Bonhams London’s Fine Chinese Art sale achieved a sale total of £11.9m, the highest total for an Asian art auction in London this week. The leading lot of the sale, a set of four Huanghuali Folding Chairs, was sold for £5.29m and became the most valuable Asian work of art to be sold this week in London.

The folding chairs appear to be the only known version of this form and type, and are widely considered a masterpiece of Ming Dynasty furniture. Ming dynasty folding chairs were made in two main forms: horseshoe-back shape, of which there are many extant examples, and in square back form, of which very few survive. Of the square back form two main types are known – without arms as the present lot – and with arms, also known as 'Drunken lord's chair'.

In a packed saleroom, the bidding war finally came down to a tense battle between a bidder in the room and one on the phone. Estimated at £150,000 – 200,000, the chairs finally knocked down at £4.5m and sold for £5.29m with buyer’s premium to the phone bidder.

Also from the same collection of Marchese Taliani de Marchio and his wife, a pair of Huanghuali Tapering Cabinets from the Ming dynasty, estimated at £200,000-300,000, was sold for £1.68m with buyer’s premium. Subtle variations give individual character to different tapered cabinets. The present lot's verticality is emphasized by higher legs, the grooving and beading of major upright supports, and long lock plates.

A Huanghuali Recessed-leg Painting Table from the 17th century with an estimate of £30,000 - 50,000 was sold for £248,750 with buyer’s premium. Painting tables are rare surviving examples of Ming dynasty furniture. The present table's classical recessed-leg form unmarred with decoration reflects the pure and refined aesthetics of the Ming dynasty.

The most expensive ceramic work at the sale was a olive-green-glazed vase from Northern Qi dynasty, decorated with lotus flower heads and mythical animals. It came from the Sze Yuan Tang collection from a renowned collector Anthony Hardy. Estimated at £50,000 - 80,000, the vase was sold for £150,000 with buyer’s premium.

 

Top lots (by prices realized)

AN IMPORTANT AND EXCEPTIONALLY RARE SET OF FOUR HUANGHUALI FOLDING CHAIRS, JIAOYI
16th/17th century

Lot no.: 80
Size: 94 x 58.5 x 81cm
Provenance:

• Francesco Maria, Marchese Taliani de Marchio (1887 - 1968), Grand Officer of the Italian Crown, Commander of the Order of St Maurice and Lazarus, and Commander of the Order of Pius IX (Ordine Piano), and his wife Archduchess Maragaretha d'Austria Toscana, Marchesa Taliani de Marchio (1894 – 1986).
• According to the collection inventory list, acquired in Beijing.

Estimate: £150,000 - 200,000
Price realized: £5,296,250

AN IMPORTANT AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE PAIR OF LARGE HUANGHUALI TAPERING CABINETS, YUANJIAOGUI
Ming Dynasty, 16th/17th century

Lot no.: 86
Size: 189 x 97 x 51cm
Provenance:

• Francesco Maria, Marchese Taliani de Marchio (1887 - 1968), Grand Officer of the Italian Crown, Commander of the Order of St Maurice and Lazarus, and Commander of the Order of Pius IX (Ordine Piano), and his wife Archduchess Maragaretha d'Austria Toscana, Marchesa Taliani de Marchio (1894 – 1986).
• Acquired from Robert M. Drummond, Beijing, 15 April 1939.

Estimate: £200,000 - 300,000
Price realized: £1,688,750

A RARE HUANGHUALI RECESSED-LEG PAINTING TABLE, HUA-AN
Late Ming Dynasty, 17th century

Lot no.: 88
Size: 157 x 78 x 54.8cm
Provenance:

• Francesco Maria, Marchese Taliani de Marchio (1887 - 1968), Grand Officer of the Italian Crown, Commander of the Order of St Maurice and Lazarus, and Commander of the Order of Pius IX (Ordine Piano), and his wife Archduchess Maragaretha d'Austria Toscana, Marchesa Taliani de Marchio (1894 – 1986).
• Acquired from Robert M. Drummond, Beijing, 15 April 1939.

Estimate: £30,000 - 50,000
Price realized: £248,750

 

A MAGNIFICENT AND LARGE OLIVE-GREEN-GLAZED VASE AND COVER
Northern Qi Dynasty

Lot no.: 13
Height: 65cm
Provenance: the Sze Yuan Tang collection, acquired in Hong Kong circa 1980s-1990s
Estimate: £50,000 - 80,000
Price realized: £150,000

A CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL ICEBOX AND COVER WITH HARDWOOD STAND
Qianlong six-character mark, 19th century

Lot no.: 144
Height: 88 x 72.5cm
Estimate: £20,000 - 30,000
Price realized: £131,250

 

Auction summary

Auction house: Bonhams London
Sale: Fine Chinese Art
Auction date: 2017/11/9
Sale total: £11,971,312
No. of lot: 370
Sold: 252
Unsold: 118
Average price per lot: £47,505
Sell-through rate: 68%

(All prices realized have included buyer’s premium unless otherwise specified)