengde four-character mark within double-circles and of the period (1506-1521); 7 5/8 in. (19.3 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 1,500,000 - HKD 2,000,000. Price realised HKD 1,940,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2010

Exquisitely potted with shallow gently flaring sides divided into ten vertical petal-shaped lobes rising from the foliate foot to the wavy rim, surrounding the flat base, covered entirely with a smooth milky-white glaze with a faint bluish tinge.

Provenance: Previously sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 October 2001, lot 612
Greenwald Collection, no. 80 

Note: This floral shape originates in the early 15th century; an unmarked tianbai, 'sweet-white' glazed, ten-lobed brushwasher excavated from the Yongle stratum, was included in the exhibition, Imperial Hongwu and Yongle Porcelain excavated at Jingdezhen, Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1998, see the Catalogue, p. 262, no. 100. During the early Ming period, brushwashers of this form are also found decorated in underglaze-blue, such as the 'dragon and phoenix' brushwasher sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 November 2004, lot 860, dated to the Yongle period. Compare also Xuande-marked blue and white examples, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, decorated with dragon and phoenix roundels, illustrated in Blue-and-White Ware of the Ming Dynasty, Book II, Part I, Hong Kong 1963, pl. 23; and one in the Percival David Foundation, now housed at the British Museum, illustrated in Oriental Ceramics, The World's Great Collections, Kodansha Series, 1982, vol. 6, no. 94, designed with a single dragon on the interior.

Bowl with flared lobed sides, Ming dynasty, Zhengde mark and period, 1506-1521, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province. Porcelain with underglaze cobalt-blue mark and transparent glaze, Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, PDF,A.436 © 2017 Trustees of the British Museum

The present brushwasher continued the tradition of the early Ming and was commissioned among a group of similar scholar's objects that were made for the Ming court. Compare with Zhengde-marked white-glazed brushwashers of the same shape, cf. two in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, the first included in the Illustrated Catalogue of Ming Dynasty Porcelain, pl. 104, and the second illustrated in Monochrome Ware of the Ming Dynasty, Book II, pl. 1; one in the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, illustrated by J. Wirgin, Chinese Ceramics from the Axel and Nora Lundgren Bequest, pl. 40a, no. 44; the washer previously from the Eumorfopoulos, Cunliffe and T. Y. Chao Collections, sold most recently at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 19 May 1987, lot 251; and another from the Ira and Nancy Koger Collection, sold at Sotheby's New York, 27 November 1990, lot 8.

Lot 2810. A fine Ming wucai 'dragon and phoenix' pen-tray, Wanli six-character mark within a rectangle and of the period (1573-1619); 12 1/4 in. (31.2 cm.) long. Estimate HKD 2,000,000 - HKD 3,000,000. Price realised HKD 7,220,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2010

The pen-tray is strongly potted with low flaring sides, the interior divided by a mountain-shaped pen rest, and boldly painted in the larger compartment with a phoenix and a dragon in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl' above waves crashing against a rock, the smaller compartment with a full-faced dragon among clouds, the interior and exterior sides with further dragons and phoenix amidst multi-hued cloud clusters, and the reign mark inscribed in a column on the base, wood stand 

Provenance: Previously sold at Christie's London, 13 December 1982, lot 478, and sold again at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 October 2001, lot 611
Greenwald Collection, no. 76 

Literature: A. du Boulay, Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, Oxford, 1984, p. 171, no. 2 

Note: A limited number of pen-trays decorated in the wucai palette with the combined 'dragon and phoenix' design are known such as the example from the Christina Loke Balsara Collection, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 19 January 1988, lot 265; and another is illustrated by R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 2, no. 710.

Lot 429. A rare blue and white anhua-decorated dish, Yuan dynasty (1279-1366); 19.4 cm, 7 5/8  in. Estimate HKD 40,000 — 60,000. Lot sold HKD 325,000. Photo: Sotheby's.

painted to the interior with a medallion of three stylised ruyi clouds, the cavetto decorated in anhua with two dragons striding amidst clouds, all below a classic scroll band, the underside similarly decorated 

Provenance: Sotheby's London, 5th December 1995, lot 382. 

