Suffused with a network of golden-beige crackles on the greenish-blue glaze, the Guan lobe dish is sold for HK$12 million, slightly above its high estimate and becomes the top lot of the “Chinese Art from Two American Private Collections” sale.

The ceramic body and the glaze are made of different materials. The rate of thermal contraction and expansion of the former is faster than that of the lower, resulting the special crackled pattern after firing. Those crackles were first being considered as damages and imperfectness, however the craftsmen have soon mastered the formation process and they become a form of decoration.

The second top lot is a Junyao tripod narcissus bowl. With circular-shaped sides curving down to a flat recessed base supported on three gently flaring feet, it presents the typical purple and lavender-blue glaze colour of the Jun wares. The third top lot, a “hundred rib” jar from the Qing dynasty, also shows the unique glaze colour of “clair de lune” (“moon light”, similar to light sky blue) reserved exclusively for imperial porcelains during the period.

Overall speaking, the auction result is not very satisfying with a selling rate of 62.5%. Moreover, the celadon jade figure of a recumbent water buffalo from the 17th century, though estimated with the third highest price before auction, remains unsold (refer to the picture above).

Top Lots

AN IMPORTANT AND RARE GUAN LOBED DISH
SOUTHERN SONG DYNASTY - YUAN DYNASTY

Lot No.: 1106
Diameter: 18.5 cm
Estimate: HK$10,000,000-15,000,000
Sold: HK$12,100,000

AN EXCEPTIONAL JUNYAO PURPLE AND LAVENDER-BLUE GLAZED TRIPOD CIRCULAR NARCISSUS BOWL
EARLY MING DYASTY

Lot. No.: 1107
Diameter: 20.3 cm
Estimate: HK$8,000,000-12,000,000
Sold: HK$9,700,000

AN EXTREMELY RARE "CLAIR-DE-LUNE" GLAZED "HUNDRED RIB" JAR
QING DYNASTY, KANGXI PERIOD

Lot. No.: 1111
Height: 26.5 cm
Estimate: HK$4,000,000-6,000,000
Sold: HK$5,860,000

Auction Summary

Auction House: Sotheby's Hong Kong
Sale: Chinese Art from Two American Private Collections
Sale No.: HK0767
Date:  2017/4/5
Total Sales: HK$55,000,000
Lots: 24
Sold: 15
Unsold: 9
Average Price per Sold Lot: HK$3,666,666
Selling Rate: 62.5%

(prices include buyer's premium, unless otherwise stated)