The bowl first appeared at auction at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 1983. Photo: Sotheby's.

HONG KONG.- This morning Sotheby’s Hong Kong sold A Magnificent Ruby-Ground Falangcai “Double-Lotus” Bowl Blue Enamel Yuzhi Mark And Period Of Kangxi for a notable HK$74 million / US$9.5 million, to the preeminent Hong Kong Chinese ceramics dealer, William Chak of Chak’s Company Ltd. after a total of 11 bids, setting a World Auction Record For Qing Kangxi Porcelain. 

The bowl first appeared at auction at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 1983 at the 10th Anniversary sale and was purchased by Dr. Alice Cheng’s brother, the celebrated antique dealer and collector, Robert Chang, for HK$528,000 / US$67,692. In 1999 the bowl reappeared on the market and sold for HK$12 million / US$1.54 million. 

Nicolas Chow, Sotheby’s Asia Deputy Chairman and International Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, said, “At Sotheby’s invitation, Dr. Alice Cheng was persuaded to part with this magnificent Ruby-Ground Falangcai Bowl From The Period Of Kangxi to mark the year-long celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Sotheby’s Hong Kong. Setting a World Auction Record For Qing Kangxi Porcelain at today’s sale, the bowl lends special significance to this important occasion and we are pleased with the result.” 

Dr. Alice Cheng, a Shanghai-born business woman, grew up surrounded by fine objects. Her parents were celebrated antique dealers, in whose footsteps her brother Robert would later follow and build an illustrious career in the field of Chinese art. Over the last 15 years, Dr. Cheng has put together a formidable collection of imperial Chinese porcelain, including the example offered. 

The outstanding imperial falangcai ruby-ground “lotus bowl” with a blue enamel Kangxi yuzhi mark and of the period (1662-1722) is the only bowl recorded with this design. It represents one of the earliest pieces decorated in the newly introduced Western enamelling technique, yet already displays complete mastery of this complex new method of decoration.