Lot 119. A Tianhuang'bixie' seal signed Zhou Bin, Qing dynasty, 17th–18th century; 3.8 by 1.9 by 1.9 cm, 1 1/2  by  3/4  by  3/4  in., 25.32 gr. Estimate HKD 300,000 — 500,000. Price  realised HKD 600,000. Courtesy Sotheby's. 

the golden-orange stone skilfully carved with a square-section base surmounted by a finial shaped as a bixie seated on its haunches with the head turned towards its left, the beast depicted with a long horn and taut muscles detailed with fine incisions, one side of the seal incised with two characters reading Zhou Bin.

Note: This seal bears the signature of Zhou Bin, one of the most renowned carvers of soapstone and was active during the 17th century. Zhou Bin, zi Shangjun, a native of Zhangzhou in Fujian province, belonged to a small group of carvers who excelled both technically and artistically and were considered master carvers in this medium.

Lot 120. A russet-splashed black-glazed jar, Song Dynasty (960-1279); 20.5 cm, 8 in. Estimate HKD 600,000 — 800,000. Price  realised HKD 750,000. Courtesy Sotheby's. 

sturdily potted with a body rising from a countersunk base to a broad shoulder below a short neck, the exterior applied overall with a glossy black glaze extending onto the interior of the neck and falling and pooling neatly just above the base, further liberally applied with russet-brown splashes, the base with a wash of blackish-brown glaze and revealing the grey stoneware body, Japanese wood box.

Note: Black-glazed ware of the Song dynasty represents a more adventurous and varied style of early ceramic production. From the Tang dynasty black-glazed stonewares began to make significant contributions to Chinese ceramics, with the best Tang wares being produced at the kilns in the Yellow River area of Northern China. Minimalist forms that were often inspired by nature, covered with monochrome glazes, soon led to painted and splashed designs which were achieved by exploiting lighter overglazes on the dark ground.

HONG KONG.- China Guardian Hong Kong July Auction 2020 “Objects of Desire: Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art” completed with outstanding results, achieving nearly HK$ 10 million, and received heated online and offline bidding.

Mr. Wang Jing, General Manager of Ceramics and Works of Art of China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd, says, “This is the first auction of China Guardian (Hong Kong) this year. We stood together to serve our clients who were not unable to attend our auctions in HK, by offering online and offline bidding for the very first time. We have received biddings online from around the world, which contributed to 20% of the sale aggregate.

The sale was led with intense competition on Lot 267 A Famille Rose‘Gold Fish’Jardinière, which hammered down at HK$ 470,000 and sold for HK$ 554,600 (with premium) after 15 bids. Lot 315 A Russet Jade Disc received the most interest, with bids opening at HK$45,000 and eventually selling for HK$ 708,000 (with premium) after 10 minutes of bidding war, 49 bids between bidders on the phone and on the floor. The superb results reflect that the interest of buyers still remain strong with Ming, Qing dynasty porcelain and archaic jades.

I am satisfied with results given the pandemic. It was a warm up for us to prepare ourselves for the upcoming contemporary art auction in August, and most certainly to gather momentum for the Autumn Auctions in October. We would like to thank our clients for their support, and we look forward to seeing them at the convention center this autumn.”

TOP LOTS

Lot 315: A Russet Jade Disc, Huan, Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC); 11 cm. (4 3/8 in.) diam. Estimate HK$ 50,000 - 70,000. Auction Result HK$ 708,000/US$90,769. © 2019 China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd.

Provenance: Jiu Ru Yuan collection, acquired in the 1980s

Lot 267: A Famille Rose‘Gold Fish’ Jardinière, Qing Dynasty, Daoguang Period (1821-1850), Shen De Tang Zhi mark; 31.5 cm. (12 3/8 in.) wide. Estimate HK$ 250,000 - 350,000. Auction Result HK$ 554,600/US$71,102. © 2019 China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd.

Provenance: Nagel Auktionen, 8 December 2015, Lot 953.

Lot 290: An Underglazed Copper Red ‘Three Fish’ Dish, Yongzheng Six-Character Mark and of the Period (1723-1735); 15 cm. (5 7/8 in.) diam. Estimate HK$ 50,000 - 70,000. Auction Result HK$ 436,600/US$55,974. © 2019 China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd.

Provenance: A Hong Kong private collection, acquired in the 1990s.

Lot 391: A Pair of Archaic Gold and Silver-inlaid Bronze Crossbow Holders, Warring States Period (475-221BC). Each, 21 cm. (8 1/4 in.) long. Estimate HK$ 150,000 - 200,000. Auction Result HK$ 354,000/45,384. © 2019 China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd.

Provenance: A Kansai private collection.

Lot 293. A Blue and White ‘Floral’ Vase, Zun, Qianlong Six-Character Sealmark and of the Period (1736-1795); 25.6 cm. (10 in.) high. Estimate HK$ 100,000 - 150,000. Auction Result HK$ 295,000/US$37,820. © 2019 China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd.

Provenance: A Hong Kong private collection, acquired in the 1990s.

Lot 217: An Anhua-decorated White-Glazed Lotus Stem Bowl, Qianlong Six-Character Mark and of the Period (1736-1795); 15 cm. (5 7/8 in.) diam.Estimate HK$ 200,000 - 300,000. Auction Result HK$ 295,000/US$37,820. © 2019 China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd.

Provenance: A Hong Kong private collection, purchased from Fook Shing Arts Co. in the 1990s.

Lot 339: An Archaic Jade Cong, Neolithic Period, C.4th-3rd Millenium BC; 5 cm. (2 in.) wide. Estimate HK$ 100,000 - 150,000. Auction Result HK$ 236,000/US$30,680. © 2019 China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd.

Lot 289: An Inscribed Blue and White ‘Preface to the Prince Teng's Pavilion' Brush Pot, Kangxi Six-Character Mark and of the Period (1662-1722); 18.5 cm. (7 1/4 in.) diam. Estimate HK$ 130,000 - 190,000. Auction Result HK$ 224,200/US$29,146. © 2019 China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd.

