Lot 717. A small Ge-type washer, Ming dynasty (1368-1644); 3 ½ in. (8.8 cm.) wide. Estimate USD 7,000 - USD 9,000. Price realised USD 21,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018 

Of shallow square form, the washer is covered in a thick greyish-cream glaze suffused with a network of 'iron' crackle interspersed with light brown crackles.

Note: Ge ware, along with Guan, Ru, Ding and Jun, comprise the ‘Five Great Wares of the Song Dynasty’. The problems of distinguishing the two crackled wares, Guan, and Ge, were discussed at length during a conference held at the Shanghai Museum in 1992, and while no unanimity of opinion was reached, it was generally thought that those wares with a jinsi tiexian (‘gold thread and iron wire’) crackle should be designated Ge. See R. Scott, “Guan or Ge Ware?”, Oriental Art, Summer 1993, pp. 12-23. Recent archaeological researchers suggest that Ge wares may have been made at kilns in Chuzhou, nearer to the center of Longquan production, or just outside the walls of the Southern Song palace at Hangzhou. Scholars agree that Ge wares display the qualities that might be expected of vessels intended for imperial appreciation.

Yuan and Ming dynasty square-form Ge washers are very rare. A Ge cinquefoil brush washer dated to the Yuan-Ming dynasty was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2013, lot 3279. Another washer, but of circular shape and dated to the Yuan dynasty, 14th century, is in the Qing Court Collection, and is published in the National Palace Museum, Precious as the Morning Star: 12th- 14th Century Celadons in the Qing Court Collection, p. 275, no. IV-34. 

A very rare Ge cinquefoil brush washer, Yuan-Ming dynasty, 13th-15th century; 2 7/8 in. (7.5 cm.) wide. Sold for HKD 3,760,000 at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2013, lot 3279. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013

The brush washer is finely potted with deep fluted sides rising from a slightly recessed base to a cinquefoil rim, covered with a thick glaze suffused with a matrix of dark grey and russet crackles. The unglazed foot and the three spur marks on the base reveal the dark stoneware body. Estimate HKD 200,000 - HKD 300,000.

Provenance: An Australian private collection, purchased in Shanghai in the 1920s by the grandparents of the current owner.

Note: Compare to a nearly identical Ge-glazed cinquefoil washer dating to the Song dynasty in the National Museum of China. Other similar examples are found in institutions and private collections worldwide, including a Ge-glazed quatrefoil brush washer dating to the Song dynasty exhibited and illustrated in Selected Treasures of Chinese Art: Min Chiu Society Thirtieth Anniversary Exhibition, Hong Kong, 1990, pp. 252-253, no, 111; a Ge-glazed cinquefoil cup in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Ko Ware of the Sung Dynasty, Book II, Hong Kong, 1962, pl. 42, pp. 121-122; and a hexafoil brush washer in the Palace Museum, Beijing, designated as Guan, illustrated in Porcelain of the Song Dynasty (II), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1996, p. 23, pl. 18.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 22 - 23 March 2018, New York

Lot 774. A rare Dehua figure of Buddha, Late Ming dynasty, 17th century; 17 in. (43.2 cm.) high. Estimate USD 15,000 - USD 20,000. Price realised USD 18,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018 

The figure is finely modeled standing on a lotus pedestal, wearing layered robes elegantly draped over the left arm and tucked in at the waist leaving the chest bare. In his right hand he holds a round jewel, while his right arm is held pendent at his side, and his face is modeled with a serene expression beneath the tightly curled hair. A four-character seal mark,Huijiang Shanren, is impressed on the back of the figure.

Provenance: Roger Duchange, Paris, February 1979.
An important private collection, Saint Cloud, France.

The property of Marchant, Est. 1925. 

Marchant was founded by Samuel Sydney Marchant in 1925, when he opened his antiques shop in Cursitor Street, in the City of London. With Richard Marchant's entry into the business in 1953, the firm increasingly specialized in Asian art, particularly imperial wares of the Ming and Qing dynasties, including porcelain and jade. Stuart Marchant joined in 1985, sharing his father's passion and knowledge of Chinese art, and the close family relationship continues into the fourth generation with Stuart's son Samuel and daughter Natalie. The name Marchant has become synonymous with quality, rarity and provenance, criteria that have always been requirements for any piece of art handled by Marchant.

Literature: Marchant, Blanc de Chine, London, 2014, pp. 20-21, no. 7.

