The long-awaited Wucai Fish Jar from Le Cong Tang collection has finally made its grand appearance at Christie's Hong Kong. The preview takes place from today to 4th October. It is not an overstatement to describe this jar as majestic and magnificent. When we stepped in the gallery, the fish jar immediately caught our attention with its powerful presence. The jar is labelled “estimate upon request” and Christie’s has not yet announced the estimate officially at the media preview. The Value has learnt from a reliable source that the jar is tentatively estimated at HK$180m. Christie’s has secured other fine pieces from Le Cong Tang collection for Court, Studio, Atelier - An Evening Sale of Chinese Works of Art and Paintings from the Ming Dynasty, which is the first evening sale of this category at Christie’s.
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Wucai Fish Jar comes along with its original cover, which makes the whole piece even rarer. Though the cover seems relatively small capping on its enormous and bulbous body, together they perfectly bring the fish jar alive and create a vivid image of fish swimming in a tank.
The Wucai Fish Jar originally belonged to J.M Hu, the master of Zande Lou (Studio of Temporary Enjoyment). It caused a great sensation when it went to Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction at “An Extraordinary Collection of Ming and Qing Imperial Porcelain and Works of Art from a Private Trust” in 2000. Estimated at HK$38m, the fish jar was sold for $44m with buyer’s premium.
The Value's interview with Cao Xingcheng
The buyer was Cao Xingcheng (as shown in the above image), the-then chairman of UMC in Taiwan. Cao is a prominent collector, whose extraordinary collection is described as a mini version of the Palace Museum in Beijing. Le Cong Tang also offers other exquisite items from the Ming dynasty for Christie’s autumn auction, along with the Wucai Fish Jar.
Le Cong Tang offers a Yellow Enamelled Bowl incised six-character mark of Xuande period, estimated at HK26m-35m (US$3.3m - 4.4m). It belonged to an important art dealer Giuseppe Eskenazi and went to auction at Christie’s and Sotheby's before.
A Blue and White Basin from Yongle period, from Le Cong Tang collection, also belonged to Eskenazi. It carries an estimate of HK$1.2m-1.8m (US$1.53m-2.3m).
A Cinnabar Tixi Lacquer Hexagonal ewer, incised six-character mark of Jiajing period, also has great provenance. It was sold at Christie’s twice and is now estimated at HK$6m-8m (US$770,000-1.02m).
A HIGHLY IMPORTANT AND EXTREMELY RARE WUCAI ‘FISH’ JAR AND COVER. JIAJING SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1522-1566)
Height: 46cm
Provenance (consolidated by The Value)
- Collection of J.M Hu’s family
- Sotheby’s New York, 1 December 1992, lot 282
- Sotheby’s Hong Kong, An Extraordinary Collection of Ming and Qing Imperial Porcelain and Works of Art from a Private Trust, 29 October 2000, lot 18. (HK$44,044,750)
- Le Cong Tang
Estimate on request (HK$180,000,000/ US$23,000,000, according to The Value’s source)
A FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE YELLOW ENAMELLED BOWL. XUANDE INCISED SIX-CHARACTER MARK WITHIN A DOUBLE CIRCLE AND OF THE PERIOD (1426-1435)
Diameter: 15.2cm
Provenance:
- Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 25 October 1993, lot 732
- Eskenazi Ltd, London
- Sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, The Meiyintang Collection Part III, 4 April 2012, lot 15
- Le Cong Tang
Estimate: HK$26,000,000 - 35,000,000 (US$3.3m - 4.4m)
AN IMPORTANT AND EXTREMELY RARE BLUE AND WHITE BASIN. YONGLE PERIOD (1360-1424). MING DYNASTY.
Diameter: 26.3cm
Provenance:
- Eskenazi Ltd, London, c2179.
- Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2006, lot 1510.
- Le Cong Tang
Estimate: HK$12,000,000 - 18,000,000 (US$1.53m-2.3m)
A HIGHLY IMPORTANT CINNABAR TIXI LACQUER HEXAGONAL EWER. JIAJING PERIOD (1522-1566). MING DYNASTY.
Height: 23.8cm
Provenance:
- Sold at Christie’s London, 14 December 1983, lot 54.
- Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, Important Chinese Lacquer from the Lee Family Collection, 3 December 2008, lot 2126.
- Le Cong Tang
Estimate: HK$6,000,000 - 8,000,000 (US$770,000-1.02m)
Auction details
Auction house: Christie’s Hong Kong
Sale: Court, Studio, Atelier - An Evening Sale of Chinese Works of Art and Paintings from the Ming Dynasty
Preview: 2017/9/28 - 10/4
Preview location: Alexandra House Hong Kong (22/F)
Auction date: 2017/11/27