Lot 405: A Hardstone-Inlaid Gold 'Chilong' Belt Buckle, Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220); 11 cm. (4 3/8 in.) wide, 62g. Estimate HK$ 60,000 - 80,000. Auction Result HK$ 224,200/US$29,146. © 2019 China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd.

Lot 291. A Blue and White ‘Floral’ Saucer Dish, Yongzheng Six-Character Mark and of the Period (1723-1735); 15.5 cm. (6 1/8 in.) diam. Estimate HK$ 150,000 - 200,000. Auction Result HK$ 200,600/US$26,078. © 2019 China Guardian (HK) Auctions Co., Ltd.

Two exceptionally rare and fine cushion-cut Kashmir sapphires, weighing 6.95ct and 9.23ct, estimated at US$250,000 - $450,000 and US$475,000 - $775,000, respectively. © Bonhams 2001-2020

NEW YORK - Two exceptionally rare and fine cushion-cut Kashmir sapphires, lead Bonhams New York Jewel sale on Tuesday 28 July. Weighing 6.95ct and 9.23ct they are estimated at US$250,000 - $450,000 and US$475,000 - $775,000, respectively.

The gems have been in the same family for over 100 years. Originally purchased in the late 19th century and early 20th century as engagement rings by two brothers, they have been passed down through the generations of one family. Recently discovered in Australia, each sapphire is accompanied by two gemmological certificates stating that they are both of Kashmir origin.

Property of a Distinguished Australian Family. Lot 149. A superb unmounted cushion-shaped Kashmir sapphire, weighing 9.23 carat. Estimate US$ 475,000 - 775,000 (€ 420,000 - 680,000). © Bonhams 2001-2020

Accompanied by AGL report #1107102, dated 6 March 2020, stating that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin, with no gemological evidence of heat and no clarity enhancement.

Accompanied by Gubelin report #20062033, dated 30 June 2020, stating that the sapphire is of Kashmir origin, with no indications of heating. With an additional comment: Unheated sapphires of this quality are rare.

Lot 2876. A rare Yue bird-form cup, Five Dynasties (907-960); 6 in. (15 cm.) long. Estimate HKD 80,000 - HKD 100,000. Price realised HKD 250,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020. 

The cup of deep rounded form is raised on a spreading foot. One side is potted with a bird standing upright detailed with round bulging eyes, a sharp beak and outstretched wings. The square-cut tail is detailed with incised lines indicating its plummage, and forms part of the handle on the opposite side. It is covered overall with an olive-green glaze with the exception of the base, revealing the reddish-brown body, box.

Provenance: An English private collection, acquired in Hong Kong in the 1980s.

Note: Bird-form vessels were used as ladles for wine for ritual purposes during the Warring States. The Yue kilns revived this form in the Five Dynasties period. Compare to a nearly identical bird-form cup also dated to the Five Dynasties in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Porcelain of the Jin and Tang Dynasties, Hong Kong, 1996, p. 256, no. 234, (fig. 1).

fig. 1. A Yue bird-form cup, Five Dynasties (907-960), in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing.

Lot 2883. A jade dagger-axe, ge, Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1100 BC); 13. 5/8 in. (34.5 cm.) long. Estimate HKD 200,000 - HKD 400,000. Price realised HKD 750,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020. 

The dagger-axe has bevelled edges and a medial ridge on both sides, box.

Provenance: Acquired in Hong Kong, 27 May 1987.

Note: Compare to a jade dagger-axe of similar size, also dating to the Shang period, formerly in the Yangdetang Collection, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2017, lot 2720.

Lot 2884. A reticulated white jade ‘taotie’ belt hook, Warring States Period (475-221 BC); 2 in. (5 cm.) long. Estimate HKD 200,000 - HKD 400,000. Price realised HKD 425,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020. 

The shaft is carved and pierced in the form of a taotie mask, the hook terminating in a dragon head. The circular stud on the underside is carved with a chilong roundel. The stone is of a lustrous, milky white tone with small areas of russet, box.

Provenance: The collection of C.F. Wu, Taipei, acquired prior to 1988
The collection of T. T. Tsui, Hong Kong.

Literature: Art of China, January 1988 issue, p. 188, no. 134

Note: The current belt hook was in the collection of C.F. Wu, an esteemed Taiwanese collector active in the 1980s and 90s. Wu moved to Taiwan from Shanghai in the 50s and established a successful business in the textile industry. In over two decades, Wu had amassed a substantial collection of Chinese art comprising mainly jades, ceramics, bronzes, snuff bottles and scholar’s objects. It was later passed into the collection of T.T. Tsui, renowned Hong Kong entrepreneur and collector.

Lot 2885. A celadon jade ‘chicken’ box and cover, Wanli period (1573-1619); 3. 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) long. Estimate HKD 120,000 - HKD 180,000. Price realised HKD 150,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020. 

The top of the canted rectangular cover is carved with a floral cartouche enclosing a rooster and a hen amongst floral branches in a landscape, all reserved on a diaper ground. The curved sides of the cover and the box are decorated with lingzhi, encircled by keyfret bands at the rims. The stone is of a celadon tone mottled with black inclusions, box.

Provenance: S. Marchant & Son, London.

Note: The current box is unusually carved with the subject of a rooster and a hen, a motif representing familial harmony and popularised on the revered Chenghua doucai ‘chicken’ cups. The decorative scheme on the box, with auspicious motifs enclosed within a shaped cartouche against a diaper ground, can be found on contemporaneous works made in various media, including blue and white and wucai porcelains, as well as lacquerwares, such as a Jiajing-marked qiangjin and tianqi lacquer brush pot decorated with dragons within cartouches against a diaper ground, offered as lot 2909 in the current sale. Compare also to a rectangular Wanli-marked wucai box of similar form to the current lot, with a cover pierced and decorated with dragons enclosed within a shaped panel, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 May 2008, lot 1857.

