A blue and white glaze and famille-rose enameled porcelain moon flask, Qianlong mark. 9 1/2in (24cm) high. Sold for $87,500; Est. 2,000-3,000. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. 

San Francisco—Bonhams Asian Decorative Arts auction on October 9 followed directly on the heels of the firm's Samurai auction which successfully concluded in the New York sales room the prior day. The San Francisco auction was a solid success, achieving a result of more than $2.15 million with 84% of the lots sold. The sale saw consistent results from strong bidding on the more than 500 lots which included many fresh to the market items from private collections and institutions.

The sale began with a bang as a number of jade items far surpassed their high estimates. The jades included a yellow jade pendent from the collection of General and Mrs. John K. Singlaub which had been acquired in China during the late 1940s. The pendent, which had not appeared on the market for nearly 70 years, sold for an astonishing $50,000. Other jade highlights included a group of three jade pendants which sold for $31,250 (est. $3,000-5,000).

A yellow jade pendant, Republic period or earlier. Of elongated toroid section supporting undercut fabulous beasts to either end, carved in stone of brownish yellow hue; suspended by a tassel adorned with a coral bead. 2 1/2in (6.4cm) long. Sold for $50,000; Est. 700-900. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. 

In the Chinese porcelain session, the highest price was achieved by a blue and white glazed famille rose enamelled moon flask, Qianlong mark, which was sold by the Portland Art Museum of Portland, Oregon, to benefit the Collection. The piece saw spirited bidding from attendants in the room, on the telephones and on the Bonhams online bidding platform. In the end, the moon flask achieved $87,500 (est. $2,000-3,000). Other porcelain highlights included a massive famille rose enamelled vase which sold for $61,250 and a Ming dynasty Longquan celadon charger which sold for $22,500 (est. $3,000-5,000).

A massive famille rose enameled vase, 20th century. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. Its waisted neck and elongated ovoid body painted in bright enamels with figural reserves of sages, warriors and the Eight immortals surrounded by flowering gourd vines set against an opaque yellow ground, the shoulder bearing a nine-character Qianlong mark that includes the cyclical datebing-yin (1746). 54 1/4in (138cm) high. Sold for US$ 61,250 (€45,149) inc. premium

A Longquan celadon charger, Ming dynasty. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. Thickly molded and summarily incised with a xiangcai pattern along the canted rim flange and a flowering branch across the floor of the well, the lustrous olive green glaze covering all surfaces except a cinnamon-burnt firing ring visible within the shallow recessed base (glaze abraded, tiny glaze chip). 15in (38cm) diameter. Sold for US$ 22,500 (€16,585) inc. premium

A gilt bronze figure of Amitayus from the Qianlong period, and inscribed 1770, rose to the top of the decorative session, selling for an impressive $56,250 (est. $3,000-5,000). The figure was preceded by a gilt bronze figure of Amitayus and a gilt bronze model of a Llama, each fetching $11,250.

A gilt bronze figure of Amitayus, Qianlong, dated by inscription to 1770. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. The crowned figure seated in dhyanasana on a rectangular plinth draped in front with a long cloth with a flower head at its center, with hands in dhyanamudra holding the vase attribute, the font on the plinth bearing the inscription Da Qing Qianlong gengyin nian jing zao, the figure framed by a flaming mandorla, separately cast and attached, the interior of the plinth with one seal reading bao (precious), an incised mark reading Wen X Ding and an additional incription in Suzhou numerals corresponding to 142. 8 1/4in (21cm) high. Sold for US$ 56,250 (€41,463) inc. premium

This example of a seated Amitayus, the Buddha of Eternal Life and Eternal Light (Ch. Wuliangshoufo) was one of the 10,000 commissioned by the Qianlong emperor in celebrate of his sixtieth birthday, as well as the birthday of the Empress Dowager. A similar figure complete with the vase attribute, was exhibited and published in Chang Foundation, Taipei, Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal, Taipei, 1993, no.21.

A gilt bronze model of a lama, 17th-18th century. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. Heavily cast to depict a slightly rotund figure attired in monk's robes and a tall pandita hat suspending long ear-flaps to either shoulder, his hands held at mid-chest in dharmachakramudra as he seats in the dhyanasana posture on a double lotus plinth, the drill holes in both shoulders meant to hold identifying attributes that are now lost (base re-soldered, wear to gilt). 6 1/2in (16.5cm) high. Property of a Private San Francisco Collection. Sold for US$ 11,250 (€8,292) inc. premium.  

