By Michele Leight
This auction of Chinese ceramics and works of art is highlighted by two lots of fine famille-rose jars with Quianlong seal marks and period.
Lot 124, shown above, is a pair of famille-rose jars of eight Daoist Immortals with Qianlong iron-red seal marks and period. The jars are 10 1/4 inches high and have an estimate of $300,000 to $400,000. It sold for $632,500 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.
The catalogue notes that the "jars depict the Eight Daoist Immortals as they cross the rough sea after attending the peach festival of the Queen Mother of the West. Rather than traveling by their clouds, they combined their powers to sail pass the tempest. The proverb is a lesson on how individual strengths and gifts can be used to tackle the same obstacle."
The auction's sale total was $4,018,939 with 96 of the 163 offered lots selling. Dr. Caroline Shulten, the specialist in charge of the auction, said afterwards, that "we are very pleased with the results of today's sale, which demonstrates that in times like these there is demand for rare and high quality works of art with good provenance."
"We were thrilled," she continued, "to see such strong competition for 18th century imperial mark and period porcelain, as evidenced by the high prices achieved for the Getty vases and other of today's top lots, along with the competitive bidding for the set of engravings of 'The Conquests of the Emperor Qianlong,' sending it to six times its high estimate. Overall, we were encouraged by the number of new buyers competing for many of our top lots."
Lot 125 is an "impressive and rare" famille-rose "boys at play" lantern-shaped vase, Qianlong iron-red seal mark and period. It is 12 1/2 inches high and has an estimate of $300,000 to $500,000. One of the boys is flying a kite which symbolizes thewish to rise in rank and have a successful career. The other holds a lotus that symbolizes that descendants may live in harmony. It sold for $602,500.
Lot 128 is an impressive "Langyao" dish with a Qianlong seal mark and period. It is 8 1/8 inches in diameter and has an estimate of $5,000 to $8,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 117 is a large and handsome green and aubergine yellow-ground biscuit charger with a Kangxi mark and period. It is 16 inches in diameter. It has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. It sold for $182,500.
Lot 136 is a "rare" yellow-ground, green-enameled bottle vase from the Qing Dynasty, 18th/19th Century. It is 10 inches high and has an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 19 is a "superb" pottery figure of a lokapala, Tang Dynasty. It is 29 1/2 inches high. It has an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 151 is a large and fine painting by Hua Xuan entitled "Eight Beauties." It measures 130 by 52 inches and was executed circa 1736. The lot has an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $374,500.
Lot 116 is an attractive green-enameled dragon jar with Qianlong seal mark and period. It is 7 3/4 inches high and has an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000. It sold for $8,125.
Lot 20 is a large pottery figure of a Ferghana horse from the Tang Dynasty and its groom. The horse is 30 inches long and the groom is 23 1/2 inches high. "The magnificent Ferghana horse was," according to the catalogue, "the most celebrated breed, introduced into China from Central Asia during the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD220), and immortalized in Chinese literature and the visual arts. These were the fabled "celestrial' or blood sweating horses, known for the speed power and stamina The lot has an estimate of $80,000 to $100,000. It sold for $92,500.
Lot 31 is a large "Longquan" celadon barbed dish from the Yuan/Ming Dynasty, 14th/15th Century A.D. It is 18 1/2 inches in diameter. It has an estimate of $30,000 to $40,000. It sold for $68,500.
Lot 30 is a "Longquan" celadon vase with applied decoration that is dated to the long Song./Yuan dynasty. It is 11 1/2 inches high and has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 140 is an pretty blue and white saucer with iron-red dragon and Qianlong seal mark and period. It is 7 inches in diameter and has an estimate of $5,000 to $7,000. It sold for $6,875.
One of the most beautiful objects in the auction is Lot 36, a "rare" Cizhou green-glazed painted vase (Meiping) that is 11 3/8 inches high and is dated to the Northern Song/Jin Dynasty. It has an estimate of $30,000 to $40,000. It sold for $74,500.
Lot 162 is an attractive ink and color on paper by Zhao Shao'Ang (1905-1998) entitled "Sunflowers and Mantis." It is dated 1965 and has an estimate of $9,000 to $12,000. It sold for $7,500.
This auction of Indian & Southeast Asian Works of Art at Sotheby's March 18, 2009 some very nice sculptures, some fine18th Century watercolors and some good 20th Century works.
Lot 95, for example, "Untitled (Two Women)," is an oil and acrylic on canvas by Maqbool Fidal Hussein (b. 1915). It was executed in the 1970s and measures 74 by 41 1/8 inches. It has an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000. It sold for $374,500 including the buyer's premium, the highest lot in the auction in which 76 of 139 offered lots sold for $3,212,502.
Lot 33 is a 25-inch-high polychrome wood Bhairava shrine from Nepal. The 17th Century piece has an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000. It sold for $11,250.
Lot 66 is "An illustration from the Harivamsa: The Gods join Krishna and his companions as they play Divine Music on the banks of the Yamuna India, Kangra or Guler," opaque watrcolor heightened with gold on paper. It measures 13 by 17 1/4 inches and was executed circa 1820. It was acquired in 1969 from the Royal Library of Mandl. It has an estimate of $15,000 to $20,000. It sold for $31,250.
The most beautiful object in the auction is Lot 85, "An illustration from Nusrati's Gulshan-i-Ishq: The lovesick Prince Manohara falls unconscious into his father's lap," opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper. It measures 10 3/8 by 5 5/8 inches and was executed circa 1700. It has a modest estimate of $7,000 to $10,000. It was once in the Ehrenfeld Collection in San Francisco. The catalogue entry notes "the illustrations from his manuscript, now widely dispersed, epitomize the Deccani style of symmetrical compositions bearing the detailing and delicate coloring, resulting in harmonious paintings imbued with a dreamlike quality." It sold for $18,750.
Lot 21 is a very lovely parcel gilt copper repousse statue of Vajradhara from Tibet. The 17th Century statue is 25 3/4 inches high. It has an estimate of $45,000 to $65,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 22, "Akshobya," is a fine gilt copper statue from Tibet. The 17th Century work is 11 7/16 inches high and has an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000. It sold for $11,875.
Lot 26, "Vajrahairava," is a Tibeto-Chinese copper statue with painted details. It is 14 1/8 inches high and is an 18th Century work. It has an estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $98,500.
Lot 133, "Between One Shore and Several Others (Ambassadors by Holbein," is a 2008 photograph by Vivek Vilasini (b. 1964). It is number 6 of an edition of 7 and it meaures 54 by 66 3/8 inches.
Lot 53, "The Potala," is a distemper on cloth from Tibet. It measures 34 5/8 by 24 5/8 inches and is dated 18th/19th Century. It has an estimate of $15,000 to $20,000. It sold for $34,375.
Lot 96 is a strong untitled oil on board by Francis Newton Souza (1924-2002). It measures 36 by 48 inches and was executed in 1954. It has an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000. It sold for $302,500.