Attributed to Yu Youren (1879-1964): Six Calligraphy Hanging scroll, ink on paper, signed 'Yu Youren' with one seal. {59 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches (151 x 27 cm) each. Estimate $2,000-3,000. Price realized $25,960. Photo courtesy Michaan’s
ALAMEDA, Calif. – Chinese arts and antiquities continued to prove their worth as a hot commodity in Michaan’s estate auction Aug. 3. A runaway sales success was found in lot 179, a set of six hanging scrolls of calligraphy brushwork attributed to Yu Youren, which was estimated to sell for $2,000-3,000. The set provided a formidable as well as collectible group of works to a worldwide bidding audience. Competition was strong for the calligraphy suite, ending with an impressive winning bid placed by a Chinese American floor bidder. The sale of the calligraphies came to surpass the high estimate well over eight times, with a final price realized of $25,960.
LiveAuctioneers.com provided Internet live bidding.
Asian Art Specialist Harry Huang believed what struck bidders was “the comprehensiveness of the grouping. Having these artworks as a complete body of work in a collection of six scrolls is a wonderful way to not only present them, but also to display them.”
Details. Attributed to Yu Youren (1879-1964): Six Calligraphy Hanging scroll, ink on paper, signed 'Yu Youren' with one seal. {59 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches (151 x 27 cm) each. Estimate $2,000-3,000. Price realized $25,960. Photo courtesy Michaan’s
Desirable performance was achieved by many other Asian lots, found in an impressive list of top performers at auction. Of note was a painted Buddhist scripture upon silk (lot 180, $800-1,200, sold for $7,080) as well as two famille rose vases depicting beauties and birds (lot 232, $300-500, sold for $4,130).
A Painted Buddhist Scripture Silk Hanging With Tibetan inscription and Buddhist dragons and lions. {59 x 25 inches (150 x 63.5 cm)}. Estimate $800-1,200, sold for $7,080. Photo courtesy Michaan’s
Two Famille Rose Vases Depicting either beauties or birds. {Taller: 9 3/4 inches (24.7 cm)} [Crazing, abrasions]. Estimate $300-500, sold for $4,130. Photo courtesy Michaan’s
Among Michaan’s jewelry offerings, certified stones carried their weight at auction. A pair of jade, diamond and white gold earrings accompanied by a Mason Kay Report sold for a handsome $6,490 (lot 093, $2,000-2,500). Also on the auction block was a GIA-certified diamond and platinum ring of a marquise cut that realized a price of $4,425 (lot 089, $1,700-2,000). Select pocket watches also sold well, as evidenced by a Spaulding & Co. 18K yellow gold piece (lot 123, $800-1,000, sold for $2,950) and a group of 10 gold-filled timepieces listed as lot 118 ($400-600, sold for $2,655).
Pair of Jade, Diamond, 14k White Gold Earrings. Photo courtesy Michaan’s
Each features one oval jadeite cabochon measuring approximately 14.20 x 9.65 x 2.51 mm, accented by sixteen round-cut and four baguette-cut diamonds weighing a total of approximately 0.45 cttw., set in a 14k white gold mounting. Accompanied by a Mason Kay Report #140527-1, dated May 27, 2014 stating "Natural jadeite jade, no dye or polymer detected - 'A' jade". {Gross Weight: 5.4 dwts). Estimate $2,000-2,500. Sold for $6,490.
Diamond, Platinum Ring. Photo courtesy Michaan’s
Centering one marquise-cut diamond weighing approximately 1.28 ct., flanked by two tapered baguette-cut diamonds weighing a total of approximately 0.15 cttw., set in a platinum mounting. Accompanied by a GIA Gem Trade Laboratory Report #1156803522, dated December 23, 2013 stating "H color, VS1 clarity". {Size 6 1/2, Gross Weight: 3.1 dwts}. Estimate $1,700-2,000. Sold for $4,425.
Spaulding & Co. 18k Yellow Gold Pocket Watch. Photo courtesy Michaan’s
DIAL: Round, white, black Arabic numeral hour markers, black and red Arabic numeral minutes track, gold tone Louis VX hands, sunken subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o'clock, Spaulding & Co. MOVEMENT: Jeweled, adjusted, Patek Philippe, No. 115504, Geneve Suisse, Spaulding & Co. CASE: 18k yellow gold, cuvette #115504, Spaulding & Co., 115504, 46 mm Estimate $800-1,000, sold for $2,950.
Collection of Ten Gold-Filled Pocket Watches. Photo courtesy Michaan’s
Including one Vacheron & Contantine open face, gold-filled pocket watch; two Elgin rail road gold-filled, open face pocket watches; two Waltham rail road gold-filled, open face pocket watches; two Hamilton gold-filled, open face pocket watches; one open face, gold-filled pocket watch; one Rockford gold-filled, open face pocket watch; one Hampden gold-filled, open face pocket watch together with one Elgin gold-filled, open face pocket watch. Estimate $400-600, sold for $2,655.
Top selling lots were seen across department lines as well. An authentic, mid-century modern classic Hans Wegner Papa Bear Chair was sold alongside its original ottoman for $7,670 (lot 425, $3,500-4,500). Also noteworthy was a standout lot from the furniture and decorative arts portion of the sale in a stately Kindel Winterthur mahogany inlaid sideboard that more than quadrupled estimates (lot 389, $500-700, sold for $3,245).
Hans Wegner, Papa Bear Chair and Associated Ottoman, the chair with original upholstery and foam fill {Dimensions of chair 39 x 36 x 33 inches; ottoman 16 x 28 inches}. Estimate $3,500-4,500, sold for $7,670. Photo courtesy Michaan’s
Kindel Winterthur Mahogany Inlaid Sideboard {Dimensions 39 1/2 x 75 1/2 x 26 1/2 inches}. Estimate $500-700, sold for $3,245. Photo courtesy Michaan’s