Note: According to R. H. Blumenfield, Blanc de Chine: The Great Porcelain of Dehua, Berkeley/Toronto, 2002, p. 139, the mark Huijiang Shanren ('Hermit of the Hui River') "was applied to an anonymous ceramic sculpture artist of the Ming period who lived in seclusion in Dehua," and "excelled in sculpting Buddhist figures." Two variations of the mark are also recorded by P. J. Donnelly in Blanc de Chine: The Porcelain of Tehua in Fukien, New York and Washington, 1969, p. 359, Appendix 4, no. 8b (with raised characters and a border), and no. 8c (with raised characters but no border, as on the present Buddha figure), and a figure of Guanyin with a Huijiang Shanren mark, also with no border, is illustrated ibid. pl. 82A.

Lot 727. A kinrande ewer and cover, Ming dynasty, 16th century; 10 in. (25.4 cm.) high. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 10,000. Price realised USD 15,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018 

Lot 722. A large Longquan celadon carved dish, Ming dynasty, 15th century; 15 in. (38 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 10,000 - USD 15,000. Price realised USD 12,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018 

Lot 729. A rare blue and white double-gourd vase, Wanli period (1573-1619); 12 3/8 in. (32.3 cm.) high. Estimate USD 12,000 - USD 18,000. Price realised USD 12,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018 

Lot 728. A large blue and white square cushion-form box, Wanli six-character mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1573-1619); 10 ½ in. wide. Estimate USD 6,000 - USD 8,000. Price realised USD 10,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

The box is of square form with canted corners, and the sides are decorated with dragons amidst clouds and flames beneath a border of scrollinglingzhi, Japanese wood box.

Note: A very similar Wanli-marked box, but with a cover, is illustrated by R. Scott and R. Marks, et al., The Burrell Collection, London and Glasgow, 1984, p. 53, pl. 19.

Lot 733. A blue and white ewer with silver mounts, Chongzhen period (1628-1644); 10 in. (25.4 cm) high. Estimate USD 4,000 - USD 6,000. Price realised USD 8,125. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

Made for the Dutch market, the pear-shaped ewer is raised on a waisted pedestal foot and decorated with a scene of scholars drinking wine in a landscape setting below a band of leafy tulip sprays on the shoulder and further sprays on the waisted neck which rises to a spouted rim, and the curved handle is decorated with flames. The silver cover is fully marked on the inside, probably Dutch Haarlem, 18th century, and the thumb-piece is in the form of a standing peacock.

Provenance: Christie's New York, 21 March 2002, lot 182.

Note: Blue and white wares of this type were made for the Dutch market, and a similar ewer or 'wine' jug, also with silver mounts, can be seen in a Dutch seventeenth century still-life painting by S. Luttichuys (1610-1661) illustrated by Dr. A. I. Spriggs, 'Oriental Porcelain in Western Paintings, 1450-1700', T.O.C.S., 1964-66, vol. 36, pp. 73-87, pl. 71c.

Lot 720. Two Fahua barrel-form garden stools, Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The larger 15 in. (38 cm.) high. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000. Price realised USD 7,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

One is deeply carved and pierced with a central band of cranes amidst foliage interrupted by two lion-mask handles, all between rows of turquoise bosses reserved on a deep blue ground. The slightly rounded top is pierced with a floral roundel. The other is similarly decorated with peacocks frolicking amidst ornamental rocks and foliage reserved on a turquoise ground, interrupted by two lion-mask handles, all between rows of turquoise bosses. The slightly rounded top is covered overall in a dark blue glaze.

Lot 721. A large Longquan celadon carved dish, Ming dynasty, 15th century; 16 7/8 in. (43 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000. Price realised USD 7,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

The dish is carved in the center with a medallion of a trellis diaper, surrounded by fluently carved floral scrolls in the well, and the flattened rim is carved with three sections of wave-like scrolls. The dish is covered inside and out with a thick glaze of sea-green tone, except for a wide ring on the base which has burnt orange in the firing.

Property from the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, New York.

Lot 724. A large blue and white bowl, Ming dynasty, 16th century; 13 ½ in. (34.3 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 6,000 - USD 18,000. Price realised USD 5,625. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

The deep sides are boldly decorated on the exterior with two scenes of the 'Three Friends of Winter' (prunus, pine and bamboo), the scenes divided by two tall rock formations, and with a pair of birds perched in the branches of the prunus trees, while in the center of the interior is a medallion of a hawk perched on a rock between two rocks within a double circle, below a band of birds perched on four flowering branches separated by flying insects.