Lot 2893. A carved aloeswood 'landscape' brushpot, Qing dynasty (1644-1911); 4 ¾ in. (11.2 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 80,000 - HKD 120,000. Price realised HKD 325,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020. 

The brushpot is carved in relief of varying depths, with a continuous landscape of rolling hills delicately detailed with far and distant huts shaded by pine trees against a backdrop of rocky mountains. It is naturalistically shaped with a tapered base and flared irregular rim.

Provenance: Acquired in Singapore, 10 November 1972
Collection of Quek Kiok Lee.

Lot 2894. An inscribed ‘Orchid and bamboo’ chengni ink stone, Qing dynasty (1644-1911); 10 ½ in. (26.6 cm.) long. Estimate HKD 100,000 - HKD 150,000. Price realised HKD 125,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020. 

The irregularly shaped ink stone is carved as a cliff wall with orchids and stalks of bamboo emerging from the top, above a poetic inscription signed Zongyang.

Note: Zongyang was the pseudonym of Li Shan (1686-1762), who was a Qing-dynasty scholar and painter born in Jiangsu. He was awarded the juren title in 1711, and had served as a court painter during various stages of his life. He eventually relocated to Yangzhou where he sold paintings for a living and became known as one of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou.

Lot 2896. An inscribed Duan ink stone, Late Ming dynasty; 8 13/16 in. (22.4 cm.) long. Estimate HKD 100,000 - HKD 150,000. Price realised HKD 125,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020. 

The irregularly shaped ink stone is carved as a cliff wall with orchids and stalks of bamboo emerging from the top, above a poetic inscription signed Zongyang.

Note: The current Duan inkstone is inscribed with three inscriptions, respectively signed Li Mengyang (1472-1529), Xu Wei (1521-1593) and Wang Shizhen (1526-1590). Li and Wang were both literary-renaissance leaders in their own right, and who wielded domineering influences during their respective lifetimes. Xu Wei (1521-1593), on the other hand, was an impoverished literati painter who later gained widespread acclaim.
The Li Mengyang text to the upper right-hand corner of the inkstone is inscribed: ‘The world values the ‘eye’, but you have none; people therefore mistake you for a brick’. Duan inkstones with ‘eyes’ – circular inclusions in the stone that resemble animal eyes – are prized by collectors but there are none on the current inkstone. The inscription was, therefore, written as a reprimand using an outwardly accusatory tone to express the author’s affection for the stone. This inscription is recorded in Li’s anthology Kong Dong Ji (juan 60) and later recorded in the imperial encyclopedia, Siku Quanshu.
Xu Wei’s inscription is adjacent to Li’s and is a rhymed stanza:
In manuals of ancient times, gradings are codified;despite having no bird’s eye, it is cherished as one of a kind!It produces ink aplenty, from a mere drop of water, like heavy rain from clouds
In ancient manuals inkstones were graded according to the mines from where they were extracted, the quality of the stone, as well as the presence of ‘eyes’. The current stone has no ‘eyes’ but it was cherished by Wu Wei for its ability to facilitate the formation of ink ‘like heavy rain from clouds’.
Lastly, the inscription by Wang Shizhen is located on the left-hand side of the inkstone. The text is a philosophical musing: ‘The ink attacks you but you are as you are. The ink moves ineffectively, while you patiently lay still. It makes you dirty but you stay content; even when dirt is removed, you are still wordless. That’s how you can last forever’. Wang juxtaposed ink and inkstone as two opposing characters in a battlefield metaphor. The ink is content when attacked by dirt but without boasting even when the dirt is removed, thus it is ascribed with high moral qualities. It is ostensibly praising the inkstone but in fact alluding to the moral quality of a man. Clearly this composition was one of Wang’s favourite as it is the only inkstone inscription selected for his anthology Yanzhou Shanren Sibugao (juan 103). The inscription is also recorded in the Siku Quanshu.

Lot 2897. A finely carved and inscribed bamboo ‘Two ladies’ brush pot, Early Qing dynasty, 17th century; 5 7/8 in. (15 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 250,000 - HKD 300,000. Price realised HKD 325,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020. 

The exterior is carved with a reduced background to reserve a scene in relief of two ladies in discussion, each dressed in a voluminous robe and their hair dressed in high chignons, one reclining on a day-bed further detailed with neatly piled manuscripts beside lotus flowers placed inside an archaistic gu-form vase, her companion seated to one side, pointing with one finger to an open book held by the other hand, the reverse with a short inscription in running script.

Provenance: Hugh Moss, 1970s
Fine Chinese Bamboo Carvings from the Personal Collection of Mr and Mrs Gerard Hawthorn, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 3 December 2008, lot 2332.

Note: From the poetic inscription the two figures depicted can be identified as the two legendary beauties of the Han dynasty. Known as Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao. They were the daughters of Qiao Xuan, and were immortalised in the classical novel, Sanguo Yanyi, ‘The Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ as their respective planned marriages were one of the factors that influenced Cao Cao to begin his first southern campaign which culminated in the spectacular battle of the Red Cliffs.
There are two comparable examples carved with this subject-matter of two ladies seated on a day-bed, the first inscribed with the name of Wu Zhifan is illustrated by Wang Shixiang, Zhuke Jianshang, Taiwan, 1996, no. 14; the other is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, illustrated by C. Clunas, Chinese Carving, London, 1996, p. 48, fig. 46.

Le Fuji bleu, Série des Trente-six vues du mont Fuji, Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) © RMN-Grand Palais (MNAAG, Paris) / Thierry Ollivier.

La rare sélection d’estampes « Fuji, pays de neige », que le Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet présente à l’occasion de sa réouverture après le confinement sanitaire, met en avant le célèbre mont Fuji, ce volcan au cône parfait qui, culminant à 3776 mètres, forme le point le plus élevé de Honshu, l’île principale de l’archipel japonais. Le MNAAG propose ainsi de dévoiler quelque 70 estampes japonaises sorties de ses réserves.

