Genuine Chinese antiques frequently change hands for significant sums, especially imperial porcelain pieces. Collectors often scour trade fairs and private dealerships, hoping to find a new addition to showcase. It’s at auction that the serious business often unfolds, though.

Back in 2017, a collector placed a ceramic Ru Guanyao brush washer for sale by Sotheby’s Hong Kong. Dating back to the Northern Song dynasty (dated 907-1127, for the uninitiated), this lot sold for an eye-watering £27 million. That was a world record for an antique ceramic hailing from China – until now. In June 2021, a lot sold that shattered this record.

Read more$41.6 Million – Qianlong Vase Sold in Hong Kong Shatters World Record Price for Chinese Porcelain

Given the potential value of authentic Chinese antiques, it’s always a thrill to find such an item for sale at a boot sale or in an antique shop. Naturally, plenty of Asian decorative objects carry comparatively little financial value. Some can generate a significant windfall, though, as an unscrupulous father-and-son team of light-fingered gardeners discovered.

Read moreFather-and-Son Stole Over £1.5m in Chinese Antiques from a 96-Year-Old Widow

Every day an antique dealer in Nanchang who owns two antique shops and who is also well know for being a scholar of antiques visits his local antique market hoping to find genuine items among all the fakes offered for sale.

Mr Wang is a serious scholar of Chinese antiques, it has always been his dream to find something rare that has been missed by others.

Read moreChinese Antique Dealer Buys Rare Song Dynasty Book For Pennies And Sells It For 26 Million

In the face of the Western Eight Power Allied forces advancing on Beijing news spread quickly to the Forbidden city. Dowager Cixi quickly got ready to flee with the Emperor Guangxu and a group of followers all in an extreme panic.

They dressed as civilians hoping to go unnoticed as they fled Beijing to head West. The Emperor Guangxu did not want to leave the Forbidden City, he wished to remain dressed in his court clothes and confront the foreigners, this caused a huge conflict with Cixi.

Read moreDowager Cixi Fled The Forbidden City And Threw Huge Amounts Of Antiques And Jewellery Down A Deep Well

Sichuan is famous throughout China for its long cultural history and the amount of antique relics buried beneath the ground. A group of Chinese locals found silver coins buried in a field and word soon got around which attracted more people to the area to look for treasure.

Read moreChinese Farmer Digs Up Gold Seal And Sells It For 7.7 Million Yuan

Dore & Rees is delighted to announce their first Asian Art auction, coming up at the end of this month. The sale will feature ceramics, silver, works of art, furniture and more.

Highlight lots include a rare copper red and underglaze blue meiping vase from the Kangxi period, the beauty in its iridescent surface shines, estimate £5,000-10,000. Imperial wares are represented, including a massive blue and white charger, with a striking coiled scaly five claw dragon, writhing amidst clouds. The mark reads ‘made for the Palace of Gathered Elegance’, estimate 5,000-10,000. A rare imitation bronze standing Bodhisattva figure raised on a single lotus throne is an exercise in exquisite decoration in the detail of the draping robes, estimate £5,000-10,000.

Fine examples of cloisonne from China and Japan feature throughout the sale. A cloisonne moonflask is one of the most eye catching pieces from a Private collection of over seventy lots. If small and beautiful is your thing, then there’s an enamel ‘Lotus’ box and cover with brightly coloured turquoise and rose enamel, estimate £1,500-2,500. From Japan, a very fine tea kettle and a vase will be of interest to lovers of intricate details, sold separately, they each carry an estimate of £800 – 1,200.

Head of sale Lee Young comments: “A bumper first Asian Art auction for Dore & Rees will be presented online and in their newly refreshed premises marking a new and exciting chapter for the business.”

The auction will be on view 23 – 26 May at Dore & Rees in Frome.

Dore & Rees
Auction Salerooms
Vicarage Street
Frome BA11 1PU

01373 462 257

www.doreandrees.com

HIGHLIGHTS

MASSIVE BLUE AND WHITE ‘DRAGON’ CHARGER CHUXIU GONG ZHI SEAL MARK, GUANGXU PERIOD

Painted in tones of underglaze blue to the interior with a medallion enclosing a coiled scaly five-clawed dragon writhing amidst clouds and fire in pursuit of a flaming pearl, the sides and exterior similarly decorated. 63.5cm diam

NOTE: the Chuxiu Gong zhi seal mark on this charger reads ‘made for the Palace of Gathered Elegance’. Built in the 18th year of Ming Emperor Yongle in 1420, the Palace was residence of concubines during the Ming and Qing Dynasty’s. It was renovated to celebrate Cixi’s 50th birthday in 1884, and it is likely that this group of chargers where made around that time.

PROVENANCE: Prominent Scottish collection £5,000-10,000

Read moreChinese Antique Auction – Dore And Rees – 27 to 28th Of May 2021