Christie’s Hong Kong capped off its spring sales with Chinese Ceramics and Work of Art but the performance was far from satisfactory. A number of high-valued lots were bought in and the top three lots were all hammered down at their low estimates.

The sale was led by the cover lot, a blue and white double gourd vase, with a Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue. Estimated at HK$32m, the 23.3cm-tall vase belonged to T.Y Chao, a prominent tycoon of a shipping company.

In the shape of a double gourd, the vase is painted around the globular body with a lotus scroll between ruyi-heads encircling the shoulder and lotus lappets around the foot.

The auctioneer started the bidding at HK$19m and saw tepid reception from bidders. She put the hammer down at HK$30m, below the low estimate. The vase was sold to a gentleman in the salesroom.

Chi Fan Tsang, Christie's Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 

The second top lot was a carved Longquan celadon jar from Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), estimated at HK$5m-7m. The Longquan jar is treasured not only for its rare form, but also for the exquisite colour of its glaze – an aspect of fine Longquan celadon wares, which has traditionally been revered by Japanese connoisseurs. The jar was hammered down at its low estimate HK$5m and sold for HK$6.1m to the client represented by Chi-Fan Tsang, Christie's Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art.

Ranking in the third place was a Pair of Zitan Continuous Horseshoe-back Armchairs, Quanyi, from Qing dynasty (18th century). It was recorded in Chinese Furniture: One Hundred and Three Examples from the Mimi and Raymond Hung Collection by R. H. Ellsworth, a prominent dealer of Ming dynasty furniture. The pair of armchairs was hammered down at its low estimate HK$3.8m and sold for HK$4.66m.

A Superb and Rare Turquoise-ground Famille Rose Lobed Teapot and Cover, Qianlong

A Rare and Magnificent Large Huanghuali Demountable Recessed Trestle-leg Table With Everted Flanges, Qiaotou'an, Late Ming Dynasty

A Fine and Very Rare Blue and White ‘Floral’ Bowl, Xuande 

A number of high-valued lots fell short of expectation and were bought-in at last, including a Turquoise-ground Famille Rose Lobed Teapot and Cover (estimated at HK$10m-15m) and a Blue and White ‘Floral’ Bowl (estimated at HK$6.8m-8m).

 

Top three lots

A Fine and Very Rare Blue and White Double-gourd Vase
Qianlong Six-character Seal Mark in Underglaze Blue and of the Period (1736-1795)

Lot no.: 3004
Height: 23.3cm
Provenance:

• Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 12 May 1976, lot 111
• The T.Y. Chao Private and Family Trust Collections of Important Chinese Ceramics and Jade Carvings: Part II, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 19 May 1987, lot 274
• A Chinese private collection
• Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 December 2010, lot 3054

Estimate on Request (The Value has learnt the estimate is HK$32,000,000)
Hammer price: HK$30,000,000
Price realised: HK$36,100,000

An Important and Extremely Rare Carved Longquan Celadon Jar
Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)

Lot no.: 3028
Height: 29.8cm
Provenance:

• The Hisamatsu Family Collection, an important Daimyo family in Ehime prefecture that ruled during the Edo period (1603-1867)
• Gifted to the present owner by the Hisamatsu family in 1955 (with a letter included with the jar recording the history)

Estimate: HK$5,000,000 - 7,000,000
Hammer price: HK$5,000,000
Price realised: HK$6,100,000

A Very Rare Pair of Zitan Continuous Horseshoe-back Armchairs, Quanyi
Qing Dynasty, 18th Century

Lot no.: 3019
Size: 90 x 65 x 57cm
Estimate: HK$3,800,000 - 5,000,000
Hammer price: HK$3,800,000
Price realised: HK$4,660,000

Unsold High-valued lots

A Superb and Rare Turquoise-ground Famille Rose Lobed Teapot and Cover
Qianlong Six-character Seal Mark in Iron Red and of the Period (1736-1795)

Lot no.: 3007
Height: 17.3cm
Provenance:

• Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 5 November 1996, lot 882
• Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 October 2013, lot 3034

Estimate: HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000
Bought-in

A Rare and Magnificent Large Huanghuali Demountable Recessed Trestle-leg Table With Everted Flanges, Qiaotou'an
Late Ming Dynasty

Lot no.: 3023
Size: 87.5 x 218.5 x 47cm
Provenance:

• Nicholas Grindley, 1996
• A New York private collection
• Fine Chinese Furniture from Private American Collections, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2023

Estimate: HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000
Bought-in

A Fine and Very Rare Blue and White ‘Floral’ Bowl
Xuande Six-character Mark in Underglaze Blue Within a Double Circle and of the Period (1426-1435)

Lot no.: 3029
Diameter: 19.6cm
Provenance:

• The Chang Foundation Museum of Art, Taipei
• The Alan Chuang Collection, Hong Kong

Estimate: HK$6,800,000 - 8,000,000
Bought-in

 

Auction summary

Auction house: Christie’s Hong Kong
Sale: Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
Lots offered: 163
Sold: 93
Unsold: 70
Sold by lot: 57%
Sale total: HK$119,983,750
Sale date: 2018/5/30