Provenance: Private American collection, acquired in the 1960s. 

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 22 - 23 March 2018, New York

Lot 749. A blue and white petal-molded dish, Wanli period (1573-1619); 8 1/8 in. (20.6 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 4,000 - USD 6,000. Price realised USD 4,375. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

The shallow dish is decorated in the center with mountains rising from waves encircled by petals alternately decorated with mountains or blossoming branches, and an outer border of molded overlapping lotus petals correspondingly molded and painted on the underside where they encircle an inner band of molded, blossom-centered petals that radiate out from the foot ring.

Provenance: Christie's New York, 1 June 1979, lot 109. 

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 22 - 23 March 2018, New York

 © Bonhams 2001-2018

NEW YORK, NY.- Burmese rubies, Kashmir sapphires, Colombian emeralds, an impressive selection of magnificent diamonds together with a large collection of David Webb jewelry will be offered by Bonhams New York in its first jewelry auction of 2018. 

Leading the 17 April sale is A Diamond Solitaire Ring estimated at $500,000 - 700,000. The round brilliant-cut diamond weighs 10.01 carats and is F color, VVS2 clarity and is from a private collection in the US. 

Lot 115. A Diamond Solitaire Ring, 10.01 carats, F color, VVS2 clarity. Estimate US$ 500,000 - 700,000 (€ 400,000 - 570,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

centering a round brilliant-cut diamond, weighing 10.01 carats, accented by similarly cut diamond-set shoulders;mounted in platinum; size 6

Accompanied by GIA report # 2105465775, dated September 21, 2017, stating the diamond as: F color, VVS2 clarity.

The sale, which consists of 133 lots, will also include a selection of impressive colored stones including the king of gems, rubies. Highlights include:  

• An Art Deco Ruby and Diamond Bracelet by Cartier, circa 1935, estimated at $80,000 - 120,000. Art Deco jewelry by Cartier continues to be highly sought after due to its exceptional craftsmanship, impressive design and rarity. This bracelet follows the bold color schemes of many pieces of Art Deco jewelry, contrasting rubies with white diamonds. It features seven rows of ruby beads, interspersed by baguette-cut diamond bars, flanked by old European-cut diamonds and is accompanied by an AGL report stating the rubies are Burmese (Myanmar) origin with no indications of heat or clarity enhancement. 

Lot 132. An Art Deco Burmese ruby and diamond bracelet, Cartier, circa 1935. Estimate US$ 80,000 - 120,000 (€ 65,000 - 97,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

composed of seven rows of ruby beads, interspersed by baguette-cut diamond bars, flanked by old European-cut diamonds; signed Cartier, made in France, with maker's mark; estimated total diamond weight: 14.40 carats; mounted in platinum; length: 8 1/8in.

Accompanied by AGL report # 1090696, dated February 20, 2018, stating the rubies as: Burmese (Myanmar) origin, no indications of heat or clarity enhancement.

• A Ruby and Diamond Necklace by Bulgari estimated at $200,000 - 300,000. Wearable for both day and night, the elegantly designed necklace features a total of 50 graduated oval-shaped rubies, the largest weighing approximately 2.15 carats, alternating with graduated round brilliant-cut diamonds. The rubies are Burmese (Myanmar) origin. 

Lot 130. A Burmese ruby and diamond necklace, Bulgari. Estimate US$ 80,000 - 120,000 (€ 65,000 - 97,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

• A Ruby and Diamond Ring by Mermod & Jaccard estimated at $80,000 - 120,000. Timeless and elegant in style, this classic three-stone ring is set with an antique cushion-shaped ruby, weighing 3.24 carats, flanked by old European-cut diamonds, weighing 1.23 and 1.12 carats.  

Lot 65. A Burmese ruby and diamond ring, Mermod & Jaccard. Estimate US$ 80,000 - 120,000 (€ 65,000 - 97,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

centering an antique cushion-shaped mixed-cut ruby, weighing 3.24 carats, flanked by old European-cut diamonds, weighing 1.23 and 1.12 carats; signed Mermod Jaccard; accompanied by a signed box; mounted in 18k gold; size 5

Caroline Morrissey, Senior Jewelry Specialist, Bonhams New York, says: “Rubies are far rarer than colorless diamonds, a fact that has been recognised in the world-record breaking prices they set at auction. Given the international appetite for specimen rubies together with a greater appreciation of this gemstone, we are anticipating keen interest in these pieces during our previews in New York, LA, Geneva and Hong Kong.”  

