3rd October (Tuesday) was a big day for Sotheby’s Hong Kong fall sales as most of the highlighted lots were to be sold on the day. Kicking off with the sale “Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection – Treasures”, the sale results fell short of expectation. Out of ten lots in total, four were passed, including two leading lots that each estimated at around HK$10m (US$1.28m).
The first highlighted lot was an imperial carved and inscribed boxwood 'Manjushri and lion' group. It is exquisitely carved to depict Manjushri seated in rajalilasana atop a lotus-form saddle on the fringed caparison of a lion, with inscription with an imperial poem on the base. It is estimated at HK$8m-12m (US$1,024,000 — 1,280,000). The opening bid was HK$5m and rose to HK$6.8m after seven bid increments. The bidding stopped there as no one offered higher bids. The lot was passed in the end.
The second highlighted lot was a Tianhuang 'dragon' seal from the Kangxi period in the Qing dynasty, estimated at HK$10m-15m (US$1,280,000 — 1,920,000). The seal was made with caramel-yellow soapstone, the irregular side carved with a pair of soaring three-clawed dragons depicted in mutual pursuit of a 'flaming pearl' above tumultuous waves.
The seal is inscribed with the signature of the renowned calligrapher Lin Ji, whose works are rare and only a small number of such examples is known. Whilst signed and bearing the seal of Lin Ji, it is likely that he was the patron of this seal rather than the actual carver. The bidding of the seal started at HK$7.5m and followed by five bid increments only. The auctioneer decided to let it passed at the price HK$8.8m.
The lot with the best sale result was a jade river pebble 'kapala' box and cover, skilfully made from a natural jade pebble and inscribed in gilt in Tibetan text. The box was estimated at HK$2m-3m (US$256,000 — 384,000).
It is believed that the box was bestowed by the Qianlong Emperor to the eighth Dalai Lama of Tibet at the peak of China’s golden age and served as “a jade certificate of appointment and a jade seal of authority”. The bidding started at HK$1.5m and followed by 16 bid increments in a row. The box was hammered down at HK$3.8m and sold for HK$4.66m (US$596,480) with buyer’s premium.
All lots (sorted by estimates from high to low)
A SUPERBLY CARVED AND EXTREMELY RARE TIANHUANG 'DRAGON' SEAL
SIGNED LIN JI
QING DYNASTY, KANGXI PERIOD
Lot no.: 3008
Height: 6cm
Weight: 141.4g
Provenance: Robert Hall, London, November 1979.
Estimate: HK$10,000,000 - 15,000,000 (US$23,040 — 35,840)
Passed
AN EXTREMELY RARE IMPERIAL CARVED AND INSCRIBED BOXWOOD 'MANJUSHRI AND LION' GROUP
SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG (DATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 1761)
Lot no.: 3002
Height: 10cm
Provenance:
- Sotheby Parke Bernet New York, 28th February 1980, lot 42.
- Collection of Timothy Lewis, Melplash Court, Dorset.
- Duke's Auctioneers Dorset, 23rd September 2010, lot 1206.
Estimate: HK$8,000,000 - 10,000,000 (US$1,024,000 — 1,280,000)
Passed
AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENTARY TIBETAN GILT-INSCRIBED JADE RIVER PEBBLE 'KAPALA' BOX AND COVER
QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD, BESTOWED TO THE 8TH DALAI LAMA CA. 1783
Lot no.: 3006
Length: 14.6cm
Provenance: Christie's New York, 17th September 1999, lot 104.
Estimate: HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000 (US$256,000 — 384,000)
Hammer price: HK$3,800,000
Price realized: HK$4,660,000 (US$596,480)
AN IMPERIAL REALGAR-IMITATION GLASS TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER
WHEEL-CUT MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG
Lot no.: 3009
Width: 10.8cm
Provenance:
- Nathan Benz, California.
- Christie’s New York, 30th March 2005, lot 193.
- J.J. Lally & Co., New York.
Estimate: HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000 (US$256,000 — 384,000)
Passed
AN OUTSTANDING AND EXTREMELY RARE INSCRIBED 'SHANMU' 'DRAGON' RAFT
SIGNED MEIGEN, QING DYNASTY, GUANGXU PERIOD
Lot no.: 3007
Length: 31.7cm
Estimate: HK$2,000,000 - 3,000,000 (US$256,000 — 384,000)
Hammer price: HK$2,000,000
Price realized: HK$2,500,000 (US$320,000)
A FINELY CARVED SOAPSTONE 'MYTHICAL BEAST' SEAL
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY
Lot no.: 3004
Height: 74cm
Provenance: Acquired in Hong Kong, February 1979.
Estimate: HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000 (US$128,000 — 256,000)
Passed
A RARE FACETTED MOULDED GOURD 'EIGHT IMMORTALS' BOTTLE VASE
SHANGWAN MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG
Lot no.: 3010
Height: 21.9cm
Provenance:
- Douglas J.K. Wright, London, 1964.
- Bonhams San Francisco, 9th December 2008, lot 5131.
- J.J. Lally & Co., New York.
Estimate: HK$800,000 - 1,000,000 (US$102,400 — 128,000)
Hammer price: HK$800,000
Price realized: HK$1,000,000 (US$128,000)
A PURPLE 'DUAN' 'MI FU'S TREASURE' INKSTONE WITH INSCRIBED ZITAN BASE AND COVER
QING DYNASTY
Lot no.: 3003
Size: 8.1cm (inkstone); 23.5 x 16.7cm (album)
Provenance:
- Collection of Tao Guan (1794-1849) and Wu Xiushu (1811-1873).
- Collection of Xu Xiaopu (1887-1959).
- Collection of Li Hongqiu (1899-1978).
- Christie's Hong Kong, 13th January 1987, lot 253.
Estimate: HK$700,000 - 900,000 (US$89,600 — 115,200)
Hammer price: HK$800,000
Price realized: HK$1,500,000 (US$192,000)
A SUPERBLY CARVED BAMBOO-ROOT 'PINE TREE' WATERPOT
ATTRIBUTED TO ZHU HE, JIADING SCHOOL, LATE MING DYNASTY
Lot no.: 3005
Length: 6.5cm
Provenance: Bluett & Sons Ltd, London, June 1968.
Estimate: HK$400,000 - 600,000 (US$51,200 — 76,800)
Hammer price: HK$1,300,000
Price realized: HK$1,625,000 (US$208,000)
AN IMPERIAL ARCHAISTIC CARVED IVORY 'CHILONG' BOX AND COVER
EARLY QING DYNASTY
Lot no.: 3001
Length: 4.6cm
Provenance:
- Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 17th May 1989, lot 379.
- Hugh Moss Ltd, Hong Kong.
- Collection of Mary and George Bloch.
- Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 23rd October 2005, lot 15.
Estimate: HK$180,000 - 280,000 (US$23,040 — 35,840)
Hammer price: HK$280,000
Price realized: HK$350,000 (US$44,800)
Auction Summary
Auction house: Sotheby’s Hong Kong
Sale: Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection – Treasures
Sale date: 2017/10/3
Sale total: HK$11,635,000
No. of lots: 10
Sold: 6
Unsold: 4
Average price per lot: HK$1,939,166
Sell-through rate: 60%
(All prices realized have included buyer’s premium unless otherwise specified)