Inspirant de nombreux artistes, le mont Fuji domine le paysage de l’archipel japonais. Cette figure suscite les premières transcriptions de variations atmosphériques par Hokusai, près d’un demi-siècle avant les effets de lumière de Monet et de Sisley. Pur triangle, le Fuji est un élément fort de l’estampe japonaise puis de la jeune photographie. Éternelle sur ses pans, la neige met au défi les artistes d’user du papier laissé en réserve pour transcrire l’étouffement de la nature et de ses bruits, comme le feront aussi, des décennies plus tard, les impressionnistes inspirés par « le pays de neige ».

En 2013, le mont Fuji a été inscrit sur la liste du patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco au titre de lieu sacré et source d’inspiration artistique. Au croisement de la nature et de la culture, ce kami – entité divinisée du shintoïsme – règne sur les esprits et le paysage du Japon, sur ses arts enfin. Cône parfait recouvert de neiges éternelles, il est visible depuis de nombreux points de la grande île et notamment depuis la route du Tokaido. Il est enfin un sujet majeur de l’art japonais et au cœur de quelques-unes des séries d’estampes les plus célèbres de la période d’Edo, en tout premier lieu celles de KATSUSHIKA Hokusai (1760-1849), dont un grand nombre d’œuvres sera présentéà cette occasion. Mais le Fuji est aussi un des sites les plus photographiés du pays, c’est pourquoi des photographies anciennes et contemporaines accompagneront les estampes avec quelques objets d’art décoratif.

 Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet. Jusqu'au 12 octobre 2020

Vent frais par matin clair, Série des Trente-six vues du mont Fuji,  Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), MNAAG, legs Le Masle, 1972, MA3581 © RMN-Grand Palais (MNAAG, Paris) / Michel Urtado.

Femme de dos dans un paysage de neige, Kobayashi Kiyochika  (1847-1915) © RMN-Grand Palais (MNAAG, Paris) / Thierry Ollivier.

Pèlerin devant le mont Fuji, Série des Cerisiers pour le cercle Katsushika, Yashima Gakutei (vers 1786-1868), MNAAG, legs Isaac de Camondo 1911, EO1723 © RMN-Grand Palais (MNAAG, Paris) / Thierry Ollivier.

Le pont Taiko et la colline Yuhi à Meguro, Série des Cent vues célèbres d'Edo, Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), MNAAG, legs Isaac de Camondo, 1911, EO1842 © RMN-Grand Palais (MNAAG, Paris) / Harry Bréjat.

Hara (14e vue), Série des Cinquante-trois relais du Tokaido, Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), MNAAG, don Louis Devillez, 1930, EO2812 © RMN-Grand Palais (MNAAG, Paris) / Harry Bréjat.

Le mont Fuji vu depuis Murayama [Fuji-yama, from Moori-yama], Felice Beato (1832-1909), Époque d’Edo, 1864-1866, MNAAG, photographie 13 de l'album AP16370© MNAAG, Paris, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / image musée Guimet.

NEW YORK, NY.- Christie’s New York announces the July 29th auction of Magnificent Jewels and the concurrent Jewels Online sale from July 22 to August 6/7. The auction includes a significant selection of colorless diamonds, colored diamonds, and gemstones, along with signed pieces by Belperron, Bulgari, Cartier, Graff, Harry Winston, JAR, Lacloche, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef & Arpels. The sale will offer over 260 lots, with estimates ranging from $10,000 to $5,000,000.

The July 29th auction is led by impressive white diamonds, featuring a sensational diamond necklace suspending a pear-shaped diamond of 115.83 carats, F color, VVS1 clarity ($5,000,000-7,000,000). Colored diamonds also lead the sale, with a fancy intense blue diamond ring of 7.16 carats, Internally Flawless ($3,500,000 - 5,000,000); and a fancy intense yellow diamond ring of 33.65 carats, VS2 clarity ($525,000-625,000). Colored gemstones are also strongly represented with a Burma sapphire ring of 42.45 carats ($350,000–550,000); Colombian emerald ring of 35.77 carats ($300,000-500,000); and superb Art Deco sapphire and diamond sautoir, by Bulgari ($650,000–850,000).

Lot 264. A sensational diamond necklace suspending a pear-shaped diamond of 115.83 carats, F color, VVS1 clarity. Estimate USD 5,000,000 - USD 7,000,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.

Pear brilliant-cut diamond of 115.83 carats, thirty-one pear brilliant and pear modified brilliant-cut diamonds ranging from 5.50 to 0.97 carats, twenty smaller pear-shaped diamonds, platinum, 19 ins.

Lot 251. A Burma sapphire of 42.45 carats and diamond ring. Estimate USD 350,000 - USD 550,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.

Rectangular-cut sapphire of 42.45 carats, modified triangular brilliant-cut diamonds of 1.37 and 1.25 carats, platinum, ring size 8 ¾

SSEF, 2020, report no. 113773: 42.453 carats, Burma, no indications of heating
AGL, 2020, report no. 1108614: 42.45 carats, Classic Burma, no gemological evidence of heat or clarity enhancement, accompanied by an Appendix letter attesting to the quality and rarity of this sapphire
GIA, 2005, report no. 14341492: 1.37 carats, E color, SI1 clarity
GIA, 2005, report no. 14541479: 1.25 carats, E color, SI1 clarity.

Lot 59. An important Colombian emerald of 35.77 carats and diamond ring. Estimate USD 300,000 - USD 550,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.

Oval modified mixed-cut emerald of 35.77 carats, circular-cut diamonds, platinum, ring size 6.