Sapphires are continuing to attract buyers from all over the world as a result of a renewed appreciation of good quality sapphires from Kashmir, Sri Lanka and Burma. In its April sale, Bonhams has a number of excellent specimen gemstones from each of these areas. These include: 

• A Sapphire and Diamond Ring estimated at $80,000-120,000. Gracing the front cover of the catalog, the 9.85 carats emerald-cut sapphire is of Kashmir origin – the area most highly prized for gem quality sapphires - and has no indication of heat or clarity enhancement. The ring was previously in the collection of an aristocratic French lady and this is the first time it has come to auction.

Lot 124. Previously in the collection of an aristocratic French lady. A Kashmir sapphire weighing 9.85 carats and diamond ring. Estimate US$ 80,000 - 120,000 (€ 65,000 - 97,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

Accompanied by SSEF report # 98139, dated February 22, 2018, stating the sapphire as: Kashmir origin, no indications of heating. 

Accompanied by AGL report # 1090225, dated February 9, 2018, stating the sapphire as: Kashmir origin, no indications of heat or clarity enhancement.

Note: The legendary sapphires of the Kashmir region were first discovered in a remote part of the Himalayan Mountains around 1880. Quickly becoming the property of the Maharaja, the sapphire mines were worked day and night throughout the summer months until 1887, when they were completely depleted. Kashmiri sapphires are a rich and lustrous blue, often compared to that of a cornflower, and surpassing that of sapphires from any other part of the world. With such limited production, Kashmir sapphires make up a tiny percentage of the world's total sapphire supply.

• A Sapphire and Diamond Pendant Necklace estimated at $280,000 - 320,000. The cushion-shaped sapphire, weighing 40.07 carats, is of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) origin and has no indications of heat or clarity enhancement. Sri Lanka is also known as Island of Gems with sapphires unearthed from the lush plains near Ratnapura. 

Lot 131. A Ceylon sapphire weighing 40.07 carats and diamond pendant necklace. Estimate US$ 280,000 - 320,000 (€ 230,000 - 260,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

centering a cushion-shaped modified mixed-cut sapphire, weighing 40.07 carats, within a surround of single and round brilliant-cut diamonds, suspended by a line of similarly cut diamonds, interspersed by circular disks, accented by round brilliant-cut diamonds, to an old pear-shaped diamond surmount, weighing approximately 1.55 carats; estimated remaining diamond weight: 4.15 carats; mounted in platinum; length: 17in.

• A Diamond and Sapphire Bracelet by Bulgari estimated at $40,000-60,000 (pictured above). The bracelet is centrally set with a line of oval-shaped sapphires of Burmese (Myanmar) origin, framed by a cluster of marquise and round brilliant-cut diamonds. Burma has produced some of the world's finest blue sapphires mined in the Mogok area. The sapphires in the bracelet are accompanied by a report confirming that there are no indications of heat or clarity enhancement.  

Lot 116. A diamond and Burmese sapphire bracelet, Bulgari. Estimate US$ 40,000 - 60,000 (€ 32,000 - 49,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

centrally set with a line of oval-shaped mixed-cut sapphires, framed by a cluster of marquise and round brilliant-cut diamonds; signed Bvlgari, no.2563; estimated total diamond weight: 12.95 carats; mounted in platinum; length: 6 5/8in.

Accompanied by AGL report # 1090156, dated February 15, 2018, stating the sapphires as: Burmese (Myanmar) origin, no indications of heat or clarity enhancement.

Hot on the heels of the sapphire and ruby lots, Bonhams will also be auctioning a wonderful selection of emeralds originating from Colombia. This includes An Emerald and Diamond Ring estimated at $110,000-150,000. The rectangular-shaped emerald-cut emerald, weighing 3.74 carats, has no indications of clarity enhancement.  

Lot 109. A 3.74 carats Colombian emerald and diamond ring. Estimate US$ 110,000 - 150,000 (€ 89,000 - 120,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

centering a rectangular-shaped emerald-cut emerald, weighing 3.74 carats, flanked by rectangular-shaped diamonds; estimated total diamond weight: 1.70 carats; mounted in platinum; size 5 3/4

Collection of David Webb jewelry to hit the auction block 
Sixteen pieces of jewelry by American designer David Webb are set to go under the hammer at the April sale. Most of the pieces were purchased directly from David Webb and were collected over a period of 20 years. It is the first time that they have come to auction. 

