New York – Bonhams presented a successful series of sales for the September iteration of Asia Week New York which saw robust in-person bidding and achieved $6.2 million overall. Most notably, a number of works shattered pre-sale expectations including a fine famille-rose ‘Chicken and Boy’ cup soaring more than 10 times above its estimate when it sold for $216,000 and Picking Cotton, a 1955 hanging scroll by Shi Lu (1919-1982), which earned 18 times its estimate at $547,000.
Auctions
Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
September 18
Bonhams kicked off the week with a strong offering from Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art featuring Private Collections of Snuff Bottles on September 18. The sale was led by an extremely rare blue-speckled-glazed garlic-head vase, Yongzheng seal mark and of the period, which achieved more than four times its estimate when it sold for $280,000. Overall, the sale achieved US$2 million.
Sale highlights:
- A fine famille-rose ‘Chicken and Boy’ cup with a Qianlong fang gu seal mark and from the Qing Dynasty-Republic Period sold for $216,000, more than 10 times its estimate. Only 2 5/8in tall, the motif on the cup is inspired by the doucai ‘Chicken’ cups first produced during the Chenghua reign (1464-1487).
- A large Yuan/Ming Dynasty polychrome fresco fragment of celestial musicians sold for more than three times its estimate at $121,000.
- Achieving five times its estimate, a Qianlong-marked imperial bronze ‘dragon’ vase sold for $58,000.
Fine Chinese Paintings
September 19
Picking Cotton, 1955 by Shi Lu (1919-1982), sold for $547,000.
Bonhams, theonly auction house to hold dedicated Chinese painting auctions outside of Asia, presented itsFine Chinese Paintings saleon September 19 whichwas highlighted by Shi Lu’s (1919-1982) Picking Cotton, 1955. Inspired by the artist’s time in India, this magnificent work from the Reverend Richard Fabian Collection realized more than 18 times its estimate when it sold for $547,000. Overall, the sale achieved $3.1 million.
Sale highlights:
- A horizontal hanging scroll, Wisteria and Bees, by Qi Baishi (1864-1957) sold for double its estimate at $445,000. Though a remarkably prolific painter, Qi Bashi’s horizontal format paintings are relatively rare, and those created on satin as opposed to paper, like the work included in the sale, are even more uncommon.
- Green Mountains and Distant Shores, 1958 by Pu Ru (1896-1963) sold for $420,000. A monumental horizontal landscape, Pu Ru considered it one of his most cherished works, and it is among the largest of the artist’s works to sell publicly.
- Landscapes and Flowers, twelve fans from 1665-1686 mounted as an album, by Yun Shouping (1633-1690) sold for $318,000. Likely assembled under the auspices of the Qing Dynasty Imperial collection, the variously dated fans are all painted on gold leaf paper.
Fine Japanese and Korean Art
September 20
A gilt-bronze figure of Miruk Bosal (Maitreya) in meditation, sold for $255,000.
Bonhams’ Fine Japanese and Korean Works of Art sale closed out the live sales on September 20 with a selection of works art from Japan and Korea which spanned centuries and mediums. Overall, the sale achieved $1.1 million.
Sale highlights:
- A 7th century gilt-bronze figure of Miruk Bosal (Maitreya) in meditation from the Unified Silla period (668-935), sold for $255,000. Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future, was believed to be a savior deity who would return to earth 570 million years after the death of the historical Buddha to save humankind.
- From the Collection of Drs. Edmund and Julia Lewis, Asa (Hemp), 1973, calligraphy brushed in sumi ink on paper, by Inoue Yūichi (1916-1985) sold for $49,000.
- A Kakejiku depicting a standing courtesan with calligraphy of a poem above her head, Edo period (1615-1868), 19th century, After Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) and Kitao Masanobu (SANTŌ KYŌDEN, 1761-1816) sold for $28,000.
