Across the vast arc of Chinese history, countless magnificent works of art have emerged, each bearing witness to the cultural sophistication of its time. Among them, monochrome wares stand apart for their quiet beauty and enduring allure. With subtle complexity and restrained grace, they continue to captivate the modern eye.
This season, at Christie’s Hong Kong Autumn Auctions, the Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art department presents not only its flagship sale, Important Chinese and Asian Works of Art, but also two highly anticipated single-owner sales: The Au Bak Ling Collection Volume II and The Ai Lian Tang Collection - Imperial Scholar's Objects – all of which include notable examples of monochrome art.
With Christie’s Asian Art Week now in full swing – and the preview currently on view at The Henderson building through 29 October – Marco Almeida, Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, guides us through three standout highlights from the Hong Kong Autumn Auctions.
Lot 1009 | A magnificent and extremely rare Ding carved 'peony' vase
Northern Song dynasty (960-1127)
Height: 25 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Sir Alan and Lady Barlow (1881-1968 and 1885-1989)
- Sold at Christie’s London, 8 December 1986, lot 227
- The Muwen Tang Collection
- Sold at Sotheby’s London, 12 November 2003, lot 8
- Eskenazi Ltd., London
- Xiwenguo Zhai Collection
- Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 5 April 2017, lot 3218
Sale: Important Chinese and Asian Works of Art
Estimate: HK$18,000,000 - 25,000,000
Ding ware is one of the most celebrated ceramics from the Song dynasty, but what we usually see on the market are open forms – washers, dishes, plates, and bowls. To find a vase, especially one of this shape, is incredibly rare.
As far as we know, only two comparable examples exist. One is in the Beijing Palace Museum, slightly smaller and decorated with dragons. The other came to light only after our catalogue had gone to print: it’s in the Zulu County Museum in Hebei, decorated with floral scrolls, and very close in form to this one.
Appreciation of Ding ware is always subjective, but there are a few qualities that most collectors tend to look for. First, the glaze – Ding is known for its warm ivory tone, and this piece is a particularly fine example. Second, the form – it’s elegant, balanced, and technically challenging to execute. And third, the decoration – subtle, refined carving, perfectly in tune with the glaze and form.
The presen lot from another angle
A similar example in the Beijing Palace Museum
This vase also stands out for its distinguished provenance. In the early 20th century, Western appreciation of Chinese art was shaped by a small group of pioneering collectors in Britain. Names like Sir Percival David and George Eumorfopoulos are well known – and among them stood Sir Alan Barlow, a connoisseur widely respected in these circles.
Barlow collected broadly, including Ottoman ceramics, and served as President of the Oriental Ceramic Society from the 1940s through the 1960s. During his lifetime, he donated key pieces to institutions such as the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Much of the remainder is now housed at the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford.
This vase was one of the few pieces retained by his family. It later passed through two other important private collections, and now appears for the third time as a catalogue cover lot – that alone speaks to its importance.
Sir Alan Barlow is a widely respected connoisseur
Lot 926 | A fine and extremely rare peachbloom-glazed ‘three-string’ vase, laifu zun
Kangxi six-character mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1662-1722)
Height: 20.5 cm
Provenance:
- Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 21 May 1979, lot 95
Sale: The Au Bak Ling Collection Volume II
Estimate: HK$18,000,000 - 25,000,000
The Au Bak Ling Collection first appeared on the market only last year, with a tightly curated group of just 19 lots. This season, we’ve expanded the selection (45 pieces), offering a broader view of Mr. Au’s remarkable taste. The collection spans centuries of Chinese porcelain – from Song monochromes to Qing imperial wares – and includes something for collectors at every level.
Our cover lot is a peachbloom-glazed laifu zun (radish-shaped vase) from the Kangxi period – one of the finest examples of this rare form we’ve seen in years. It was one of the highlights of Mr. Au’s landmark 1998 solo exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, which was the first time the institution presented a private collection of Chinese porcelain in its history.
This glaze was reserved for a specific group of scholars’ objects produced at the imperial kilns during Kangxi’s reign. These are traditionally known as the “Eight Peachbloom Shapes” (ba da ma 八大碼) – a group of four vases, three washers, and one seal-paste box. In fact, there are nine known forms, but the number eight – long considered auspicious – stuck and became part of the lore.
At first glance, the glaze appears a deep, even pink. But as you move closer, fine speckles of green begin to emerge across the surface. This mottled, elusive quality is what makes peachbloom so captivating – and so technically demanding.
As part of the copper-red glaze family, peachbloom can only be achieved through reduction firing. Even then, the results are highly unpredictable. The green flecks appear when the copper pigment oxidizes during cooling, giving each piece its own unique surface. No two are ever exactly alike.
Legendary collector Au Bak Ling
Marco Almeida | Christie’s Head of Department, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
Lot 808 | A magnificent and extremely rare emerald-green jadeite archaistic censer and cover, fangding
Late Qing dynasty
Height: 16.5 cm
Provenance:
- Baron Fujita Denzaburo (1841-1912), Osaka
- Sold at an auction organised by Osaka Bijitsu Club, held at the Baron Fujita family residence, on 10 May 1929, no. 238 (fig. 1)
- Sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2 May 2000, lot 797
Sale: The Ai Lian Tang Collection - Imperial Scholar's Objects
Estimate: HK$6,000,000 - 8,000,000
Perhaps one of the most beautiful private collections in existence today, the Ai Lian Tang Collection reflects a collector of wide-ranging curiosity and refined taste – someone who devoted deep time, study, and passion to the world of Chinese art.
From jade carvings and imperial porcelain to scholars’ objects and furniture, the collection spans dynasties and mediums, unified by an eye for beauty and a strong interest in works associated with the imperial court. One of my favorite pieces is the Baron Fujita jadeite censer and cover.
Jadeite was known in China as early as the Ming dynasty, but it wasn’t until the Qing – particularly under the Qianlong Emperor – that it gained true prominence. Imported from Burma, the finest jadeite was prized for its vibrant colour, translucency, and dense, almost viscous texture – at times, it can appear almost jelly-like.
This censer is carved from an unusually large and nearly flawless block of jadeite. The lapidary could not have known what the stone would yield – but in this case, they struck gold. A vivid, emerald-toned green runs consistently through the vessel, creating a jewel-like intensity that is both rare and visually arresting.
The form itself pays homage to antiquity. Modelled after an ancient ritual bronze fangding, it reflects the Qianlong Emperor’s well-known fascination with the archaic. The use of the material is especially clever – areas of the stone with the strongest colour are highlighted, while less saturated zones have been subtly minimised through the design.
This piece was once in the collection of Baron Fujita Denzaburō, a leading figure in the Kansai financial world during the Meiji period and founder of the Fujita Museum in Osaka. In 1929, it was released through a dedicated auction of his personal collection.
Christie’s Hong Kong | 2025 Autumn Asian Art Week
Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
Venue: 6/F, The Henderson, Hong Kong
Preview: Now until 29 October 2025
Auctions: 30 October 2025
- The Ai Lian Tang Collection - Imperial Scholar's Objects｜10:30am
- he Au Bak Ling Collection Volume II｜11:15am
- Important Chinese and Asian Works of Art｜2:30pm