The jeweler was known for his design, craftsmanship, and creativity and had an enviable following including the Duchess of Windsor, Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy. 

Webb was renowned for his big, bold designs and his unabashed use of color. Not afraid to take risks, he incorporated materials like exotic shells, carved rock crystal quartz, enamel and coral and made use of everything from geometric forms to naturalistic designs. The collection Bonhams will be offering includes A Diamond, Emerald, Ruby and Enamel Double Fox Head Bangle Bracelet estimated at $20,000-30,000. This is a perfect example of Webb’s penchant for animals
with delicate enamelwork complemented by diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. 

Lot 43. A diamond, emerald, ruby and enamel double fox head bangle bracelet, David Webb. Estimate US$ 20,000 - 30,000 (€ 16,000 - 24,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

designed as opposing foxes applied with red, white and black enamel, the crowns set with cabochon emeralds, accented by round brilliant-cut diamonds, completed by cabochon ruby eyes; signed Webb; estimated total diamond weight: 4.25 carats; mounted in platinum and 18k gold; gross weight approximately: 166.20 grams; circumference: 6 1/4in.

Other highlights in the collection include: 

• A Coral, Diamond, Sapphire, Emerald, Platinum Bangle Bracelet estimated at $25,000-35,000 

• An Amethyst, Coral, Emerald, Rock Crystal Quartz, Diamond and Enamel Pendant Necklace estimated at $30,000-50,000  

Lot 36. A coral, diamond, sapphire and emerald bangle bracelet, David Webb. Estimate US$ 25,000 - 35,000 (€ 20,000 - 28,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018 

designed as a carved coral elephant, the torso composed of six fluted coral segments, interspersed by polished gold panels, the crown, tusks, and clasp set with round brilliant-cut diamonds, cabochon emerald eyes, the crown further accented with a cabochon sapphire; signed Webb; estimated total diamond weight: 4.75 carats; mounted in platinum and 18k gold; gross weight approximately: 114.60 grams; circumference: 6 1/16in.

Lot 41. An amethyst, coral, emerald, rock crystal quartz, diamond and enamel pendant necklace, David Webb. Estimate US$ 30,000 - 50,000 (€ 24,000 - 40,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018 

Natural pearls 
Natural pearls have seen a surge in value over the last decade and continue to be in demand according to Bonhams. Data from Art Market Research report a 286.1 percent increase in natural pearls over the last 10 years and two out of Bonhams top 10 lots sold at auction in 2017 were natural pearls. 

In this coming auction, A Pair of Natural Pearl and Diamond Earrings by Harry Winston will be offered for sale with a pre-sale estimate of $200,000-300,000. Composed of single drop pearls, measuring 18.0 x 13.1mm and 17.2 x 13.2mm, to round brilliant-cut diamond surmounts, they are expected to attract a lot of interest in the pre-sale previews.  

Lot 86. A pair of natural pearl and diamond earrings, Harry Winston. Estimate US$ 200,000 - 300,000 (€ 160,000 - 240,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018  

composed of single drop pearls, measuring approximately 11.4 - 11.7 x 21.1mm and 10.8 - 11.0 x 21.1mm, to round brilliant-cut diamond surmounts; signed HW; estimated total diamond weight: 1.10 carats; mounted in 18k gold; length: 15/16in. 

Signed jewelry from the world’s most renowned houses offered at Bonhams 
A fabulous selection of signed jewelry from Bulgari, Verdura, Tiffany & Co, René Boivin, Buccellati, Oscar Heyman and Ilias Lalaounis will be presented for sale at Bonhams New York. Distinguished by their designs and exceptional craftsmanship, highlights include: 

• A Platinum, 18k Gold and Diamond “Danseuse” Pendant by Van Cleef & Arpels, circa 1950, estimated at $10,000-15,000. Designed as a ballerina, her head and tutu are set with single and rose-cut diamonds.  

Lot 61. A platinum, 18k gold and diamond "Danseuse" pendant, Van Cleef & Arpels, circa 1950. Estimate US$ 200,000 - 300,000 (€ 160,000 - 240,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018  

• An Opal and Diamond Pendant Necklace by Andrew Grima, dated 1972. The “flame” pendant features an oval-shaped cabochon red opal, weighing approximately 82.30 carats, within a radiating surround of textured gold, suspending from a textured gold collar. Estimated at $20,000 - 30,000 it is accompanied by an original drawing signed by the designer.  

