This March, Asia Week New York will be held across major international auction houses.
Sotheby's is offering four sales of fine arts – three live auctions and one online sale – smaller in size than main rival, Christie's.
Highlights are an archaic Chinese bronze ritual wine jar, a 15th century Imperial Chinese blue and white porcelain bowl, works from distinguished Chinese art collector, Dr Wou Kiuan and Indian abstract painter, Vasudeo Gaitonde’s painting from the late 20th century.
Here is an overview of the sales, together with the highlight lots:
Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art
A traditional sale during Asia Week New York, this sale features works by more than 70 artists. Highlights include Indian artists, Vasudeo Gaitonde and Jehangir Sabavala’s paintings from the late 20th century.
A Journey Through China’s History: The Dr Wou Kiuan Collection Part I
More than 140 pieces of Chinese art from Dr Wou’s Collection feature in this sale – including porcelains, jades, bronzes, calligraphy and paintings.
Son of a prominent statesman during early 20th century China, Wou Kiuan went to study law in France aged 20 and later became a diplomat. Fascinated by Chinese art, he amassed a holistic collection of more than 1,000 pieces during the mid-1950s to the late 1960s. The works were acquired from some of the most distinguished collectors of the early 20th century – such as Sir Percival David and Alfred Morrison.
Dr Wou’s Collection will be auctioned in three destinations throughout 2022 – at Sotheby's New York, Hong Kong and London.
Important Chinese Art
Another traditional sale, this season features a wide range of Chinese Art – such as archaic bronzes, jades, ceramics and porcelains. Highlights are an archaic bronze ritual wine jar and a 15th century Imperial Chinese blue and white porcelain bowl.
China / 5000 Years
More than 180 works – such as ceramics, bronzes and jades – will feature in this sale.
Vasudeo S. Gaitonde ￨ Painting 4 ￨ Oil on canvas
Created in 1972
127 x 101.6 cm
Sale: Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art
Estimate: US$1,500,000 – 2,000,000
Jehangir Sabavala ￨ Untitled ￨ Oil on canvas
Created in 1977
133.9 x 100 cm
Sale: Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art
Estimate: US$600,000 – 800,000
Imperially Inscribed Pale Green Jade ‘Luohan’ Boulder
Created during the Qianlong period (1736-1795)
Height: 31.9 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Madame Austin
- Maître Etienne Ader, Commissaire Priseur, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 12th March 1962, Lot 105
- Collection of Dr Wou Kiuan (1910-1997)
- Wou Lien-Pai Museum, 1968-present, coll. no. M.7.16
Sale: A Journey Through China’s History: The Dr Wou Kiuan Collection Part I
Estimate: US$400,000 – 600,000
Archaic Bronze Ritual Wine Vessel and Cover (Fang Yi)
Created in Anyang, during late Shang dynasty (12th century BCE)
Height: 20 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Armand Trampitsch (1890-1975), (by repute)
- Maître Maurice Rheims, Commissaire-Priseur, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 6th/7th June 1956, Lot 105
- Collection of Dr Wou Kiuan (1910-1997)
- Wou Lien-Pai Museum, 1968-present, coll. no. E.4.12
Sale: A Journey Through China’s History: The Dr Wou Kiuan Collection Part I
Estimate: US$400,000 – 600,000
Pale Green Jade Archaistic Phoenix-form Vessel (Guang)
Created during Qianlong period (1736-1795)
Height: 24 cm
Provenance:
- Maître Etienne Ader, Commissaire Priseur, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 13th October 1969, Lot 192
- Collection of Dr Wou Kiuan (1910-1997)
- Wou Lien-Pai Museum, 1969-present, coll. no. Q.9.8
Sale: A Journey Through China’s History: The Dr Wou Kiuan Collection Part I
Estimate: US$200,000 – 300,000
Dong Qichang ￨ Calligraphy and landscape ￨ Ink on gold-flecked paper (calligraphy), Ink and colour on silk (painting), Album on eight leaves
24.4 x 22.6 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Dr Wou Kiuan (1910-1997)
- Wou Lien-Pai Museum, 1970-present, coll. no. 224
Sale: A Journey Through China’s History: The Dr Wou Kiuan Collection Part I
Estimate: US$200,000 – 300,000
Lemon Yellow Glazed Cup
Seal mark and of the Yongzheng period (1723-1735)
Height: 7.5 cm
Provenance:
- Christie's London, 4th May 1964, Lot 70
- Collection of Dr Wou Kiuan (1910-1997)
- Wou Lien-Pai Museum, 1968-present, coll. no. Q.8.16
Sale: A Journey Through China’s History: The Dr Wou Kiuan Collection Part I
Estimate: US$100,000 – 150,000
Carved Cinnabar Lacquer 'Hibiscus' Dish
Created during Yuan dynasty/early Ming dynasty (14th century)
Diameter: 27 cm
Provenance:
- Christie's London, 19th July 1965, Lot 151
- Collection of Dr Wou Kiuan (1910-1997)
- Wou Lien-Pai Museum, 1968-present, coll. no. M.4.25
Sale: A Journey Through China’s History: The Dr Wou Kiuan Collection Part I
Estimate: US$100,000 – 150,000
Guo Ji Shi Zi Zu Hu
Created during late Western Zhou dynasty (8th-late 9th century BCE)
Height: 42.5 cm
Provenance:
- Discovered in Fengxiang county, Shaanxi province, in the Qing dynasty, perhaps in the late Qianlong period (by repute)
- Collection of Wu Yun (1811-1883), prior to 1872
- Collection of Li Hongyi (1831-1885)
- Collection of Zou An (1864-1940)
- American Private Collection
Sale: Important Chinese Art
Estimate: US$800,000 – 1,200,000
Blue and White ‘Dragon’ ‘Dice’ Bowl (Bo)
Seal mark and of the Xuande period (1425-1435)
Diameter: 26.5 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Leon (d. 1961) and Max (d. 1942) Friedman, acquired in China between the 1920s and 1940s, and thence by descent
Sale: Important Chinese Art
Estimate: US$600,000 – 800,000
Pair of Polychrome Limestone Figures of Bodhisattvas
Created during Tang dynasty (618-907 CE)
Height: 62 cm
Provenance:
- Acquired in Hong Kong, 2001
- J. J. Lally & Co., New York, 2017
Sale: Important Chinese Art
Estimate: US$500,000 – 700,000
Inscribed Archaic Bronze Ritual Wine Vessel (Zun)
Created during early Western Zhou dynasty (circa 10th-11th century BCE)
Height: 27.5 cm
Provenance:
- Collection of Z.I. Yang, until 1951
- C.T. Loo, New York
- Frank Caro, successor to C.T. Loo, New York, 1954
- Collection of Mr. John Frederick Lewis Jr. (1899-1965) and Mrs. Ada Haeseler Lewis (1900-1967)
- Philadelphia Private Collection
- Sotheby's New York, 14th September 2011, Lot 298
Sale: Important Chinese Art
Estimate: US$400,000 – 600,00