Sotheby's Results - Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art - March 18, 2008 Sotheby’s spring sale of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art in New York totaled $11,091,263.
News-Antique.com - Mar 23,2008 - SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK SALE OF
FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF
ART ON MARCH 18, 2008, BRINGS $11,091,263
‘JUN’ NARCISSUS BOWL FROM THE DEXINGSHUWU
COLLECTION COMMANDS $869,800 (EST. $400/500,000)
New York, New York, March 18, 2008 – Sotheby’s spring sale of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art in
New York, which featured Qing period jades, ceramics of the Five Dynasties to the Early Ming period,
bamboo carvings, Ming and Qing dynasty porcelains and works of art from a number of distinguished
private collections, totaled $11,091,263. Highlighting the sale was the Dexingshuwu Collection, which is
comprised of 30 lots of exquisite ceramics from the Five Dynasties, Song, Jin, Yuan and early Ming
periods, is a ‘Jun’ purple-splashed narcissus bowl, incised si (‘four’) to the base, which commanded
$869,800, far above its high estimate, selling to an Asian buyer (lot 97, est. $400/500,000); a fine ‘Jun’ skyblue
narcissus bowl, early Ming dynasty, which brought $825,000, also well above its expected price,
selling to Chak’s Company Ltd. (lot 100, est. $300/400,000); a very rare ‘Jun’ mallow-shaped lavenderglazed jardinière, incised san (‘three’) to the base, which sold for $469,000 to an Asian buyer (lot 91,
est. $350/450,000); and a rare Clair-de-Lune basin, Yongzheng seal mark and period, which achieved
$385,000, selling to a European dealer (lot 116, est. $80/120,000).
Nicolas Chow, Worldwide Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, “We were pleased with many of
the exceptional prices achieved in today’s sale from a number of our private collections such as the
Dexingshuwu Collection, the Lutz Collection and Japanese Arms and Armor Collection being offered by
The Armand P. Arman Revocable Trust.”
Mee-Seen Loong, senior specialist for the sale, continued: “We saw strength across a number of categories
today -- ceramics from the Five Dynasties, Song, Jin, Yuan and early Ming periods, jades, bamboo carvings
and works of art – particularly with property that was fresh to the market. While we were disappointed that
the group of bronzes didn’t find buyers in today’s sale and impacted sold rate by value, overall our sold
rates were consistent with many of our past sales.”
The largest private collection of the sale, an Important Private American Collection, offered more than 200
lots of Ming and Qing dynasty porcelains, rhinoceros horn carvings, jades, furniture and other works of art
of the highest quality, and highlighting this offering was a magnificent and extremely rare pair of
Huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs inlaid with mother-of-pearl, horn, ivory, amber and
soapstone embellishments and dragons, 17th/18th century, which brought $433,000, selling to an
Asian Private collector (lot 233, est. $300/500,000). Included is a ‘Doucai’ five-lobed vase (meiping),
Qianlong seal mark and period, which sold for $193,000 (lot 152, est. $140/180,000). At over 10” high, the
vase is a masterpiece for its complex and innovative lobed form and for the brilliant execution of the
painting reflecting a traditional Ming period style. Inspired by the classical forms of the Tang and Song
dynasties, it was reinterpreted to reflect contemporary sensibilities.
