Auction results - Sotheby’s March sales of Chinese Works of Art total $71.3 mln

Sotheby’s sales of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art have concluded, bringing the overall total for the series of auctions to $71.3 million, well above the anticipated estimate of  $17.5/$25.1 million. This was the highest total ever achieved anywhere in New York. All three auctions exceeded their estimates and competitive bidding was seen across all categories and periods. The sales followed an energetic exhibition period packed with collectors from the United States, Europe and Asia.


The J.T. Tai & Co (see previous post) was followed by a second single owner collection , Harmony of Form, Serenity of Color: A Private Collection of ‘Song’ Ceramics, which achieved a total of $9.03 million. The sale was led by a rare Imperial numbered 'Jun' narcissus bowl, early Ming Dynasty (PHOTO) which sold for $2.2 million. A carved 'Ding' 'Peony' dish, Northern Song Dynasty fetched $866,500, comfortably exceeding the estimate and a molded 'Ding' basin, Jin Dynasty made $506,500, again surpassing the $120/160,000 estimate by a considerable margin.

The various owner sale of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art achieved a total of $25.9 million. The sale was led by a pair of 'Huanghuali' Yokeback armchairs (Guanmao Yi), 17th Century which sold for $2.77 million, several times the $200/300,000 estimate. The highlight of the paintings in the sale was the Imperial Nian Rebellion Battle painting Qing Dynasty, Guangxu Period which was fought after by five bidders before selling for $1.98 million. . A strong group of jades included A Rare Imperially Inscribed Celadon Jade Archaistic Vessel And Cover (Yi), Qianlong Fanggu Mark And Period from the Collection of Robert Tod which sold for $1,650,500 several times the $70/90,000 estimate.