Unusual Moon Flask Sells For $87,840

August 18, 2018July 26, 2018 by Irv

Sotheby’s Melbourne Lot Description: Resembling aloeswood, the overall surface with naturalistic swirls and gnarled indentations, with slender branch like handles joining the garlic mouth to the sloping shoulders, supported on a short splayed foot, the base inlaid in silver wire with an apocryphal four-character seal mark Qianlong Yu Jian, fitted wood stand

(2) 36.5 cm high

Compare with a similar wood moon flask illustrated in The Collection of Stands in the Palace Museum, Part V, Catalogue p. 33.

Lot Sold $72,000 (Hammer Price) $87,840 (Hammer Price with Buyer’s Premium)

The moon flask, catalogued as Qing dynasty (1644-1912), is 37cm high and carved from a timber “resembling aloeswood” – regarded as sacred in some Asian cultures. The base is inlaid in silver wire with what the catalogue says is an apocryphal mark for the Qianlong Emperor in the 18th century. With no provenance given, the item was estimated at $7000 to $9000.

Antique Chinese Porcelain – Hand Painted Oriental Chickens Vase – Unusual!

August 18, 2018July 12, 2018 by Irv

Dr Wang

Trash Or Treasure?

Ends Today: Ebay UK 12th July 2018

Ebay Description: Lovely hand painted chicken and wisteria decorated cylinder vase. Produced in the early 20th Century in China. Not marked but guaranteed to be an early and original piece (base photographed). The vase has a drill hole to the side where it has been converted into a lamp (can be seen in photographs). Otherwise, it is in very good condition with no other chips, cracks or restoration. It measures approximately 11″ in height. SOLD

French Attic Vase Fetches €16.2 Million

August 18, 2018July 11, 2018 by Irv

Irv Graham

An 18th Century Chinese vase, left for decades in a shoebox in France, has sold for 16.2m euros (£14.2m). The vase formed part of a family inheritance and was recently discovered in an attic.

While Qianlong vases appear relatively regularly at auction, the combination of form and, particularly, decoration made this example especially rare – the only known example of its kind according to the auctioneers. The vase was in perfect condition.

How Did I Miss This?

August 18, 2018July 11, 2018 by Irv

Irv Graham

Kangxi bowl sell for US$30.4 million (HK$239 million) Sotheby’s. The bowl, just under six inches (14.7 cm) in diameter, is decorated with falangcai — painted enamels combining Chinese and Western techniques — and flowers, including daffodils which are not typically depicted on Chinese porcelain.

Horses Ceramic Bronze & Jade Found In 2700 Year Old Tomb

August 18, 2018July 4, 2018 by Irv

A tomb believed to have belonged to an ancient royal household has been unearthed in central China. 21 huge tombs have been found, six horse pits and around 500 pieces of copper, ceramics and jade.

The tomb probably belonged to a royal family from the Spring and Autumn period (771-476 BC). The tomb was discovered by archaeologists in the city of Sanmenxia in Henan province.

Thank The Lord He Said Mark & Period – Just As Well It Is!

August 19, 2018July 4, 2018 by Irv

A badly damaged Famille rose vase measuring 68 cm tall has sold at Adam Partridges sale room on June the 28th for £98,000 plus 18% buyers premium.

The vase bore a Jiaqing reign mark and was described as period. (The vase is of the period, Nice thing shame about the damage)

Chinese vase valued at £30 sells for £40,000 in UK auction

August 19, 2018December 22, 2017 by Irv

The three-inch tall blue and white vase bearing a Yongzheng six charachter mark has sold for 40,000 pounds at an auction in Melton Mowbray.

The vase carried an estimate of 30 to 40 pounds as it was cracked and chipped & was part of a tray lot.

Senior auctioneer Simon Shouler said: “The vase was on a small tray of Chinese porcelain and much of it was cracked and chipped.

Song Dynasty Ru Brush Washer Sells For $37.7 Million

August 19, 2018October 5, 2017 by Irv

The dish, which has a diameter of just 13cm and would have been used to clean brushes, has a glowing, intense blue-green glaze and ‘ice crackle’ pattern.

It was offered by Sotheby’s with a guide price of £10 million ($13.24 million), but there was a fierce 20-minute bidding war and the dish eventually sold to an anonymous bidder for £28 million ($37.7 million).

The bowl’s buyer has chosen to remain anonymous.

Bidding began at around $10.2m, and the winning offer – from a phone bidder – was greeted with a round of applause.

Nicolas Chow, deputy chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, commented: ‘It’s a totally new benchmark for Chinese ceramics and we’ve made history with this piece today,’