Sotheby's. Chinese Art including Selected Works of Art from the T.Y. Chao Family Collection, Hong Kong, 30 Nov 2017

Lot 430. A blue and white 'Prunus' stem cup, Yuan dynasty (1279-1366); 10.6 cm, 4 1/8  in. Estimate HKD 60,000 — 80,000. Lot sold HKD 87,500. Photo: Sotheby's.

with deep rounded sides set with a ruyi handle, resting on a hollow splayed foot encircled with grooves, the exterior decorated with blossoming prunus sprays and a crescent moon. 

Sotheby's. Chinese Art including Selected Works of Art from the T.Y. Chao Family Collection, Hong Kong, 30 Nov 2017

Lot 431. A blue and white jar, guan, Yuan dynasty (1279-1366); 30 cm, 11 7/8  in. Estimate HKD 200,000 — 300,000. Lot sold HKD 1,375,000 . Photo: Sotheby's.

the baluster body flanked by a pair of lion-mask handles, painted with two broad bands of meandering lotus and peony amidst foliage and curling stems, all above a lappet band, the shoulder collared by a band of lappets enclosing the Buddhist emblems, below a classic scroll and a wave band around the rim and neck. 

Note: Compare a Yuan jar of similar shape and design but larger in size excavated from the tomb of Yang he (1326-1395) and another excavated in the city of Huaian, Jiangsu province, both illustrated in Ye Peilan, Yuandai ciqi, Beijing, 1998, pls. 53 and 52. A third vase of related shape with a cloud collar on the shoulder in the Tianjin Municipal Museum, is included in Tianjin shi yishu bowuguan cang ci, Tianjin, 1993, pl. 69. See also a larger jar of related design sold at Christie's London, 6th June 1988, lot 149. 

Sotheby's. Chinese Art including Selected Works of Art from the T.Y. Chao Family Collection, Hong Kong, 30 Nov 2017

LOS ANGELES, CA.- The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County opened its special exhibition Green Diamonds: Natural Radiance, which adds eight cases of bright color and shine inside the Museum’s renowned Gem and Mineral Hall. The vibrant diamonds on display as loose gems and mounted jewelry are part of the Gamma Collection, which was amassed over the course of 20 years and is comprised of more than 60 of the most rare and prestigious natural colored diamonds in the world. At the center of Natural Radiance at NHMLA is “The Mantis”, the largest Vivid Yellowish Green diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America, alongside “The Shangri-La”, the finest example of a large vivid green diamond, both of which are mounted in rings. Organized by NHMLA Associate Curator of Mineral Sciences Dr. Aaron Celestian in partnership with Optimum Diamonds, Natural Radiance is on view from December 9, 2017, through April 1, 2018. 

"The Mantis" green diamond. The best 6.06 natural intense green diamond ever. © SAMER HALIMEH.

“We are thrilled to share some of the world’s rarest diamonds with museum visitors, providing opportunities to learn about the science behind their color and formation,” said Celestian. “This extraordinary array of colored diamonds, on loan from Optimum Diamonds, showcases some of the finest naturally occurring minerals in the world.” 

The exhibition features over 60 green diamonds, both loose and mounted in ring and earring settings, that showcase a variety of shapes, cuts, and vast shades of the color spectrum from vivid-green and red to yellow-green and deep gray violet, and everything in between. Through highlights such as “The Light of Erasmus,” an extremely rare 1.63 carat vivid greenish blue diamond, the exhibition will give visitors the chance to discover the formation of diamonds and scientific origins of the green color, including the gamma radiation, which inspired the name of the collection. 

"The Light of Erasmus" ring. An extremely rare 1.63 carat vivid greenish blue diamond. ©Optimum Diamonds.

