Last year, at a Bonhams Skinner preview in Boston, a striking blue-and-white tianqiuping vase with underglaze red dragon motifs – bearing a Qianlong reign mark – was among the lots on view. Initially, the auction house attributed it to the 20th century, valuing it at a mere US$150.
But when seasoned collectors and experts examined it, they suggested that the vase could, in fact, be an authentic imperial porcelain from the Qianlong period (1736-1795).
Just as eager buyers were gearing up for what seemed like an incredible bargain, Bonhams Skinner abruptly withdrew the lot, leaving many disappointed.
A year later, during Asia Week New York, the tianqiuping resurfaced – this time under the Bonhams banner, the parent company of Bonhams Skinner. Now officially recognized as a Qianlong-period imperial porcelain, it was featured as the cover highlight of Bonhams' catalogue, with its estimate soaring to US$400,000. The news quickly became a hot topic among collectors, turning the vase into a viral sensation in the antique world.
When it finally went under the hammer, the vase far exceeded expectations, hammering for US$3 million – a whopping 20,000 times its original Skinner estimate. With buyer's premium, the total price reached US$3.69 million, making it the top lot of Asia Week New York.
Lot 24 | A rare and important blue and white and copper-red 'dragon' vase, tianqiuping
Qianlong six-character seal mark and of the period
Height: 55.2 cm
Provenance:
- Oriental Decor, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts, 29 October 1971
- Rolly Michaux Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Collection of Ron Rolly and Ronald R. Michaux
Estimate: US$400,000 - 600,000
Hammer Price: US$3,000,000
Sold: US$3,690,500
Auction Hosue: Bonhams New York
Sale: Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art including the Francine and Bernard Wald Collection of Fine Snuff Bottles, Part I
Date: 17 March 2025
The bidding opened at US$2 million, with the auctioneer announcing that an absentee bid had already been placed at that level. The starting price – five times the low estimate – momentarily caught the room off guard, prompting some bidders to pause before adjusting their strategy.
After the initial shock wore off, bidding resumed cautiously – US$2.2 million, US$2.5 million, US$2.7 million, US$2.8 million... Until finally, the hammer came down at US$3 million, with the winning bid placed by a phone bidder with paddle number 5002. The room burst into applause.
Close-up of the present lot
Close-up of the present lot
One of the most revered forms in Chinese porcelains, the tianqiuping first emerged during the Yongle and Xuande periods. Its shape, reminiscent of a celestial sphere, takes inspiration from Persian and Central Asian metalworks, featuring a generously proportioned globular body topped by a tall cylindrical neck.
While production largely faded in the mid-to-late Ming period, the form saw a revival under the reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong. The Qing emperors commissioned innovative glazes and decorative motifs, transforming the tianqiuping into a symbol of imperial refinement.
At the 2024 New York spring auctions, Sotheby's also presented a Qianlong tianqiuping featuring a similar blue-and-white and copper-red dragon design. However, this example had been modified during its time overseas – it had been converted into a lamp, with a drilled base and an associated crack. Despite these flaws, it still fetched US$660,000.
Well-preserved tianqiuping vases from the Yongzheng or Qianlong periods, on the other hand, regularly achieve multi-million-dollar prices at auction:
- Yongzheng underglaze-blue and copper-red 'dragon' tianqiuping | 51. 5 cm | Sold: RMB 147 million, Poly Auction Beijing, 2019
- Qianlong underglaze-blue and copper-red 'dragon' tianqiuping | 48.1 cm | Sold: HK$56.65 million, Poly Auction Hong Kong, 2019
- Yongzheng underglaze-blue and copper-red-decorated 'dragon' tianqiuping | 51 cm | Sold: HK$56.03 million, Christie's Hong Kong, 2023
- Qianlong underglaze-blue and copper-red 'dragon and cloud' vase (tianqiuping) | 48.5 cm | Sold: US$660,400, Sotheby's New York, 2024 (The base drilled with an associated crack)
Qianlong underglaze-blue and copper-red 'dragon' tianqiuping | 48.1 cm | Sold: HK$56.65 million, Poly Auction Hong Kong, 2019
Qianlong underglaze-blue and copper-red 'dragon and cloud' vase (tianqiuping) | 48.5 cm | Sold: US$660,400, Sotheby's New York, 2024 (The base drilled with an associated crack)
Among known examples, this particular tianqiuping is distinguished by its unusual dragon-and-cloud composition. The closest comparable piece resides in the Palace Museum in Beijing.
A calculated balance of sharp and soft forms defines its decoration. The clouds, painted in a style reminiscent of Chinese landscape painting, create a soft, mist-like effect. The dragon's scales are crisply rendered, while its head appears slightly blurred, floating between solid and nebulous forms. Near the foot, turbulent waves and finely detailed sea motifs add further depth.
Both vases share another distinctive feature: their reign marks differ from standard Qianlong inscriptions, suggesting that this piece might have been commissioned for a special occasion or represent an early experimental work from the imperial kilns.
(Upper) The reign mark on the present lot | (Lower) The usual reign mark on Qianlong imperial porcelains
Close-up of the present lot
Mastering underglaze red has long been one of the greatest challenges in Chinese porcelain production. The process relies on copper oxide, a notoriously temperamental pigment that reacts unpredictably to temperature, atmosphere, and cooling speed in the kiln.
Originally developed in the Yuan dynasty, underglaze red remained challenging even in the Qing period, with many failed firings yielding dull, grayish results, even in the renowned Jingdezhen kilns.
The difficulty only increased when combined with cobalt blue, as the two pigments require different firing conditions. A single miscalculation could ruin an entire kiln load. Even in the finest Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong porcelains, variations in the red's vibrancy are inevitable – the only question is to what degree.
The present lot
Industry insiders suggest that when the tianqiuping first surfaced at Bonhams Skinner in Boston, the auction house was unaware of its true significance. It was after a flood of inquiries – questioning what was initially thought to be a modern reproduction – that prompted the house to withdraw the lot for further study.
The vase was then transferred to Bonhams, where it was properly authenticated, marketed, and ultimately achieved its well-deserved price – a testament to the effectiveness of Bonhams' recent strategy of rapid acquisition and expansion.
In the upcoming Spring auctions in Hong Kong, two more significant tianqiuping from the period of Yongzheng or Qianlong will be offered. Bonhams will present a Qianlong robin's egg-glazed tianqiuping from the collection of renowned Hong Kong doctor Hu Shig-chang and his wife, estimated at HK$ 7 to 10 million. Meanwhile, Christie's will feature a Yongzheng blue-and-white 'dragon' tianqiuping, with an estimate available upon request.
A Qianlong Robin's egg-glazed tianqiuping | To be offered at Bonhams during Hong Kong Spring auctions
A Yongzheng blue-and-white ‘dragon’ tianqiuping | To be offered at Christie's during Hong Kong Spring auctions