Private collections within the sale offer signed pieces by Belperron, Bulgari, Cartier, David Webb, Harry Winston, Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels and Verdura incorporating gemstones of the highest quality with refined design. The Estate of Pauline Ireland contains over 50 jewels across the live and online sales and features a beryl, yellow sapphire and cultured pearl brooch by Verdura ($10,000-15,000); a diamond necklace and earrings ($20,000-30,000); and an Art Deco ruby and diamond jabot brooch by Cartier ($15,000-20,000). The Collection of James and Marilynn Alsdorf spans classic jewels reflecting their timeless style led by a single-stone pear-shaped diamond ring ($100,000-150,000); and The Collection of Gloria Manney spans important designs by Angela Cummings for Tiffany & Co., Raymond Yard, and Marcus & Co. which all feature opals, her favorite adornment, including a unique black opal, colored diamond and diamond fish brooch by Van Cleef & Arpels ($50,000-70,000).

Lot 5. The Estate of Pauline Ireland. Beryl, yellow sapphire and cultured pearl brooch by Verdura. Estimate USD 10,000 - USD 15,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.

The Property of a Texas Collector contains over 20 jewels with significant diamonds, colored diamonds, colored stones, and signed pieces by David Webb and Bulgari, including a Colombian emerald ring of 16.79 carats ($200,000-300,000); a diamond bracelet ($120,000-180,000); and a coral, onyx and diamond bracelet by Bulgari ($40,000-60,000). The Property of a Lady comprises a collection of signed jewelry by Tiffany & Co., Taffin, Verdura, David Webb and four lots by JAR, including a pair of diamond and colored diamond ‘Trellis’ earrings ($150,000-200,000); a diamond Maltese cross brooch by David Webb ($40,000-60,000); and a pair of Antique diamond bracelets ($30,000-50,000).

Lot 195. A Colombian emerald of 16.79 carats and diamond ring. Estimate USD 200,000 - USD 300,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.

Cushion mixed-cut emerald of 16.79 carats, triangular-shaped diamonds, 18k gold, ring size 5 ¾.

Also leading the sale is the one-of-a-kind ‘Sky Tower’ necklace, by Anna Hu ($1,000,000-1,500,000), from the collection of an Important Private Collector. The necklace pairs the beauty of Western contemporary architecture with Chinese history and culture. Inspired by Pritzker Architecture Prize winner and distinguished French architect Jean Nouvel’s design of 53 West 53 located in the heart of New York City, the necklace centers upon a detachable brooch set with a fine jadeite plaque.

Lot 62. Jadeite, diamond and colored diamond ‘Sky Tower’ necklace, by Anna Hu. Estimate USD 1,000,000 - USD 1,500,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2020.

Carved jadeite plaque of 36.50 x 41.00 mm, circular-cut diamonds and yellow diamonds, titanium and 18k white gold, central portion detachable and may be worn as a brooch, 16 ¼ ins., signed Anna Hu 'MoMA Paris'.

The Jewels Online sale (July 22 to August 6/7) features a broad selection of fine jewels and iconic designs by Bulgari, Cartier, David Webb, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef & Arpels. Full exhibition of the live and online auctions Magnificent Jewels sale will be held at Christie’s 20 Rockefeller Center Galleries by appointment from 25 to 28 July.

NEW YORK, NY.- Summer Redux: Asia Week New York 2020, featuring 38 galleries and three auction houses, will open with a virtual exhibition from July 17th to 31st. The week-long celebration of Asian art and culture, held annually in March for the past 11years, was interrupted by Covid-19 with many galleries from abroad unable to travel to New York and those who were here closing early.

Says Katherine Martin, chairman of Asia Week New York: “We are delighted to provide a digital platform for our international galleries to present examples of their spectacular works, not to mention our fascinating panel discussion, Seen and Unseen, three museum shows that were postponed or unviewed.”

According to Martin, the Zoom presentation, which takes place on Thursday, July 23 at 5:00 p.m. PST/ 2:00 p.m. PST, covers Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Up Close, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, with Joseph Scheier-Dolberg, Oscar Tang and Agnes Hsu-Tang Associate Curator of Chinese Painting; The Cloth That Changed the World: India's Painted and Printed Cottons, at The Royal Ontario Museum, with Dr. Sarah Fee, Senior Curator, Global Fashion & Textiles and Lost Luxuries: Ancient Chinese Gold at Middlebury College Museum of Art, with Sarah Laursen, Alan J. Dworsky Associate Curator of Chinese Art, at the Harvard Art Museum. To register for the discussion, go here.

As always, the Asia Week New York galleries will present a spectacular array of treasures featuring the rarest and finest examples of Asian porcelain, jewelry, textiles, paintings, ceramics, sculpture, bronzes, and prints from every quarter of and period in Asia. Organized by category here is the roster of the participating galleries:

Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art

Vajradhara, Tsang, Tibet, 15th Century, 28.5 cm (11.25 in). Copper alloy with silver inlay and coral insets. Asking price: $68,000. Walter Arader (United States).

Published in Spink and Son, The Mirror of Mind, Art of Vajrayana Buddhism, 1995, p. 16, cat. no . 9. 

Himalayan Art Resources # 30586. 

The Liberation of King Nriga, from a Bhagavata Purana series, Madhya Pradesh, Malwa, ca. 1700. Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper. Painting 8 x 14 1/2 in (20.3 x 37 cm). Asking price: $11,000. Art Passages (United States).

In the past King Nriga had accidentally given a cow to two different Brahmanas and one of them cursed him. He was turned into some sort of lizard or chameleon and would only recover his real appearance once he was touched by Krishna. Years later, the gopas or cow-herder friends of Krishna were playing and found a well.  Wanting a drink they discovered the well was dry and had entrapped poor Nriga. They tried to lift him with ropes as seen at the bottom right of the painting, but couldn’t manage to lift him. Once they alerted Krishna he was able to effortlessly lift up the poor creature. Here he is depicted as a rather strangely shaped animal, part crab and lizard-like. In the central register Nriga regains his original form and lies down in thanks touching Krishna’s feet. In the top register he folds his hands in reverence and then ascends to heaven in a celestial vehicle or vimana. 

As is usual in so many of the paintings from these Bhagavata Purana paintings from Malwa, the action often does not go in a straight line. Basically the action goes from the bottom up, but the two scenes of the gopas trying to lift the animal and the later one of Krishna arriving and saving the animal happen simultaneously in the painting.