The middle of the sale saw a number of strong results for Chinese furniture, including a blue and white porcelain inset floor screen which sold for $47,500, preceded by a set of mother of pearl inlaid furniture which fetched $37,500. An export hardwood console table and side chairs from the estate of Joseph A. Donohoe V of San Francisco sold for a notable $35,000. 

A large eight-panel mixed wood floor screen inset with blue and white plaques, 19th century. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. Each fold of the screen inset with horizontal and square plaques of beauties, scholars and soldiers separated by circular plaques of flower-filled vases amid One Hundred Antiques rendered in shades of brilliantly hued cobalt beneath a colorless glaze; the plaques set within in frames bordered by reticulated panels of gourd vines that repeat as the spandrels at the base of each fold (losses). 83 1/4 x 144in (211.5 x 365.7cm). Sold for US$ 47,500 (€35,014) inc. premium

An assembled set of hardwood furniture with marble and mother-of-pearl inlay, 20th century. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. Including a settee with mottled gray and white marble panels inset to the back and seat, the framing members inset with shou medallions, flowering and fruiting branches worked in mother-of-pearl that also accents the carved legs; a pair of arm chairs with similar inlay decoration to the frames surrounding the marble panels set into the back and seat; and a pair of two-tier side tables, each of square section with a mottled gray marble inset panel to each top. 43 1/4 x 74 x 25 1/4in (110 x 189 x 64cm) the settee; 40 1/2in (103cm) height of chairs; 31 1/4in (80cm) height of side tables. Sold for US$ 37,500 (€27,642) inc. premium

An export hardwood console table and side chairs, 19th century. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. The table constructed with a straight back and serpentine front, the top inset with a single rose marble panel inset and supported on four heavy cabriole legs with lion head crests and leaf scroll feet, the scalloped apron carved in high relief and reticulated with flowering branches that repeat on the stretcher between the two front legs, the table set upon a later wood plinth (wear, chips); the two side chairs with upholstered seats and backs carved with similar legs and reticulated aprons but the undercut crest on the top rail worked as two standing figures separated by reticulated grape vines (wear). 27 x 57 x 23in (68.5 x 144.4 x 58.5cm); table excluding plinth; 31 3/4 in (80.5cm) height of table including plinth; 1 1/2in (105.5cm) height of chairs. Property from the estate of Joseph A. Donohoe V, San Francisco, California. Sold for US$ 35,000 (€25,799) inc. premium

Chinese paintings continued to have a strong showing with a 19th century Chinese landscape painting, after the artist Zhao Mengfu, surging past its pre-sale estimate of $5,000-7,000. Multiple phone bidders vied for the work, and it finally sold for $35,000.

After Zhao Mengfu (19th century), Landscape. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. 

Handscroll, ink on silk; depicting various scholars and attendants in an idealized landscape populated with horses, birds, deer, and cranes, with eleven seals, preceded by a four-character title and bearing a signature reading Wang Ding, and two colophons variously bearing signatures reading Ke Jiusi and Wu Xi (wormage, losses, stains, creases). 17 1/2 x 291in (44.5 x 739.5cm). Sold for US$ 35,000 (€25,799) inc. premium

Snuff bottles were a staple of Bonhams' Asian auction with two notable bottles: a Canton enamelled bottle and a double gourd form porcelain bottle fetching $50,000 and $17,500, respectively.

A Canton enameled snuff bottle, Qianlong mark, Republic period. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams. Of compressed flask form with a visible copper mounts forming the lip on the waisted neck and the ovoid foot ring, the exterior walls enameled in the famille rose palette with quatrefoil reserves of flowering plants surrounded by scrolling lotus vines on a yellow ground, the recessed base bearing the four-character mark in blue enamel. 1 3/4in (4.5cm) high. Property of a Carmel Collection acquired in Japan prior to 1963. Sold for US$ 50,000 (€36,856) inc. premium

Concluding the sale was the Japanese session which was punctuated by a Japanese-style carved wood cabinet which fetched $10,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $1,000-2000, sold to benefit the Collection of the Portland Art Museum.

The Asian Art Department of Bonhams is currently accepting consignments for upcoming sales in San Francisco, New York and Hong Kong, with the next San Francisco sale taking place December 17-18.