Chinese Gilt-Bronze Bell achieves $482,500 at Doyle New York's Asian works of art sale

NEW YORK, N.Y.- Doyle New York's Asian Works of Art auction on September 12, 2011 attracted intense competition from an international audience of bidders in the crowded salesroom, on the telephones, and live on the Internet. In all, the sale totaled a strong $2,805,906 against a pre-sale estimate of $2,228,400-3,299,100 with 63% sold by lot and 75% by value.

BRONZE
The top lot of the day was a Chinese gilt-bronze bell that sold for a staggering $482,500, far exceeding its estimate of $6,000-9,000. Bearing a Kangxi cast mark and measuring 11 1/2 inches in height, the bell was decorated in a pattern of horizontal tribands and raised knobs divided by four vertical columns of characters, with an inscribed interior. The bell was the subject of intense competitive bidding that narrowed down to three Asian bidders: the successful purchaser in the salesroom and two telephone bidders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese Gilt-Bronze Bell.  Kangxi Cast Mark. Photo Doyle New York

 

The body worked in high relief with horizontal bands of trigrams alternating with raised knops above a band of circles and divided by four vertical columns of characters and stylized dragons, all below a double dragon-form finial, the interior with inscription. Height 11 1/2 inches; this piece is being sold without date. Areas of gilt wear. Estimate $6,000-9,000. Sold for $482,500

A Chinese silver inlaid bronze Guanyin dating to the 19th century or earlier fetched estimated at $50,000-70,000 fetched $68,500, and a Sino-Tibetan Qing Dynasty cloisonne enameled gilt-bronze seated Bodhisattva sold for $60,000.

 

 

 

Chinese Silver Inlaid Bronze Guanyin,  19th Century or earlier. Photo Doyle New York

 

Standing dressed in long flowing robes and jeweled necklaces, holding a tipped bottle of elixir, the face with a downcast expression beneath hair gathered into a high chignon, carved wood base of rockwork and pine. Height 39 inches. Wood base with age cracking and weathered from being outside. Scattered small casting fault holes. Estimate $50,000-70,000. Sold for $68,500.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pair of Chinese White Jade Screens.  Qing Dynasty. Photo Doyle New York

 

Each in the shape of the full moon, carved on one side depicting the mythical palace of the moon with slender female figures playing instruments and making offerings among the pavilion buildings connected by long walkways before a lakeside landscape, three sides carved in relief with winged figures playing instruments, the reverse of one inscribed A full autumn moon hangs in a clear sky with gathering clouds. Han Xian Zi walks out of the moon palace to the sounds of happy music and dancing mixing together before the palace steps. The beautiful Dan Guei and her delightful sister are dazzingly attired while they compete with their instruments to produce a sonorous eternal melody. How often does the world hear such as this? As we look skyward with silent prayers to Tian Xian Zi, we wish for beautiful flowers, a full moon, and the long lives of the people, signed by the imperial brush of Qianlong; the second also with an inscription, translated as The moon is clear and the immortal music sweetly passes to the edge of the sky. The sound of music and fragrance of orchids spill out over the stone steps of the palace. Each year the colors of autumn begin beneath the bright bi shaped moon. The round moon likes to compare the beauty of Chang Ye to spring flowers. Beautiful women cannot challenge the beauty of a flower just as they cannot challenge that of the moon. In graceful groups of three or five, ignorant of the past and perfectly symmetrical with no end. The elegant music of the flute complements the poem of Yue Di, signed with the imperial brush of Qianlong, set in elaborate carved wood stands. Height of jade panels 18 3/4 inches, height overall 30 inches. Estimate $150,000-250,000. Sold for $187,000

Provenance:  Property from the Trust Estate of Joseph E. Levine
Sotheby's, New York, Fine Chinese Ceramics, Furniture and Works of Art, September 17, 1998, lot 30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pair of Chinese Jadeite Covered Vases,  20th Century. Photo Doyle New York

 

Each of gu shape, the shoulder, foot and rim carved with ram and dragon head and loose ring handles, central vertical flanges in high relief divide dragon and spear tip designs in low relief over the body, the conforming domed lid with pierced scrollwork below bud-form finials, worked on four sides with dragon head and loose ring handles, fitted wood bases with inlaid silver wire design. Height 12 1/4 inches. Very good condition. One wood stand with a lion head missing. Estimate $60,000-80,000. Sold for $110,500

 

 

 

Chinese White Jade Mounted Warrior.  Late 19th century. Photo Doyle New York

 

Dressed in full armor facing right and mounted on a striding horse, the stone an even milky white tone. Height 11 inches. Estimate $40,000-60,000. Sold for $62,500 

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese Longquan Celadon Meiping.  Ming Dynasty. Photo Doyle New York

 

The rounded shouldered body tapering to a flared foot and rising to a short conical-form neck, covered overall with an even glaze of soft olive green color. Height 15 inches. Drilled as a lamp. Foot rim is ground down. Estimate $8,000-12,000. Sold for $65,500

 

For a similar example with a cover see Christie's, Hong Kong, Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, December 1, 2010, lot 2832

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chinese Pink and Yellow Glazed Porcelain Garniture.  Qianlong Mark and possibly of the Period. Photo Doyle New York

 

Comprising a censer raised on three legs with S-curved handles and a dragon-form finial, two candlesticks, and two gu-shaped vases, each decorated with pink dragons amid swirling clouds on a yellow ground. Height of candlesticks 20 inches. One handle on centerpiece is off, light gilt wear to rims, typical small glaze gaps to enamel, light enamel wear, tips of dragons. Estimate $20,000-30,000. Sold for $31,250.

 

SCREENS
Chinese screens featured an 18th century twelve-panel 18th century Coromandel screen carved with an extensive scene of figures in the Summer Palace, height 9 feet, that sold for $62,500 against an estimate of $50,000-70,000.

 

 

Chinese Twelve-Panel Coromandel Screen, 18th Century. Photo Doyle New York

 

 Carved on one side with an extensive scene of figures in various pursuits in the Summer Palace setting bordered by upper panels of scholars objects and lower panels of blossoming flowers, the reverse with blossoming lotus. Height 9 feet, width of each panel 18 1/2 inches. Estimate $50,000-70,000. Sold for $62,500

 

IVORY
Ivory objects in the sale fared exceptionally well. Two late 19th century Chinese polychrome painted ivory maidens estimated at $1,000-1,500 achieved a stunning $50,000. A group of late 19th century Chinese ivory figures of the Eight Immortals sold for $40,625, many times their estimate of $7,000-10,000. A pair of early 20th century Chinese ivory wrist wrests carvedwith figures amid a pavilion and landscape setting together with a green jade dragon panel estimated at $600-800 fetched a staggering $37,500.

 

 

Chinese Ivory Group of the Eight Immortals,  Late 19th century. Photo Doyle New York

 

 Each standing figure holding various attributes, robe and hair with black detailing. Height 14 inches. Five figures have vertical age cracks to shoulder and body area. Figure holding staff has small repair to top of staff. Estimate $7,000-10,000. Sold for $40,625.

 

 

Pair of Chinese Ivory Wrist Wrests .  Early 20th century. Photo Doyle New York

 

Of tapering semi-circular shape, deeply carved with figures amid a pavilion and landscape setting; Together with a Green Jade Dragon Panel. Height 7 3/8 inch.; wrist wrests- in overall good condition. minor vertical age cracks to the top and base of both, interior carving in good condition.  Jade panel in good condition. Estimate $600-800. Sold for $37,500