Continuing a recent trend of record-breaking auction buys in Hong
Kong, the record price for Qing Dynasty ceramics was pulverized
yesterday as an 18th century ceramic bowl was sold at auction for
151 million HK dollars (US$19.42 million). It far surpassed the
previous record for the genre set by a Qing ceramic pheasant vase,
bought for 115.48 million Hong Kong dollars (US$14.85 million) at
an October 2005 auction held by Christie's rivals, Sotheby's.
The previous auction record for Qing ceramics was set by a
pheasant vase, sold at at a Sotheby's auction in October 2005.
The famille rose bowl, from the court of Emperor Qianlong, who
reigned from 1736 to 1795, was sold for 151,320,000 Hong Kong
dollars. It is also the most expensive work of art ever sold in any
Asian auction, Christie's auction house said. Dating back to the
court of Emperor Qianlong in which it was enameled, the bowl bears
the emperor's sigil and its charming swallows design helped capture
the hearts of the buyers.
Famille rose refers to the glazing style which coats the bowl
and gives its immaculate finish. Shaded with multiple hues, the
bowl bears the graceful flight of swallows swooping around an
apricot tree in bloom.
'Famille' also meaning family in French, the bowl may have been
meant for an unusual tug-of-war over its sale. Its original sale
price had been valued at between 60 and 80 million Hong Kong
dollars (US$7.7-10.3 million) after it was put on the market by
Chinese collector Robert Chang.
However, the bowl's sale was to take an interesting twist when
Alice Cheng, none other than Mr. Chang's sister, entered the fray.
Impulsively, she outbid all other potential buyers by doubling the
estimated price and guaranteeing the bowl would stay in the
family.
According to the Guardian, Mrs. Cheng said she had not
originally planned to buy the bowl, but her interest grew during
the bidding. Mrs. Cheng is the managing director of Chinese Taching
Petroleum. Her brother is well-known for being an avid Chinese art
collector, a love passed down from his antiques dealer father.
The bowl's twin is housed at the Percival David Foundation in
London, meaning that the bowl sold remains the only such example in
private collections, Christie's outlined.
(China.org.cn by Chris Dalby, November 29, 2006)
