Sotheby’s Chinese Art Sale started its first session in Hong Kong today. Among all lots offered, works of art from the T.Y. Chao Family Collection dominated the top three in the first session. T.Y. Chao was a renowned shipping tycoon and a famous world collector of Chinese antiquities, and his collection was therefore undoubtedly the highlights of the sale.

The top two lots were blue and white works of art from the Qianlong period.  A Blue and White 'Peach' Moonflask with an inscription of a six-character seal mark on the base. The flattened circular body rising from a short splayed foot to a waisted neck and flared rim, flanked by a pair of ruyi handles. The moonflask was estimated at HK$1.8m-2.5m, carrying the highest estimate at the sale. The bidding started at HK$1.3m and went steadily up to over HK$2m. The moonflask was hammered down at HK$2.4m and sold for HK$3m to a telephone bidder.

Another piece was a Blue and White Pen Box and Cover with an inscription of a six-character seal mark on the base. The cover painted with interlaced ruyi and foliate scrolls, similarly decorated to the sides with archaistic kui dragon scrolls. the interior of the box divided into four compartments with three circular and one elongated quatrefoil openings.

Peter Song, Deputy Director

The pen box carried an estimate of HK$250,000-300,000. The auctioneer started the bidding at HK$200,000 and received a bid of HK$1m from a telephone bidder after several bid increments. When the price went up to HK$1.8m, only two telephone bidders stayed in the bidding battle. The pen box was hammered down at HK$2.1m and sold to the client of Peter Song for HK$2.62m, 10 times its estimate.

A Blue and White Ingot-shaped 'Dragon' Box and Cover, featured on the cover of the catalogue, was also the highlight of the sale. The dragon box is painted in vivid shades of cobalt blue, the domed cover painted with a pair of confronting five-clawed dragons writhing amongst flames and cloud scrolls contesting a flaming pearl, the rounded sides of both the box and cover similarly decorated with further dragons striding amongst clouds, encircled at the rims with chevron bands.

The dragon box carried an estimate of HK$400,000-600,000. The bidding started at HK$250,000 and soon soared to HK$1m with buyers showing strong interest in it. The dragon box was hammered down at HK$2m and sold for HK$2.5m to a telephone bidder.

A Pale Celadon Jade 'Foreigner' Group from the 18th century also fetched HK$2.25m against its estimate of HK$200,000-300,000. The Bactrian figure seated on a recumbent lion is depicted with rounded eyes beneath curly eyebrows above an exaggerated nose, the lips with a gentle smile framed by a bushy beard, wearing a pointed cab and clad in long robes billowing in the wind.
 

Top Four Lots

A Fine Blue and White 'Peach' Moonflask
Seal Mark and Period of Qianlong

Lot no.: 323
Height: 24.3cm
Provenance:
Collection of T.Y. Chao (1912-1999), and thence by descent in the family.
Estimate: HK$1,800,000 - 2,500,000
Hammer price: HK$2,400,000
Price realized: HK$3,000,000

 

An Extremely Rare Blue and White Pen Box and Cover
Seal Mark and Period of Qianlong

Lot no.: 324
Length: 22.1cm
Provenance:

• Sotheby's Hong Kong, 23rd May 1978, lot 139.
• Sotheby's Hong Kong, 15th November 1983, lot 240.
• Collection of T.Y. Chao (1912-1999), and thence by descent in the family.

Estimate: HK$250,000 - 300,000
Hammer price: HK$2,100,000
Price realized: HK$2,625,000

 

 

A Rare Blue and White Ingot-shaped 'Dragon' Box and Cover
Mark and Period of Wanli

Lot no.: 315
Diameter: 21.6cm
Provenance:

• Sotheby's Hong Kong, 20th May 1981, lot 695.
• Collection of T.Y. Chao (1912-1999), and thence by descent in the family.

Estimate: HK$400,000 - 600,000
Hammer price: HK$2,000,000
Price realized: HK$2,500,000

A Large and Rare Pale Celadon Jade 'Foreigner' Group
Qing Dynasty, 18th Century

Lot no.: 380
Height: 15.5cm
Provenance:
Collection of T.Y. Chao (1912-1999), and thence by descent in the family.
Estimate: HK$200,000 - 300,000
Hammer price: HK$1,800,000
Price realized: HK$2,250,000

 

Auction Summary

Auction house: Sotheby’s Hong Kong
Sale: Chinese ‎Art including Selected Works of Art from the T.Y. Chao Family Collection
Auction date: 2017/11/30