Sotheby’s Kicks Off the World’s Largest Exhibition of Ming Furniture from the MQJ Collection

Sotheby’s Hong Kong partners with Grace Wu, the world’s foremost expert in and leading dealer of Ming furniture, to showcase over 100 pieces of Museum-Quality Ming Furniture. “The Best of The Best: The MQJ Collection of Ming Furniture” launched in Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre yesterday. The Value got the first-hand information by visiting the exhibition, which described as “possibly the world’s largest ever exhibition of Ming Furniture”. Let start the tour!



Formed over the past 30 years and little known to the public, The MQJ Collection, short for Muquji (“Lodge of Wood Delights”), spanning 11 categories from tables and chairs to incense stands and beds. The pieces from MQJ collection presented at the exhibition are the “distilled product of 30 years of relentless collecting and continued refinement.”



Floor Plan of the Exhibition

Once we arrived at the exhibition entrance, the exhibition area was already swamped with visitors. Though crowded with people, the exhibition was held in a spacious area with many subdivided sections. The overall viewing experience was still very enjoyable.





There were various categories of furniture comprising more than 100 pieces (sets) of museum-grade Ming furniture of all major types, mainly made of huanghuali and zitan. Tables were beautifully arranged in a row, a user-friendly set up for visitors to take a closer look at all pieces and make comparisons on the shapes, motifs and structures. Audio guide and detailed description are also available by using Wechat app or scanning QR code.





Grace Wu Bruce has been known affectionately as the “Queen of Huanghuali’ and started her passion for Ming furniture with her visits to museums in Europe and the US in the 1970s. The name of her collection, ‘Muquju’, was bestowed by renowned Chinese scholar Mr Wang Shixiang as a gesture of endorsement of its exceptional quality. Wu has written numerous books that were published internationally. Her latest book is available for purchase at the reception in the exhibition.
 

The Best of the Best: The MQJ Collection of Ming Furniture

Exhibition period: 2017/9/29 - 10/2
Venue: Hall 1, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Admission: Free