A pair of hexagonal porcelain garden seats with underglaze blue and celadon glaze decoration. Republic period. Each with reeded walls molded as bamboo stalks covered in a celadon glaze surrounding reserve panels of flowers and birds, bats and reticulated cash roundels painted in underglaze blue under a colorless glaze, the bats and cash design repeating on the top. 18 1/2in (47cm) high. Sold for $18,750; Pre-sale est. $2,000-3,000. Photo: Courtesy Bonhams

FRANCISCO, CA.- Bonhams announces it held a highly successful auction of Asian Decorative Arts, November 15 in San Francisco, with more than 500 lots of Chinese art on offer, and with sales totaling more than $1.1 million.

Leading the auction were two lots sold to benefit the Connor Prairie Museum of Fishers, Indiana: a pair of Chinese hexagonal porcelain garden seats from the Republic period (1911-1949) that sold for $18,750, far exceeding a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-3,000, and an 18th/19th century huanghuali brush pot with hardstone inlay which brought $17,500.



Five calligraphies
a) After Feng Fang (19th century), Calligraphy in running script, framed and glazed, ink on paper; bearing a signature reading Nanyu Waishi with three seals, two reading Renweng and Nanyu Waishi.11 1/4 x 4 1/2in (28.6 x 11.5cm) within the mat
b) Hu Shi (1891-1962), Poem, framed and glazed, ink on printed paper; inscribed, dated 1950 and signed Hu Shi (stains). 10 x 5 3/4in (25.4 x 14.7cm) within the mat
c) Wang Changong (1905-1965)  Poem by Du Fu, framed and glazed, ink on ruled paper, inscribed and signed Changong with one seal of the artist.8 x 11in (20.3 x 28cm) within the mat
d) Chen Maozhi (19th/20th century) Poem in seal script, framed and glazed, ink on paper; inscribed and dedicated to Lin Pan Jianzhi, dated 1944 and signed Zhongping Chen Maozhi with two seals of the artist.7 1/8 x 4 7/8in (8.1 x 12.4cm) within the mat
e) Unidentified Artist (20th century) Poem by Du Fu in running script, framed and glazed, ink on paper; signed Yanzhai with two seals.
8 x 11 3/8in (20.3 x 29cm) within the mat
Sold for US$13,750

 

 Of the auction, Dessa Goddard, the Vice President and Director of Asian Art at Bonhams in San Francisco, commented, “Once again, these results show that fresh, private property offered with reasonable estimates inspires strong bidding from all sectors of the international market.”

Buoyant prices were also achieved for Chinese furniture, snuff bottles, textiles, bronzes, ceramics and paintings. A Cizhou glazed stoneware pillow with incised slip decoration, of the Northern Song dynasty, sold for $25,000 (pre-sale est. $3,000-5,000); a Republic period carved marble top altar table achieved $20,000 (pre-sale est. $2,000-3,000); and a late 20th century huanghuali altar table brought $17,500 (pre-sale est. $5,000-7,000).

 

 

A Cizhou glazed stoneware pillow with incised slip decoration. Northern Song dynasty. Of bean shape with forward slanting top surface decorated with a tiger, the cream colored slip to the sides incised with floral decoration on impressed fish-roe ground (staining, star cracks).

 

 

A carved marble top altar table. Republic period. The pierced key fret apron set under a top fitted with discrete figured stone panels supported by beaded legs terminating in key fret embellished feet. 50 x 33 1/2 x 19 1/2in (127 x 85.2 x 49.5cm).

 

 

A huanghuali altar table. Late 20th century. The floating panel top fitted into a mitered, mortise and tenoned frame with upturned ends over a shaped, beaded apron joined to delicate legs carved with a sword-edge pattern and joined to paired oval stretchers. 33 3/4 x 59 3/4 x 16 3/8in (85.7 x 151.7 x 41.5cm).

 

 

 

A white jade snuff bottle, 1780-1860. Very well hollowed with a flat wide mouth and oval foot rim, the body carved in low relief with a figure carrying a jade chime with a ruyi, the other side with peaches and a bird. 2 1/4in (5.5cm) high.