Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art

A large straw-glazed pottery amphora. Sui-Early Tang dynasty. photo Sotheby's the tall ovoid body surmounted by a waisted neck rising to a cupped mouth, flanked by a pair of dragons biting the rim, their bodies coiled around the neck, their lower legs and tails resting on the shoulders, covered overall in a straw-colored glaze; height 21 1/4 in., 54 cm. Estimate 8,000—12,000 USD. Lot Sold 13,750 USD Sotheby's. Informing the Eye of the Collector: Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art from J.T. Tai & Co. 22 Mar 11. New York... [Lire la suite]

A large blue and white 'Dragon' jar. Jiajing mark and period. photo Sotheby's the broad swelling shoulders tapering to a flat and slightly recessed foot, surmounted by a short, wide neck with a lipped rim, boldly painted in a rich cobalt blue with four supple leaping dragons separated by winged phoenix and cranes in flight among cloud scrolls, above a border of ruyi lappets enclosed within double and triple line borders; height 16 1/4 in., 41.3 cm. Estimate 30,000—50,000 USD. Lot Sold 362,500 USD PROVENANCE: Sotheby's New... [Lire la suite]

  An extremely rare underglaze-red figure of an acolyte. Ming Dynasty, Hongwu Period. photo Sotheby's boldly modeled standing on a high lotus base, his shoulders slightly bowed, with hands held together in prayer, wearing a short floral-decorated apron over a plain dhoti, billowing as if windswept, the bare chest with an elaborate lotus and bead pendant flanked by a short scarf draped over the shoulders, the head with well-defined features and hair drawn into a topknot and two coiled plaits at the nape, all beneath... [Lire la suite]

An Imperial Longquan celadon dish. Ming Dynasty, Yongle period. photo Sotheby's the well-potted body raised on a slightly tapered foot, finely carved to the interior with fruiting lychee branches, the deep rounded sides decorated with a floral scroll comprised of lotus and leaves continuing on the exterior, evenly applied with a lustrous glaze of soft olive-green tone thinning to a paler tone at the rim; diameter 12 3/4 in., 32.4 cm. Estimate 40,000—60,000 USD. Lot Sold 398,500 USD NOTE: Vessels of large form and extremely... [Lire la suite]

A fine large bronze mirror. Warring States Period /Han dynasty. photo Sotheby's of large size cast with a band of stylized dragons interlaced with barbed lozenges on a ground of lines, spirals and stippling, the grooved loop in the center enclosed by rings and hatching, the rim raised, the whole with shiny black patina; together with: two bronze mirrors decorated with central bands cast with small bosses alternating with birds and mythical beasts in linear relief, Han dynasty; and two bronze mirrors with four raised bosses... [Lire la suite]

A rare Famille-Verte Relief-molded Quadrangulart Vase. Qing dynasty, Kangxi period. photo Sotheby's. the heavily potted angular body with tapered rectangular sides beneath trapezoidal shoulder panels rising to a flared neck and lipped rim, all raised on a splayed foot, the four sides molded with figures in relief depicting the Hehe Erxian and the Three Star Gods, the shoulders and foot with raised cartouches painted with vignettes of landscapes and scholars' objects reserved on a floral ground, the neck with 'The... [Lire la suite]

A pair of large Famille-Verte, Iron-red and Gilt Rouleau Vases. Qing dynasty, Kangxi period, circa 1720. photo Sotheby's. of similar form to the preceding lot, one with children playing with a bell toy whilst a lady dances on a patterned carpet, watched by a couple seated on a low bench, and a mother preparing to nurse her child in an elegantly furnished pavilion to one side; the other vase with three figures and children on a terrace with plants in pots and elaborate rockwork, the figures observed by another lady seated at... [Lire la suite]

A Fine Pair Of 'Huanghuali' Yokeback Armchairs (Guanmao Yi), 17th Century. photo Sotheby's The various owner sale of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art achieved a total of $25,968,650 (est. $9.2/13.1 million), Sotheby’s highest total in this category since the March 2007 sale which included highlights from the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. The sale was led by A Fine Pair of ‘Huanghuali’ Yokeback Armchairs (Guanmao Yi), 17th Century which sold for $2,770,500, several times the $200/300,000 estimate. The highlight of the paintings... [Lire la suite]

A Rare Imperial Numbered Jun' Narcissus Bowl, Early Ming Dynasty. photo Sotheby"s The second single owner collection of the series, Harmony of Form, Serenity of Color: A Private Collection of ‘Song’ Ceramics, achieved a total of $9,039,375, comfortably exceeding the $4.7/6.8 million estimate. The sale was led by A Rare Imperial Numbered ‘Jun’ Narcissus Bowl, Early Ming Dynasty which sold for $2,210,500, many multiples of the $200/300,000 estimate. A Very Fine Carved ‘Ding’ ‘Peony’ Dish, Northern Song Dynasty fetched $866,500,... [Lire la suite]

An Unusual ‘Famille Rose’ and Gold Decorated Vase, Probably Republican Period sold for $18,002,500. photo Sotheby's Sotheby’s Asia Week auctions began in New York today with the much anticipated sale of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art from J.T. Tai & Co . The auction brought a stunning total of $36,312,493 and  was nearly 94% sold by lot. The sale of more than 300 lots took over nine hours, with multiple bidders in the room, on the phones and online competing for nearly every lot. More than 81% of the sold lots... [Lire la suite]