Only One out of Four Yuan-Ming Jun Wares Sold at Christie's Hong Kong

Christie’s offered four pieces of Jun ware from the Yuan-Ming dynasty at its Hong Kong Spring sales. Despite the fact that Jun wares have become increasingly popular, only one out of the four was hammered down at its low estimate at HK$12m and sold for HK$14.5m after premium. The remaining three did not seem to arouse the interest of bidders and failed to sell.

Yuan-Ming Dynasty “Numbered Four” Jun Tripod Bulb Bowl

Yuan-Ming Dynasty “Numbered Four” Jun Tripod Bulb Bowl

Yuan-Ming Dynasty “Numbered Four” Jun Tripod Bulb Bowl

Yuan-Ming Dynasty “Numbered Four” Jun Tripod Bulb Bowl

Yuan-Ming Dynasty “Numbered Four” Jun Tripod Bulb Bowl

In the past six months, Jun wares have been sold for expensive prices in Asia and New York. As a consequence, Christie’s Hong Kong presented four pieces of Jun ware from the Yuan-Ming dynasty this sale season. The estimated price that this group of Jun wares would fetch is HK$47m - 58m (US$6m - 7.4m).


However, we can see from this sale that flowerpot stands and bulb bowls are not equally popular. Three Jun flowerpot stands that were sold in the last six months fetched amazing prices. The first is the “King of Jun Ware” that sold for RMB 48.87m (US$7.07m) at China Guardian Auctions in Beijing last November. In the same month, Christie’s Hong Kong sold another Jun flowerpot for HK$33.7m (US$4.3m). The most recent one was sold at Christie’s New York’s Spring sale in March, realising US$3.01m.

Early Ming dynasty, "King of Jun Ware” that sold for RMB 48.87m at China Guardian Auctions in Beijing

Yuan/Early Ming dynasty "Numbered Four" Jun ware flowerpot sold at Christie's Hong Kong for HK$33.7m

Yuan/Early Ming dynasty "Numbered Three" Jun ware flowerpot sodl at Christie's New York for US$3.01m


The three Jun flowerpots mentioned above are unique and share little similarity between each other in shape and colour. The bulb bowls offered in this sale come from a private collection. The collector intended to collect a complete series of bowls of different sizes, with numbers from one to ten impressed, but did not succeed. Since all of the bowls offered are similar in shape and sizes, the lack of uniqueness could be one of the reasons leading to the flop.


Let’s look into the origin of Jun wares. “Numbered” Jun wares, such as those in the current sale could have been made for the court in the late Yuan-early Ming dynasties - late 14th- early 15th century, and this would account for the relatively high proportion of the extant examples being preserved in the imperial collections. They are usually larger in size. In contrast, those which are made by the common people for trade are usually smaller in size.

"Numbered One" bulb bowl that failed to sell

"Numbered Three" bulb bowl that failed to sell

"Numbered Five" bulb bowl that failed to sell


This particular form of Jun ware has been described by various authors as a narcissus bowl, a bulb bowl, a flowerpot stand or a brush washer. It is possible that such vessels fulfilled any, or all, of these functions during their period of use. We can usually see these kinds of Jun ware at the National Palace Museum in Taipei or the Beijing Palace Museum.


Both flowerpots and three-legged bowls have numbers incised onto their bases. The numbers on this type of Jun ware vessel relate to their size, with ‘one’ being the largest and ‘ten’ being the smallest. Judging from this, this Jun ware group’s original function should be related to plants.

Ming Dynasty Jun flower pot and stand|Harvard Art Museums

The only piece of Jun Ware that made its way onto a bidder’s hand was the “Numbered Four” Jun Tripod Bulb Bowl. It was sold twice in auctions, first in 1993 at Christie’s Hong Kong, then in 2008 at Sotheby’s New York. The price realised then was US$870,000. This time around, estimated at HK$12m - 15m, the piece was hammered down at its low estimate and realised HK$14.5m (US$1.85m). The successful bidder is the client represented by Felix Pei from Christie’s Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art department.

The "Numbered Four" bulb bowl was hammered down at its low estimate of HK$12m

Felix Pei from Christie’s Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art department


The only lot sold in the sale

Yuan-Ming Dynasty “Numbered Four” Jun Tripod Bulb Bowl

Lot no.: 2753
Diameter: 19.8cm
Provenance:

  • Property from an Asian family collection

  • Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 24-25 October 1993, lot 704

  • Sold at Sotheby’s New York, 18 March 2008, lot 97 (US$869,800)

Estimate: HK$12,000,000 - 15,000,000 (US$1,536,623 - 1,920,778)
Hammered price: HK$12,000,000
Price realised: HK$14,525,000


Auction summary

Auction house: Christie’s Hong Kong
Sale: Four masterpieces of Jun Ware
Lots offered: 4
Sold: 1
Unsold: 3
Sold by lots: 25%
Sale total: HK$14,525,000 (US$1,850,412)