Lot 24. An opal and diamond pendant necklace, Andrew Grima, 1972. Estimate US$ 200,000 - 300,000 (€ 160,000 - 240,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018  

Accompanied by an original drawing signed by the designer.

• An Art Deco Diamond Clip Brooch by René Boivin, dated circa 1933, estimated at $30,000 - 50,000. Boivin jewels are easily recognizable for their bold lines and sculptural design. Pieces produced between 1930 and 1940 are highly sought after and this platinum and diamond dress clip from circa 1933 captures the essence of this period’s aesthetic. 

Striking pieces from the Art Deco period set to capture collectors’ interest 
The auction will feature two pieces of jewelry that capture the glamor and style of Hollywood in its heyday. The first, A Platinum and Diamond Bangle Bracelet of scroll design, adorned with round brilliant-cut diamonds, has a pre-sale estimate of $50,000 - 70,000.  

Caroline Morrissey says: “This spectacular cuff is an exemplary demonstration of Joaillerie Blanche, a style born in 1929 that reached its heights in the late 1930s and was frequently worn by many of Hollywood’s greatest starlets. Although the cuff is unmarked, not unusual for the interwar period in which it was made, the importance of the piece itself suggests it was more than likely a unique piece or special order.” 

Lot 125. A platinum and diamond bangle bracelet, circa 1935. Estimate US$ 50,000 - 70,000 (€ 40,000 - 57,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

the wide cuff of polished platinum layered 'steps' decorated with round brilliant-cut diamonds, with volute terminals pavé-set with similarly cut diamonds, and additional engraved scroll decoration at the sides;accompanied by original box; estimated total diamond weight: 21.45 carats; gross weight approximately: 167.60 grams; circumference: 6 1/16in. (expandable)

The second lot, An Art Deco Diamond Charm Bracelet, circa 1925, is estimated at $12,000-18,000. The single-cut diamond line bracelet, suspending 19 charms, is pavé-set with similarly cut diamonds, and one charm is accented with calibré-cut rubies. It features charms for every year – starting from 1922 and ending in 1940.

Caroline Morrissey adds: “Usually you find charm bracelets that are thematic or representative of an event or a passion, so this piece is a rare find as each charm displays the year in numerals in a slightly different font in a quintessential Art Deco style. In today’s market, having a piece of jewelry that tells such a story is a rarity.” 

Lot 59. An Art Deco diamond charm bracelet, circa 1925. Estimate US$ 12,000 - 18,000 (€ 9,700 - 15,000). © Bonhams 2001-2018

Charm bracelets are one of the only jewelry pieces which are both intimately personal and so highly desirable and collectable. It is a glimpse into the wearers life: her style, expression of who she is and where she has been. This is her story! This bracelet is purported to have a history of Hollywood glamor. You are first drawn in by the delicate diamond encrusted charms and then you realize they tell a story of this woman's life from 1922 through 1940. It is said that each charm was gifted to an actress by her producer after each movie filming wrapped. While there are many charm bracelets that remain from the 1950s and 60s, it is rare to come across an example from the 1920s.

Lot 381. A large underglaze blue and copper-red 'Fish' dish, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Diameter 14 in., 35.5 cm. Estimate 10,000 — 15,000. Lot sold 68,750 USD. © Sotheby's

the rounded sides rising to an everted rim, boldly painted to the interior with a lively auspicious scene of crustaceans and fish amidst water weed, the exterior and base unadorned, the channel foot unglazed, coll. no. 286.

The Jie Rui Tang Collection.

Provenance: Imperial Oriental Art, New York, 2002

Exhibited: The Art of the Qing Potter, Important Chinese Export Porcelain, The Chinese Porcelain Company, New York, 1997, cat. no. 13.

Literature: Jeffrey P. Stamen and Cynthia Volk with Yibin Ni, A Culture Revealed: Kangxi-era Chinese Porcelain from the Jie Rui Tang Collection, Bruges, 2017, pl. 68.

Lot 313. A large blue and white 'Seven Sages' brushpot, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Diameter 7 1/2  in., 19 cm. Estimate 50,000 — 70,000. Lot sold 56,250 USD. © Sotheby's

of cylindrical form supported on three bracket feet, finely painted with scholars in a bamboo grove amid resplendent pines and ribbons of clouds, one sage calligraphing a rock in the company of another, nearby a third sage playing the qin and three more listening while considering a group of antiques arranged before them, an elderly sage strolling with the aid of a gnarled staff and an attendant, the base with an unglazed ring and centered with a recessed medallion with an apocryphal six-character Chenghua mark in underglaze blue, coll. no. 214.

