Ming Dynasty

A pair of huanghuali continuous yoke back armchairs, nanguanmaoyi, 17th/18th Century, 46 1/2in (118.1cm). Sold for $1,498,000. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams & Butterfields SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- Bonhams & Butterfields’ Fine Asian Works of Art auction on June 21, 2011 in San Francisco brought more than $11.5-million, with a rare pair of huanghuali continuous yoke back armchairs, 17th/18th century, leading the sale by bringing $1.49 million USD. One of many attractions among the Chinese furniture to be offered, the chairs were from... [Lire la suite]

A white glazed porcelain deep dish with incised floral decoration. Ming Dynasty, 16th Century. photo Bonhams Thickly molded and delicately line-incised with a roundel of lotus flowers across the floor of the well, bands of flowering peonies and pearls encircling the cavetto and exterior walls, all beneath a celadon-tinged glaze that stops along the outside edge of the foot, leaving an unglazed foot pad and recessed base; 14 1/8in (36cm) diameter - Sold for US$9,150 Provenance:: Chait Galleries, New York Bonhams. Fine Asian... [Lire la suite]

A blue and white porcelain dish with phoenix and floral spray decoration. Ming Dynasty, 16th-17th Century. Photo Bonhams The deep dish surrounded on the exterior and interior walls with a band of lotus blossoms and leaf scrolls that repeat across the floor of the well in a roundel with opposing phoenix. 12in (30.5cm) diameter. Estimate: US$1,500 - 2,500 Bonhams. Fine Asian Art, 21 Jun 2011, San Francisco www.bonhams.com

A blue and white "conch" buddhist emblem, Ming Dynasty, early 15th century. Photo Sotheby's a conche finement modelée surgissant de flots tumultueux au dessus d'une base figurant des rochers, le bleu sous couverte rehaussant les reliefs en s'oxydant vers le noir par endroits, la base non-émaillée ; petites sautes d'émail, fêle de cuisson à la base ; 27,5 cm, 10 7/8 in. Estiùate 30,000-40,000 - Unsold. Note: Porcelain Buddhist altar emblems are well known from the Qing dynasty; however these are extremely rare from any earlier... [Lire la suite]

Verseuse en grès émaillé céladon, longquan. Chine, Ming dynasty, XIVème-début du XVème siècle. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2011 La panse et le bec à décor incisé de fleurs épanouies et en boutons parmi des feuillages, le pied et le col rehaussés de pétales de lotus. Hauteur: 34,5 cm. (13 5/8 in.). Estimate €15,000 - €20,000($21,971 - $29,295). Price Realized €18,750 ($27,445) Christie's. Art d'Asie, 7 June 2011, Paris www.christies.com

A very rare underglaze-blue moulded 'dragon' stemcup, gaozu wan. Yuan-early Ming dynasty, late 14th century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2011 The upright sides fluidly and expertly painted in vibrant tones of purplish underglaze-blue with a three-clawed dragon purposefully striding in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl' between single line borders in a contrasting blue of paler tone, and on the interior with a narrow band of classic scroll at the everted rim and an eight-petalled floret to the centre, the well decorated in crisp slip... [Lire la suite]

An early Ming blue and white small barbed-rim dish. Yongle period (1403-1425). Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2011 The eight barbs on the rim continuing into the well, finely painted in vivid cobalt tones at the centre with two pomegranate flowerheads borne on a leafy stem issuing further small buds within lobed double-line borders, the well divided into eight fluted panels, each filled with alternating pomegranate flowerheads and fruits below a continuous lingzhi scroll around the moulded rim, the underside of the well repeating... [Lire la suite]

An important and extremely rare early Ming massive blue and white charger. Xuande six-character mark and of the period (1426-1435).  Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2011 The unusually large charger finely and confidently painted on the interior medallion with two long-tailed parrots perched on fruiting peach branches, the birds' arched bodies leaning towards each other, encircled by composite floral sprays of chrysanthemum, lotus, pomegranate, lychee, peach, and peony beneath the straight mouth rim decorated with double... [Lire la suite]

          A finely carved archaistic rhinoceros horn libation cup. Ming dynasty, early 17th century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2011 The tall slender body rising to a wide flaring rim, encircled at the mid-section in shallow relief with a raised band of confronted archaistic kui dragons on a leiwen ground, between large lappets rising to the rim and descending to the slightly splayed foot divided by four regularly spaced vertical notched flanges, further intricately decorated in high relief at... [Lire la suite]

    An extremely rare rhinoceros horn 'chilong and lingzhi' warming cup. Ming dynasty, early 17th century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2011 Of deep, conical form carved on the gold-lacquered interior with stepped ridges forming the outline of a lingzhi head and on the exterior with two chilong balanced atop bamboo and further lingzhi which form the openwork base, with a large cane of bamboo and a lingzhi sprig forming the handle at one end, the horn of dark caramel and golden honey tones; 4 7/8 in. (12.3 cm.)... [Lire la suite]