Many folios from this manuscript are scattered in public and private collections. They are easily recognizable because of the sprays of gold lines that enliven the backgrounds.

Tree of Life Palampore, Northern Coromandel coast, Circa 1730-50. Painted and resist dyed cotton, 318 x 212 cm. Asking price: $11,000. Prahlad Bubbar (England). 

The undulating branches with exotic oversized flowers, multitude of leaves, fantastical birds, succulent fruit, all capture the otherworldly mood of the Deccan and its mystical inclinations in a hypnotic wave and envelop the viewer.

A rich display of foliage, beautifully drawn and vivid delicate decoration in exquisite coloured dyes show the skill and ability of the master craftsmen and artists of the region. The earth mound at the foot of tree is a tour de force of life, exuberance, designs and patterns. Leopards chasing deer, clusters of exotic birds, zig-zagging hills, frolicking rabbits, hunters, all form a cornucopia of plenty and depict the cycle of life. The tree trunk and branches have also been beautifully rendered with stylised internal decoration leaving no part unembellished or overlooked on the picture plane. A wide border with elegant variations frames the piece.

This is a classic museum quality tree of life Palampore of the type quite rare to come across now. While made for the export market to Europe, where such textiles were highly coveted and fashionable in the 18th century, our piece retains a strong Indian sensibility informed by the aesthetic traditions of the Deccan. The Northern part of the Coromandel Coast was part of the erstwhile Golconda dominions, where we believe our textile originates. Pieces from the mid 18th century onwards display a strong Chinese influence and a sparser aesthetic.

The current piece will be exhibited in the forthcoming show: The Botanical Mind: Art, Mysticism and The Cosmic Tree. Camden Arts Centre, London. Exhibition launching in the galleries on Thursday, 24 September.

Provenance: Christie’s London, 1977.
Private collection UK, 1977-2018.
Prahlad Bubbar collection, 2018.

Portrait of Lama Sharka Rechen. Copper alloy, semiprecious stones, Tibet, 15th-16th c., 4 ¼ in. ( 10.8 cm.). Asking price: $75,000 (shipping included, duties not included). Carlo Cristi – Asian Arts Company (Italy).

Provenance: ex Nyingjei Lam Collection

Fine portrait of Lama Sharka with accurate details, bottom originally sealed, name incised on the lotus base, at the back.

A Hindu lady walking to a shrine, Attributed to Ghulam Reza, Avadh, Northern India, circa 1770. Opaque pigment and gold on paper, 7 1/5 by 3 ¼ in.; 18 by 9.3 cm. painting, 12 ¼ by 9 in.; 31.3 by 23 cm. folio. Asking price: $35,000. Oliver Forge & Brendan Lynch Ltd (England)

Nguyen Cam, Wandering Souls-III, 2007. Votive papers, acrylic, Dó paper, and tea bags on canvas, 65 x 55 in. (165 x 140 cm). Asking price: $20,000. Rosenberg & Co. (United States). 

Ancient and/or Contemporary Chinese Art

Fine Chinese famille verte porcelain rouleau vase, Kangxi period, AD 1662-1722. Height:  18 inches (46 cm). Asking price: $68,000. Ralph M. Chait Galleries, Inc. (United States). 

Decorated with a continuous scene of Court Ladies situated in a palace garden engaged in the Four Accomplishments: painting, calligraphy, music, and weiqi. The scene is an interesting variant of the Eighteen Scholars of the Tang that depicts notable scholars of the period whom a Tang associated with. His devotion to classical studies and music made him a worthy successor to the throne. Perhaps this subject was a counterpart for educated women at the Court (such as the Empress).  

Note: An almost identical vase (perhaps the pair to this vase) was in the Collection of Leonard Gow, Glasgow and is illustrated in color in the catalogue of the collection. 

 A huanghuali small table cabinet, Qing dynasty, 18th century;height 21.8 cm / 8 1/2 in width 18.8 cm / 7 3/8 in depth 13.4 cm / 5 1/4 in. Asking price: $20,000. Nicholas Grindley LLC (United States)

of upright rectangular shape with two doors of typical mitred, mortice and tenon construction with single flush floating panels, the top sides and back boards unframed panels. Each door is mounted with two rectangular hinges, unusually pinned rather than retained by split pins, as is the circular lock-plate mounted with two square bosses, pierced to conform to the fixed boss mounted to the interior frame. Beneath the lock-plate are two drop handles retained by split pins. The top edges of the box are re-inforced with simple brass strap-work, much of which has been replaced. A plain rectangular carrying handle is through tenoned into the square plinth and has shaped spandrels to each side where it joins the plinth. Each corner joint is also re-inforced with brass strap-work. The interior with two long drawers, two short drawers and one deep drawer all with softwood drawer linings and mounted with brass drop handles with foliate back-plates retained by split pins.

Note: A similar table cabinet is illustrated in Chinese Art from the Scholar’s Studio, J.J. Lally & Co, Spring 2015, no. 59.   

A rare pair of Chinese export side chairs made in the English 'Queen Anne' taste retaining their original painted and gilded leather seats, Second quarter of 18th century. Asking price: $86,000. Carlton Hobbs LLC (United States).

Anonymous Chinese (later 15th-16th century), Two Pheasants on Rock by Bamboo and Stream. Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper, 136.0 x 63.3 cm. (53 5/8 x 24 7/8 in.). Seal: Yiyue xingqing ('Taking pleasure by natural temperament'). Japanese colophon: 'During rin-sho (the sixth lunar month) of the fourth year of the Bunroku reign-era (1595), Churyo presented this in service.' Seal: Chu. Asking price: $25,000. Kaikodo LLC (United States). 