The Jie Rui Tang Collection.

Provenance: Solveig & Anita Gray, London, 2001.

Literature: Jeffrey P. Stamen and Cynthia Volk with Yibin Ni, A Culture Revealed: Kangxi-era Chinese Porcelain from the Jie Rui Tang Collection, Bruges, 2017, pl. 36.

Note: The ‘Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove’ were a group of poets, musicians, and scholar-officials active in the third century who retreated from public service as an act of political protest. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, they were favorite subjects of painters, carvers, and ceramicists, who depicted them composing poetry, playing the qin, appreciating antiquities, and engaging in various lofty pursuits. Bamboo carvers and potters of the Kangxi era often applied this theme to brushpots and other objects for the scholar’s studio.

The present brushpot is further distinguished by the inclusion of the bracket feet that elevate the cylindrical form. The presence of feet on 17th century porcelain brushpots is rare. Normally, the base of a porcelain brushpot rested directly on the table's surface; feet were reserved for jardinières which required the elevation for drainage or censers which were raised to keep heat away from wood or lacquer surfaces. However, late Ming dynasty brushpots with similar tab or bracket feet carved from hardwoods, bamboo, ivory and lacquer imply that that elevation of the form was an established aesthetic choice and one that perhaps prevented the ring stains that often resulted from flat-based brushpots.  

A large blue and white brushpot with a strikingly similar composition and apocryphal Chenghua four-character mark from the Qing Court Collection in the Palace Museum, Beijing is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (III), Hong Kong, 2000, cat. no. 50. A related brushpot illustrating literati examining a handscroll beneath an upper border of rippling clouds in the collection of the Shanghai Museum is illustrated in Zhongguo taoci quanji: Qing (1) [The Complete Works of Chinese Ceramics: Qing I], vol. 14, Shanghai, 2000, pl. 48. Another blue and white brushpot illustrating the ‘Seven Sages’ from the collection of Peter and Nancy Thompson sold in our London rooms, 7th November 2012, lot 33.

From the collection of Peter and Nancy Thompson. A Blue and White 'Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove' Brushpot, Bitong, Qing Dynasty, Early Kangxi Period; 15.7cm., 6 1/4 in. Sold for 103,250 GBP at Sotheby's London, 7th November 2012, lot 33. © Photo Sotheby's

 Cf. my post:  Blue and White 'Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove' Brushpot, Bitong, Qing Dynasty, Early Kangxi Period

Lot 303. A blue and white 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' bottle vase, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Height 8 7/8  in., 20 cm. Estimate 15,000 — 25,000. Lot sold 52,500 USD. © Sotheby's

the slender pear-shaped body rising from a spreading foot to an everted rim, painted in bright cobalt with an episode from Romance of the Three Kingdoms between speckled bands at the foot and rim, at the center Zhao Yun, one of the five top generals in the Shu army, seated upon a dappled horse bounding through a mountainous landscape, two bannermen leading the way and a third following on foot, the base glazed white, coll. no. 323.

The Jie Rui Tang Collection.

Provenance: Berwald Oriental Art, London, 2001.

Note: The shape of the vessel, inspired by a Song dynasty form, the free painterly style, and the bands of cobalt blobs indicate that the vase was produced early in the Kangxi reign. A blue and white vase of this shape with a scene of a boy and oxen in a landscape, ascribed to the early Kangxi period, is illustrated in Transitional Wares and their Forerunners, The Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1981, cat. no. 94.

Lot 301. An underglaze blue and copper-red seal paste box and cover, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Diameter 5 in., 12.7 cm. Estimate 10,000 — 15,000. Lot sold 47,500 USD. © Sotheby's

of compressed circular form over a tapered foot, the domed cover painted in the 'Master of the Rocks' style with a landscape, in the lower half of the composition a scholar crossing a stone bridge accompanied by an assistant carrying a qin heading toward a thatch-roofed hut beyond massive boulders, a fisherman plying the water nearby, on the opposite bank two scholars conversing under a tree and an attendant preparing a meal, the leaves of the trees picked out in copper-red, the sides of the box with a continuous mountain landscape studded with huts and trees (2), coll. no. 1595.

The Jie Rui Tang Collection.

Provenance: Christie's New York, 29th March 2006, lot 447.