The exhibition also explores the unsolved mysteries behind rare ‘Chameleon Diamonds,’ which change color when exposed to light or heat. Natural Radiance features three of these extremely rare and valuable diamonds including a 3.08-carat Dark Gray Greenish Yellow diamond. 

Green Diamonds: Natural Radiance will be complemented by seasonal offerings in the Museum’s Gem Store and an array of public programs, including “All that Glitters,” an all-day winter celebration of Green Diamonds that includes live cabbing demonstrations, tours of the NHMLA Gem Vault, and hands-on activities for all ages.

December 9, 2017 – April 1, 2018

A 0.58-carat fancy vivid green diamond. ©Optimum Diamonds.

A 1.01-carat vivid yellowish-green diamond. ©Optimum Diamonds.

A 1.38-carat fancy vivid bluish-green diamond. ©Optimum Diamonds.

A 0.54-carat fancy intense green-blue diamond. ©Optimum Diamonds.

A 3.08-carat fancy dark gray-greenish “Chameleon” diamond. ©Optimum Diamonds.

The Caribbean Diamond Earrings, Nicholas Sparks Collection, 4.04 Carat / Radiant, GIA Grade: Fancy Vivid Blue-Green, SI2, 4.03 Carat / Radiant, GIA Grade: Fancy Vivid Blue-Green, I1,©Optimum Diamonds.

3.88 Fancy Vivid Green, from The Optimum Gamma Green Collection, a collection of the most rare and prestigious natural green diamonds in the world, with more than 50 stones accrued over 20 years. PHOTO: Copyright © Digital Jewelry Photography 

The Argyle Everglow™, a 2.11 carat polished radiant cut Fancy Red diamond. PHOTO: Copyright© 2017 Argyle Diamonds Limited

The Argyle Liberté™, a 0.91 carat radiant shaped Fancy Deep Gray-Violet diamond. PHOTO: Copyright © 2017 Argyle Diamonds Limited

Lot 32. A rare white-glazed anhua-decorated 'lotus' stem bowl, Ming dynasty, Jiajing period (1522-1566); 14.5 cm, 5 3/4  in.. Estimate 60,000 — 80,000 HKD. Lot sold 106,250 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's

with deep rounded sides supported on a splayed hollow stem, the interior decorated in the anhua technique with stylised lotus blooms borne on an undulating foliate scroll, covered overall in an opaque white glaze stopping neatly above the foot

Provenance: Sotheby's London, 11th June 1996, lot 33.

Lot 433. A blue and white 'Phoenix' vase, yuhuchunping, Ming dynasty, 16th century; 22.8 cm, 9 in. Estimate 60,000 — 80,000 HKD. Lot sold 106,250 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's

of pear shape, painted with four phoenix in flight amidst meandering floral scrolls between cash coin and lappet bands, the neck encircled by upright plantain leaves above a floral scroll.

Lot 434. An extremely rare white-glazed 'Phoenix' jar, Yuan dynasty (1279-1366); 27.5 cm, 10 7/8  in. Estimate 30,000 — 50,000 HKD. Lot sold 325,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's

of baluster form, applied in biscuit with a soaring phoenix amidst scrolling clouds, covered overall in a slightly blue-tinged white glaze, the unglazed base and the edges of the phoenix fired to a buff-orange tone.

Provenance: Acquired before 6th June 1995.

Note: No other piece of white-glazed porcelain of the Yuan dynasty decorated with a sprig-moulded biscuit design appears to be recorded. This decorative technique was very popular during the Yuan dynasty both at the Longquan and Jingdezhen kilns and examples of both celadon and white-glazed pieces with applied decoration are illustrated by Sherman Lee and Wai-Kam Ho, Chinese art under the Mongols: The Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), pls 74-82 and 107-112. But while on celadon pieces the applied decoration was very often left in the biscuit, on white porcelain it was usually glazed. A white jar with an applied prunus branch around the sides, all covered with the transparent glaze, is illustrated in Tianjin Shi Yishu Bowuguan Cang Ci/Porcelains from the Tianjin Municipal Museum, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 64.  

