Bonhams New York has got the results for the two sales selling Chinese artworks. The Dr. Sylvan and Faith Golder Collection of Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles featured over 120 snuff bottles from the couple (image below). The sale performance was fair and reported a sell-through rate of 67% with a sale total of US$376,062.

The top lot was a coral ‘Kuilong’ snuff bottle from the 18th century, carrying the highest estimate of US$18,000 – 25,000. It was sold for US$25,000 with buyer’s premium. The snuff bottle is carved in low relief with a pair of archaistic ‘Kuilong’, in variegated shades of peach to deep pink with white inclusions.

The second one is a lapis lazuli snuff bottle dating 1750 - 1850. It was sold for US$20,000 with buyer’s premium, far exceeding its estimate of US$4,000 – 6,000.

The third one is a white and russet jade snuff bottle, showing one side polished flat to display the natural russet inclusions of the stone while the other side rounded and smoothly polished, carved with a sinuous chilong on the bottle’s foot. It was estimated at US$10,000 – 15,000 and sold for US$18,750 with buyer’s premium.

Top Lots

A Coral ‘Kuilong’ Snuff Bottle. 18th Century.

Lot no.: 9042
Height: 5.8cm
Provenance: John Ford Associates, 1979.
Estimate: US$18,000 - 25,000
Price realized: US$25,000

A Lapis Lazuli Snuff Bottle. 1750 - 1800.

Lot no.: 9070
Height: 6cm
Provenance: John Ford Associates, 1979
Estimate: US$4,000 - 6,000
Price realized: US$20,000

White and Russet Jade Snuff Bottle. 1750-1800.

Lot no.: 9046
Height: 6cm
Provenance: Sotheby Parke Bernet, May 1990.
Estimate: US$10,000 - 15,000
Price realized: US$18,750

Auction Summary

Auction house: Bonhams New York
Sale: The Dr. Sylvan and Faith Golder Collection of Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles
Sale no.: 24661
Auction date: 2017/9/11
Sale total: US$376,062
No. of lots: 126
Sold: 85
Unsold: 41
Average price per lot: US$4,424
Sell-through rate: 67%

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