Overall, Sotheby’s Hong Kong spring sales did quite well, yet the result of “Important Chinese Art” sale is not quite satisfying. Although the total sales reach HK$276m, the selling rate is only 71%. A number of lots with high estimates were bought in, while the hammer price of sold lots rarely exceed the high estimate.

The top lot is a blue & white “dragon” vase of Qianlong period, two phone bidders fought for this vase after the bid exceeded the low estimate. It was bought by the bidder whom was represented by Peter Song, deputy director of Chinese works of art, the hammer price was HK$42m. The 2nd most expensive lot is a blue & white “dragon and phoenix” vase of Qianlong perio. Two phone bidders stayed in the bidding war, the one represented by Patti Wong, chairman of Sotheby's Asia won this lot, the hammer price was HK$38m.

The 3rd most expensive lot is an imperially inscribed famille-rose sgraffiato “floral” vase of Qianlong period (photo above). The poems on the vase are recorded in Yuzhi leshan tang quanji dingben [Definitive edition of the complete works from the delight in Goodness Hall, by His Majesty), Siku quanshu. The auctioneer failed to sell this vase at first, yet after the bid was reopened, it was sold for a hammer price of HK$18m.

In this sale, 9 lots have a low estimate above HK$10m, 4 of them were bought it at last, including two collections from the legendary collector, Edward T. Chow (1910-80), namely blue & white “rosette” moonflask of Yongle period, and copper-red “three fish” stem cup of Xuande period. The other two are a large famille-rose “hundred deer” vase of Qianlong period (photo above, left), and a “sweet-white” incised “rosette” moonflask of Yongle period (photo above, right).

 

Lots which have a low estimate above HK$10m

A FINE AND MAGNIFICENT LARGE BLUE AND WHITE ‘DRAGON’ VASE, SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

Lot No.: 3618
Height: 46cm
Estimate: HK$35,000,000 - 45,000,000
Sold: HK$49,037,500

A FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE BLUE AND WHITE ‘DRAGON AND PHOENIX’ VASE, SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

Lot No.: 3614
Height: 37.3cm
Estimate: HK$30,000,000 - 40,000,000
Sold: HK$44,537,500

AN EXCEPTIONALLY FINE BLUE AND WHITE ‘ROSETTE’ MOONFLASK, BIANHU, MING DYNASTY, YONGLE PERIOD

Lot No.: 3608
Height: 32.5cm
Estimate: HK$30,000,000 - 40,000,000
Bough in

AN IMPORTANT AND RARE COPPER-RED ‘THREE FISH’ STEM CUP, MARK AND PERIOD OF XUANDE

Lot No.: 3610
Diameter: 11.7cm
Estimate: HK$30,000,000 - 40,000,000
Bought in

A FINE, MAGNIFICENT AND LARGE FAMILLE-ROSE ‘HUNDRED DEER’ VASE, HU SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

Lot No.: 3625
Height: 43.9cm
Estimate: HK$25,000,000 - 30,000,000
Bought in

AN IMPERIALLY INSCRIBED FAMILLE-ROSE SGRAFFIATO ‘FLORAL’ VASE SEAL, MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

Lot No.: 3626
Height: 40cm
Estimate: HK$18,000,000 - 25,000,000
Sold: HK$21,700,000

A RARE AND IMPORTANT PAIR OF LARGE BRONZE-IMITATION VASES, SEAL MARKS AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

Lot No.: 3604
Height: 41.5cm
Estimate: HK$16,000,000 - 25,000,000
Sold: HK$19,300,000

A FINELY PAINTED AND EXTREMELY RARE LARGE FAMILLE-ROSE ‘LANDSCAPE’ VASE, HU, SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

Lot No.: 3624
Height: 45cm
Estimate: HK$15,000,000 - 20,000,000
Sold: HK$18,100,000

AN EXTREMELY RARE ‘SWEET-WHITE’ INCISED ‘ROSETTE’ MOONFLASK, BIANHU, MING DYNASTY, YONGLE PERIOD

Lot No.: 3609
Height: 30cm
Estimate: HK$10,000,000 - 18,000,000
Bought in

Auction Summary

Auction House: Sotheby's Hong Kong
Sale: Important Chinese Art
Sale No.: HK0722
Date: 2017/4/5
Total Sales: HK$276,527,500
Lots: 117
Sold: 83
Unsold: 34
Average Price per Sold Lot: HK$3,331,657
Selling Rate: 71%

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