Accentuated by their red feet and faces, two pheasants perch on a rock overlooking a stream and below several sprays of bamboo that provide cover for two mynahs. The brushstrokes on especially the rock were applied swiftly and with more interest in calligraphic flourish than pure verisimilitude. The strongly diagonal composition provides visual kinetic energy while the postures and attitudes of the birds create narrative interest. Close parallels can be drawn between this painting and those by Lin Liang (ca. 1430-ca. 1490) (fig.1), and these suggest an approximate date if not artist for ‘Two Pheasants on Rock by Bamboo and Stream.’

The colophon here was written in the year 1595, so the painting was in Japan by that date. Since this was the period of Hideyoshi’s invasion of Korea, some have suggested that it was among the plunder in goods and people brought back then to Japan, and even that the painting itself is Korean. However, we believe the work to be Chinese, and to have entered Japan by less dramatic means, and then to have been presented by Churyo to his daimyo lord.

 Japanese furisode for a young girl. Silk and gold threads, embroidery on a damask-weave silk, decorated with roundels including various flowers and leaves,Meiji period (1868-1912), formerly in the collection of the Kawasaki family, Kochi Prefecture. Asking price: $6,500. Alan Kennedy (United States).

A Gray Limestone Guardian Beast (Lu Duan), Song Dynasty (960-1279). Height 10 1/4 inches (26 cm). Asking price: $6,500. J.J. Lally & Co. (United States).

Boldly carved in the round but flattened on both sides, the fantastic feline beast shown seated with clawed feet firmly set on an integral rectangular plinth, with eyes fixed in a steady gaze, the head with curled snout framed by long fangs and a short beard below the pointed chin, the body incised with scales all over and a thick mane swept back between a pair of wings rising from the shoulders, the arched back with a ridged backbone ending in a long segmented tail curled around one leg.

The lu duan (甪端) is a mythical beast with magical power, able to traverse mountains and seas, covering up to eighteen thousand li in one day, fluent in all foreign languages and able to distinguish between good and evil, thus serving to protect the emperor.

Compare the massive stone figure of a lu duan on the spirit road at the tomb of the Northern Song emperor Zhao Xu (d. 1085, reign name Shenzong) at Yong Yuling, similarly modeled with stylized wings on its shoulders, curled snout, long fangs and short beard, illustrated by Paludan, The Chinese Spirit Road, New Haven, 1991, p. 149, fig. 191 referred to by the author as a jiao duan, due to a misreading of the first character. 

A blue and white 'sage' bottle vase with imperial poem, Yongzheng four-character mark and period, 1723-1735; 19.5 cm high. Asking price: $45,000. Littleton & Hennessy Asian Art (England)

Provenance: A private English collection. 

Yongzheng sage vase’s poem:

蕭聲斷却無踪跡
耳邊相撤在東西
- 三畏

The sound of Xiao stops, leaving no trace.
Dissipates, in the air.
- San Wei

 Xiao is a type of Chinese flute, there is no actual English translation of this music instrument. "San Wei " (三畏) , the last two Chinese characters on the left hand side of the poem refer to a Hall Name, one of the imperial clans of Yongzheng. They were stationed in Jiangning (now Nanjing, Anhui and Shanghai), with the family name of 'Lu'（陆). "San Wei"(三畏) means "Three Fear" in English. Lu Wen 陆韫 - the first generation of Three Fear Hall defined the virtues of the entire family, namely: fear the dignity of heaven, fear the anger of earth, fear the truth of heart. Lu Wen 陆韫 was the first ranking official (the picture of him shows he wears a ruby finial).

Compare a prunus vase with a similar painting style and mark in the Palace Museum, Beijing (no. 5250 - 20464)

Large Longquan Celadon Bowl with Twin Fish Appliques, B 1211, Southern Song - Yuan Dynasty, 13th - 14th century A.D., China. Diameter: 19.5cm. Asking price: $38,000. Zetterquist Galleries (United States)

A large shallow bowl (often considered brushwashers) with flattened rim, steep cavetto and broad flattened bottom, decorated with finely molded appliques of two fish swimming around each other, a Chinese symbol of marital bliss. The outside walls carved with overlapping lotus petals. The entire piece is covered with a translucent crackled Longquan celadon glaze (some areas of surface scratching). The bottom of the foot rim is unglazed, revealing a dense stoneware body of pale gray color.

Two identical pieces can be found in “Heavenly Blue; Southern Song Celadons," Nezu Museum, 2012. pl. 42 and 43.

Lot 3101. A fine and rare celadon-glazed 'lingzhi and bamboo' saucer dish, Mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 11.7 cm, 4 5/8  in. Estimate 380,000 — 500,000 HKD. Lot sold 687,500 HKD. Courtesy Sotheby's

finely potted with rounded sides rising from a short tapered foot, the exterior applied with a soft sea-green glaze and delicately incised with a continuous leafy scroll bearing five lingzhi heads amidst bamboo leaves, the interior and base left white, the latter inscribed with a six-character reign mark in underglaze blue within a double circle.

Provenance: A private collection, Rome, 1980.
A European private collection.
Christie's Hong Kong, 1st June 2011, lot 3518 (one of a pair).

Exhibited: Recent Acquisitions, Marchant, London, 2012, cat. no. 35.

It is with great pleasure, in association with Sotheby’s, to be holding an auction of Qing Imperial Porcelain to coincide with my forthcoming retirement. After sixty-seven years in the business and having enjoyed every minute, it feels a good time to retire and leave Marchant. Now in its 95th year, the company is left in the capable hands of my eldest son Stuart, the third generation, together with Samuel and Natalie, both the fourth generation.

Marchant’s association with Sotheby’s goes back a long way. The founder, Samuel Sidney Marchant (1898-1975), attended the famous Eumorphopulus auction at Sotheby’s London in May 1940. One of the people who helped and advised me in my early days was A.J.B. ‘Jim’ Kiddell who was head of the Chinese department at Sotheby’s London. I fondly remember him putting his arm around my shoulder and giving me advice. After he retired, the good relationship continued with the late Julian Thompson, a world authority and head of Sotheby’s Chinese department, and later chairman of Sotheby’s, he is greatly missed. In 1973, Sotheby’s began their Hong Kong auctions and I attended most of them throughout the 1970s and 80s. My son Stuart then began attending the auctions and we continue to this day to have a positive relationship.

