Sotheby’s Hong Kong showcases an array of highlights across various sales at today media preview, releasing the sale calendar and selected lots to be featured in the upcoming fall auction. Here is a sneak peek of part of the highlights. Please stay tuned for more updates on the auction! 

A Highly Important Beijing-enamelled Pouch-shaped Glass Vase
Blue Enamel Mark and Period of Qianlong
Height: 18.2 Cm
Expected to fetch in excess of HK$200,000,000/ US$ 25,000,000)

The leading lot of the season is a Qianlong pouch-shaped glass vase from the distinguished collection of Le Cong Tang owned by Taiwanese tycoon Robert Tsao. It is expected to fetch in excess of HK$200m.  In terms of imperial enamelled glass, it’s the finest surviving piece. Even though the Palace Museum in Taipei holds 45 pieces of imperial glass. There is nothing of this size and complexity that has survived either in the Taipei Palace Museum or the Beijing Palace Museum.To learn more about the rarity of the vase, please see our interview with Nicolas Chow, Chairman of Sotheby’s Asia

A Superb and Fine Blue and White ‘daylily’ Palace Bowl
Mark and Period of Chenghua
Width: 14.8 cm
Expected to Fetch in excess of HK$50,000,000/US$6,400,000)

Blue and white ‘palace bowls’ created in the Chenghua (1465-87) reign rank amongst the most coveted of all Chinese ceramics, and have consistently achieved very high prices, with one selling for HK$141m at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October 2013. The current example from the Alan Chuang collection is a particularly fine and rare example, with an exquisite design of day lilies. There are only two other ‘palace bowls’ of this design, both in the British Museum, London.

After looking at the top lots from Chinese works of art sales, we move on to the highlights of Chinese Paintings. This Autumn, Sotheby’s Classical Chinese paintings department will present two important paintings from practising monks of the Ming Dynasty: Ink Bamboo by Shitao and Melons and Brackens by Bada Shanren. Both depict nature vividly with minimalist technique, demonstrating the skillful use of ink and brush. 

Bada Shanren's Melons and Brackens. Ink on paper, hanging scroll

Estimate: HK$8,000,000-10,000,000

As for Sotheby’s Fine Chinese paintings department, one of the highlights is Wu Guanzhong's Sunrise In Lofty Mountains. Created by Wu in 1973 under a commission, the painting depicts the spectacular scenery of Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) in China and captures the beauty of sunrise amids multiple layers of lofty mountains.

Wu Guanzhong, Sunrise in Lofty Moutains. Ink and Colour on Paper, Framed, 1983
Size: 96 x 179 cm
Estimate: HK$12,000,000-18,000,000

Moving on to the highlights from Jewels and Watch, the leading top is a 10.64-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond and ring. The colour is purplish pink with the top grading of fancy vivid and the clarity is internally flawless.

A rare and exquisite 10.64-carat fancy vivid purplish pink internally flawless diamond and diamond ring

Estimate: HK$150,000,000-200,000,000

An Important Jadeite Bead and Diamond Necklace
Estimate: HK$25,000,000-32,000,000

Jaeger-LeCoultre. Montre Extraordinaire La Rose, Reference Q4803304
A White Gold, Diamond, Pink Sapphire, Ruby and Tsavorite-Set Floral-Shaped Bangle Watch, Circa 2010
Estimate: HK$1,600,000-3,200,000

Patek Phillippe. Skymoon Tourbillon, Reference 5002
A Very Rare and Highly Important Pink Gold Double Dial Wristwatch with Twelve Complications
Estimate: HK$7,000,000-10,000,000

Patek Phillippe. A Stainless Steel Openface Observatory Tested Pocket Chronometer with Tourbillon Regulator, Lever Escapement and Sector Dial
Made in 1924 and sold in 1935
Estimate: HK$4,000,000-8,000,000