Lot 435. An extremely rare yellow-ground and green-enamelled 'Dragon and Phoenix' double gourd vase, mark and period of Jiajing (1522-1566); 23.6 cm, 9 1/4  in. Estimate 80,000 — 120,000 HKD. Lot sold 100,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's

the lower bulb of square form, the exterior incised and painted in green enamel against a yellow ground, depicting dragons and phoenix amid clouds below a ruyi band, the upper bulb similarly decorated with lotus scrolls below plantain leaves, the white base inscribed with a six-character mark in underglaze blue.

Note: Brightly coloured porcelains with vivid designs on a contrasting ground were a speciality of the Jiajing reign, when many new colour combinations were experimented with. The decoration on the current vase in yellow and green is extremely rare, and no other example appears to be published in any museum or private collection.

Lot 436. An ormolu-mounted wucai'Dragon' bottle vase, Ming dynasty, Wanli period (1573-1620); 35.5 cm, 14 in. Estimate 100,000 — 150,000 HKD. Lot sold 462,500 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's

of pear shape with a truncated neck, painted with writhing five-clawed dragons amid meandering floral scrolls and auspicious emblems, the foot and rim with gilt-bronze mounts.

Provenance: Christie's London, 10th June 1996, lot 89.  

Lot 326. Two blue and white 'yen yen' vases, Qing dynasty, 19th century; 45.8 and 45 cm, 18 and 17 3/4  in. Estimate 30,000 — 40,000 HKD. Lot sold 400,000 HKD (42,991 EUR). Photo: Sotheby's

each of tall baluster form with an ovoid body tapering to the splayed foot and surmounted by a tall trumpet neck and flaring rim, skilfully painted with gnarled branches bearing blossoms against cobalt-blue dabs, one decorated with budding and blooming prunus, the other with prunus and magnolia.

Provenance: Collection of T.Y. Chao (1912-1999), and thence by descent in the family.  

Exhibited: Right: Ch'ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collection, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1973, cat. no. 58.

Lot 327. A pair of blue and white 'Phoenix' bowls, marks and period of Guangxu (1875-1908); 17.4 cm, 6 7/8  in. Estimate 100,000 — 150,000 HKD. Lot sold 162,500 HKD (17,465 EUR). Photo: Sotheby's

each of ogee form, the exterior painted with a pair of phoenix soaring amongst scrolling clouds, their long tails billowing in the wind, similarly decorated to the interior with a central medallion enclosing a swooping and a soaring phoenix amidst clouds, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark.

Provenance: Collection of T.Y. Chao (1912-1999), and thence by descent in the family.  

Lot 328. A large pair of blue and white 'Dragon' jardinières, Qing dynasty, 19th century; d. 53 cm, 20 7/8  in. Estimate 200,000 — 250,000 HKD. Lot sold 325,000 HKD (34,931 EUR). Photo: Sotheby's

each with deep rounded sides rising to a wide everted rim, the exterior painted with four ferocious dragons writhing amongst flames and scrolling clouds in pursuit of flaming pearls above tumultuous waves, below stylised angular scrolls formed from pairs of confronting kui dragons beneath a key-fret band, the flat top of the rim painted with prunus flowers against a blue wash, wood stands.

Provenance: Collection of T.Y. Chao (1912-1999), and thence by descent in the family.  

'Vivo Per Lei'. A 65 Carat Emerald Cut Diamond. ©Samer Halimeh.

One of a kind emerald cut diamond with a total weight of over sixty-five carats. Hand Crafted from a two hundred carat rough diamond and engraved with “Vivo Per Lei” It took over 3 months to study the rough stone prior to its cutting process to ensure the best possible cut.

The stone was originally commissioned and purchased by a nobleman from a European royal family for his wife. He named it Vivo per Lei as a sign of his loves devotion for her. Vivo per Lei literally translates to "I live for her". 

This stone is fully certified and accredited both by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the House of Samer Halimeh.