It has been a great adventure, travelling the world, meeting wonderful and interesting people and forming memories which I will always treasure. One of the most remarkable and perhaps surprising aspects has been the continual change of taste over the passing years. As a young man, I was attracted to Qing Imperial porcelain in spite of the fact that it was far less popular than Ming porcelain. My appreciation for Qing has continued throughout my life, always focusing on quality, condition and provenance. I trust that this group reflects my love and standards and hope that these pieces find new homes with people who have the same passion as I have.

Richard P. Marchant
April 2020

Lot 3102. A rare clair-de-lune-glazed archaistic vessel, jue, Seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 11.8 cm, 4 5/8  in. Estimate 500,000 — 700,000 HKD. Lot sold 562,500 HKD. Courtesy Sotheby's

in the form of an archaic bronze tripod wine vessel, the U-shaped body rising from three tall splayed fluted legs to a widely flared rim, surmounted by a pair of capped finials, applied to one side with a loop handle, covered overall in a pale sea-green tone, the base inscribed with a four-character seal mark.

Provenance: Robert Chang, Hong Kong.
A Far Eastern private collection.
Sotheby's London, 6th November 2013, lot 159.

Exhibited: Chinese Ceramics Tang to Qing, Marchant, London, 2014, cat. no. 49.

Note: Qianlong reign-marked vessels of jue form are rare. For an aubergine-glazed jue of this type with similar Qianlong reign mark, see one in the Baur Collection, illustrated in John Ayers, The Baur Collection, Geneva. Chinese Ceramics, vol. 2, Geneva, 1969, pl. A473; and another from the Jingguantang collection, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27th May 2008, lot 1801.

Lot 3103. A rare doucai'flower and butterfly' dish, Mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 20.9 cm, 8 1/4  in. Estimate 1,000,000 — 1,500,000 HKD. Lot sold 1,375,000 HKD. Courtesy Sotheby's

the elegantly rounded sides raised on a slightly tapered foot, superbly painted in vivid enamels within an underglaze-blue outline, the interior with two butterflies hovering above three blooming peonies in lavender, red and yellow, issuing from leafy branches beside a large garden rock, the exterior with branches of flowering peony and dianthus to one side and chrysanthemum and aster to the other, inscribed to the base with a six-character reign mark within a double circle.

Provenance: Collection of Hans Öströms, Stockholm, collection no. 2459.
Collection of Ester and Erik Holmberg (1888-1972), collection no. K 64, and thence by direct descent.

Note: A similar dish, from the J.F. Woodthorpe collection, included in the Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition Enamelled Polychrome Porcelain of the Manchu Dynasty, London, 1951, cat. no. 99, was sold in our London rooms, 6th April 1954, lot 105, and again 17th May 1966, lot 229: another from the Soame Jenyns collection was included in the Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition The Arts of the Ch'ing Dynasty, London, 1964, cat. no. 113; and a third was sold in these rooms, 26th/27th October 1993, lot 154. See also a pair of dishes, formerly sold by Frank Caro, successor to C.T. Loo, New York, in the 1960s and exhibited at San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas, 1984-2017, most recently sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29th November 2017, lot 2809, from the collection of Dr James D. Thornton.

Sotheby's. Marchant – Fifty Qing Imperial Porcelains, Hong Kong, 11 July 2020

Lot 3104. A rare yellow-glazed 'floral' dish, Mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 14.5 cm, 5 3/4  in. Estimate 200,000 — 300,000 HKD. Lot sold 375,000 HKD. Courtesy Sotheby's

thinly potted with gently rounded sides supported on a short foot, covered with an even egg-yolk yellow glaze stopping neatly at the foot, the exterior incised with a band of leafy scrolls bearing peony and chrysanthemum flowerheads, the base left white and inscribed with a six-character reign mark in underglaze blue within a double circle.

Provenance: Collection of Mr and Mrs Jack Steinberg, formed by R.W. Symonds.

Note: A similar example is illustrated in Michel Beurdeley and Guy Raindre, Qing Porcelain, London, 1987, pl. 1. See also a pair of smaller dishes, formerly in the collection of the Sir Joseph E. Hotung Family Trust, included in the exhibitions Qing Mark and Period Monochrome and Two-Coloured Wares, S. Marchant & Son, London, 1992, cat. no. 17, and Recent Acquisitions, S. Marchant & Son, London, 2002, cat. no. 16.

Sotheby's. Marchant – Fifty Qing Imperial Porcelains, Hong Kong, 11 July 2020

Lot 3105. A blue and white and yellow-enamelled 'dragon' bowl, Seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 10.5 cm, 4 1/8  in. Estimate 380,000 — 500,000 HKD. Lot sold 562,500 HKD. Courtesy Sotheby's

thinly potted with deep rounded sides rising to an everted rim, vividly decorated around the exterior with two yellow five-clawed dragons striding amidst flames in pursuit of flaming pearls, the interior similarly decorated with a central medallion enclosing a writhing dragon, all reserved on an underglaze-blue ground, the base inscribed with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue.

Provenance: S. Marchant & Son, London, 1965.
Collection of Anthony Evans, Kent, collection no. 425.

Exhibited: Imperial Chinese Porcelain, Ceramics & Works of Art, Marchant, London, 2013, cat. no. 33.

Note: A similar bowl was included in the exhibition Qing Mark and Period Monochromes and Enamelled Wares, S. Marchant & Son, London, 1981, cat. no. 21.

Anthony Evans developed his love of Chinese porcelain from his father who was an accountant, working for the Kailan Mining Administration in Tianjin in the 1920s, and became a regular client of Marchant from the 1960s.

Sotheby's. Marchant – Fifty Qing Imperial Porcelains, Hong Kong, 11 July 2020