Note: The palette and style of painting of the present piece relate closely to an early type of Kangxi porcelain known as Zhonghetang wares, all of which are inscribed with cyclical dates corresponding to 1671, 1672, and 1673, and were made, according to inscriptions on each, for the Zhonghetang (Hall of Central Harmony). Long assumed to be located in the Forbidden City, the exact location of this Hall has never been identified, leading to recent speculation about the source of the commission. For an example with a Zhonghetang mark, see a porcelain dish, dated 1672, illustrated in Kangxi Porcelain Wares from the Shanghai Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1998, pl. 6.

These elegant shallow boxes evolved as ideal containers for seal paste, which is thick, fibrous, derived from silk or plant matter with cinnabar or vermillion added for bright red color, and the perfect medium to adhere to carved stone, bone or metal seals. Receptacles for the paste were a necessary scholarly accoutrement and were made in various materials including lacquer, jade, ivory and porcelain such as the present example. The poignant depiction of the wandering scholar, longing for retreat in nature where lofty intellectual accomplishments might be fulfilled without interruption, was a theme familiar to any scholar-official. The painted scene served as a vicarious means of escape from the endless bureaucratic tasks and would have been a welcome addition to a scholar's studio.

Lot 302.  A blue and white 'Figural' brushpot, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Height 5 1/8  in., 13 cm. Estimate 10,000 — 15,000. Lot sold 47,500 USD. © Sotheby's

of slightly waisted form, finely painted in varying tones of underglaze blue with a military scene centering on an imperious general standing in front of an encampment receiving news from a messenger carrying a banner emblazoned with the character ling (order) identifying the figure as a courier and allowing him to deliver news unimpeded during battle, their fluttering garments emphasizing the dramatic moment, chevron bands above and below, the base with an apocryphal Chenghua four-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle, coll. no. 365.

The Jie Rui Tang Collection.

Provenance: Knapton & Rasti Asian Art, London, 2001.

Note: The rhythmic, linear rendering of the rockwork and the landscape depicted by loosely-formed, washy 'blobby dots' recall the style known as 'Master of the Rocks'. This painterly style, reminiscent of late Ming dynasty artists such as Wang Jianzhang, is represented on scholarly objects made by the artisans of Jingdezhen from the 1640s through the 1690s. The present brushpot is a fine example of the late expression of this famous style. The fine potting, quality of the cobalt blue, inclusion of chevron borders and the Chenghua mark inscribed loosely on the base are consistent with other wares made in the early to mid-1690s.

Lot 378. An underglaze blue and copper-red 'Peony'weiqi box and cover, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Height 4 1/4  in., 10.8 cm. Estimate 6,000 — 8,000. Lot sold 42,500 USD. © Sotheby's

of compressed globular form, densely painted all around with underglaze-blue scrolling leafing peony vines framing three large copper-red blossoms, the motif repeated on the rounded cover (2), coll. no. 144.

The Jie Rui Tang Collection.

Provenance: Berwald Oriental Art, London, 2000.

Sotheby's. KANGXI: The Jie Rui Tang Collection, New York, 20 March 2018

Lot 369. A powder-blue-ground 'Immortals' vase, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Height 16 7/8  in., 42.8 cm. Estimate 8,000 — 12,000. Lot sold 35,000 USD. © Sotheby's

of slender baluster form, the body decorated all around with the Eight Daoist Immortals carrying their respective attributes through an ethereal azure expanse, Shoulao flying into the scene on the back of a crane, each of the figures modeled in white slip incised and enameled for naturalistic effect, three leafing lingzhifloating around the waisted neck, the base with a beribboned artemisia leaf in underglaze blue within a double circle, coll. no. 204.

The Jie Rui Tang Collection.

Provenance: Marchant, London, 2000.

Lot 384. A blue and white 'Landscape'yen yen vase, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Height 18 1/2  in., 47 cm. Estimate 8,000 — 12,000. Lot sold 35,000 USD. © Sotheby's

the waisted lower body rising to a rounded shoulder surmounted by a trumpet neck, the body painted in bright cobalt tones with a riverside mountainous landscape, a scholar and attendant carrying a qin strolling amid secluded cabins and thatch-roof pavilions surrounded by old pines and soaring birds, a fisherman poling the waters in a boat nearby, the motif repeated at the neck, a band of clouds beneath the rim, coll. no. 1012.

The Jie Rui Tang Collection.

Provenance: Geoffrey Waters, Ltd., London, 2002.