2007 – An imperial gilt-bronze and cloisonné enamel square ice chest – The ice chest with two handles on the sides, finely decorated with lotus flowers, trees and birds. Formerly in the Amezaga Collection.
Dimensions: 39 x 68.6 x 69.2 centimeter
A rare Guandong tribute champlevé enamel and gilt metal rectangular bench – The metal bench finely decorated in champlevé enamel, with bats and flowering scrolls. From the Alfred Morrison Collection, Fonthill Heirlooms.
Dimensions: 116 x 37 x 40 centimeter
An important imperial scroll, ‘Victory Banquet at the West Garden’ (Yuan Xi Kai Yan) by Zhang Tingyan and Zhou Kun. The scroll kept in a finely carved red lacquer box. The painting circa 1748.
2009 – An imperial Khotan green jade ‘Ba Zheng Mao Nian Zhi Bao’ seal – A finely carved, squared jade seal, decorated with two fierce dragons in fine detail. The seal reading ‘Treasure of concern over phenomena at eighty’, a birthday gift for the Qianlong emperor’s 80th birthday.
Dimensions: 12.7 by 12.7 centimeter
2006 – A fine and rare blue and white ‘dragon’ moon flask – This stunning moon flask is a perfect example of the bold style of the Qianlong period, with a fierce forward facing dragon amidst clouds and delicately moving waves above the foot.
Dimensions: 50 centimeter height
March 2014 – An exceptionally rare blue ground ‘dragon’ dish – Described by TEFAF as ‘the outstanding sale at the fair’ and ‘a highlight of the whole fair’ this exceptional dish dating to the Yuan dynasty is one of only three large dishes known to exist. The dish, measuring 40.5 centimetres in diameter, is one of only thirteen known pieces of this ware. It is one of the most expensive Chinese works of art dating to the Yuan dynasty ever to be sold.
Please also visit:
‘The New York Times’
March 2013 – A ‘Jun’ ware bottle vase – This bottle vase was formerly in the ‘Ingram Family Collection’, a collection numbering thousands of Chinese and Japanese works of art, mainly early bronzes, ceramics and jades. In 1956 Sir Herbert Ingram presented a large part of his collection to the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. The Jun-ware bottle vase has been exhibited at the ‘Sung Dynasty Wares, Chun and Brown Glazes’ exhibition of the Oriental Ceramic Society, London in 1952.
One of the highlights of the ‘Ingram Family Collection’, the Jun ‘yao’ bottle-shaped vase is an exceptionally rare and excellent example of the level of craftsmanship developed in the late Northern Song Dynasty. The funnel shaped, slender neck has evolved from one of the earliest examples currently in the Tokyo National Museum, which shows a gently expanded lip. The next stage in the development of Jun-ware bottle vases saw copper pigment added to the glaze, as can be seen in the vase in the collection of the Percival David Foundation (PDF 92), on display at the British Museum.
This exceptional piece was sold at TEFAF 2013 by Littleton & Hennessy Asian Art to a Chinese art collector.
March 2007 – Inlaid bronze ‘Tapir’ (‘Warring States’ period, 475-221 BC) – ‘Littleton & Hennessy Asian Art’ set a world record for early Chinese bronzes, with the sale of this extremely rare inlaid bronze tapir at TEFAF 2007. This wine pourer, made in the 4th century BC, was beautifully inlaid with gold and turquoise and measuring an impressive hight of 26.5 centimeter. This early bronze, with an asking price of $12m, is one of only two bronzes of this refinement known to exist, the other one is in the ‘National Palace Museum’ in Taipei (Taiwan).
James Hennessy: “We are delighted that the tapir has found a Chinese collector and we are delighted that TEFAF now holds the world’s record price for an archaic Chinese bronze”.
Please also visit:
The New York Times
Antiques Trade Gazette
