Christie's. The Art of China: Winter Edition, 28 November - 5 December 2019
The Robert B. and Beatrice C. Mayer Family Collection of Chinese Pottery at Christie's, 28 November - 5 December 2019
Lot 1. Two pottery jars, Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220); 20 in. (50.9 cm.) high; 15 in. (38.1 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 1,500 - USD 2,500. Price Realised: USD 1,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The first jar with a compressed globular body, is molded on the sides with a pair of mask and ring handles, covered overall with a green-streaked amber glaze; the second jar is molded in relief with a band of mythical beasts and equestrian figures amongst rocks and clouds, covered overall in a green glaze.
Provenance: The first jar: Nagatani, Inc., Chicago, 1963.
The second jar: Joseph U. Seo Oriental Art Gallery, New York, 1962.
Lot 3. A painted grey pottery jar, hu, Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220); 187⁄8 in. (50.5 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 1,200 - USD 1,800. Price Realised: USD 2,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The vase is decorated in white and red slip with bands of scolling motifs, the shoulder applied with a pair of monster mask handles.
Provenance: Nagatani, Inc., Chicago, 1967.
Lot 11. A straw-glazed pottery figure of a soldier, Sui dynasty (AD 581-618); 91⁄2 in. (23.5 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 1,500 - USD 2,500. Price Realised: USD 1,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The figure is shown standing with the right hand raised and wearing an armored breastplate and over a tunic with flared cuffs.
Provenance: Hartman Trading Corp., New York, 1968.
Lot 2. An amber-glazed pottery jar, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 107⁄8 in. (27.5 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 1,000 - USD 1,500. Price Realised: USD 2,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The jar is covered on the upper body with an amber glaze that drips down to the lower body.
Lot 4. A straw-glazed pottery amphora, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 131⁄2 in. (33.8 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 2,000 - USD 3,000. Price Realised: USD 3,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The vase, with oviform body and slender neck, is flanked by a pair of dragon-head handles and covered with a glaze of pale greyish-green tone stopping in an irregular line above the shoulder exposing the whitish body.
Provenance: Nagatani, Inc., Chicago, 1965.
Lot 5. A sancai-glazed pottery amphora, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 141⁄2 (37 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 2,000 - USD 3,000. Price Realised: USD 3,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The vase is flanked by a pair of curved double-strap handles applied with bosses and terminating in dragon heads that bite the dish-shaped mouth, all splash-glazed in green, amber, cream and clear glazes that also cover the shoulder and end in an irregular line exposing the buff body.
Provenance: Nagatani, Inc., Chicago, 1975.
Lot 6. A brown-glazed pottery amphora, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 1141⁄2 in. (36.8 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 1,500 - USD 2,500. Price Realised: USD 2,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The vase is potted with ovoid body and a slightly flared neck, with a pair of curved handles applied with bosses and terminating in dragon heads that bite the dish-shaped mouth, covered with a mottled dark-brown glaze that stops mid-body.
Provenance: S.H. Mori, Chicago, 1966.
Lot 7. A large sancai-glazed pottery figure of a standing official, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 30 in. (76.3 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 2,000 - USD 3,000. Price Realised: USD 2,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The figure is shown standing on a pierced rock base, the hands clasped together under the long sleeves, covered in an amber glaze with splashes of green and cream, the face unglazed.
Provenance: Nagatani, Inc., Chicago, 1959.
Lot 8. A pair of blue and amber-glazed pottery figures of foreigners, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 91⁄2 in. (23.5 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 1,800 - USD 2,500. Price Realised: USD 1,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
Each figure is shown standing wearing an amber-glazed tunic with blue-glazed lapels, beneath the unglazed head.
Provenance: Nuri Farhadi, Inc., New York, 1958.
Lot 10. Two sancai-glazed pottery figures of officials, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 91⁄2 in. (23.5 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 3,000 - USD 5,000. Price Realised: USD 2,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
Each figure is modeled standing on a pierced rock base, with the hands held together at the waist, dressed in a broad sleeved robe that extends over and hanging over the toes of the high boots, one figure covered in mottled-green, cream and ochre glazes, the other is covered in amber, green and cream glazes, face unglazed.
Provenance: The first figure: Warren E. Cox Associates, New York, 1965.
The second figure: Spink & Son, Ltd., London, 1966.
Lot 13. A sancai-glazed pottery figure of a Bactrian camel, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 151⁄4 in. (38.7 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 2,000 - USD 3,000. Price Realised: USD 4,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The camel is molded standing foursquare on a rectangular base, the head slightly thrown back, with an oval blanket draped over its humps, covered overall in a mottled-brown glaze, with the forelegs, neck, tail and humps covered in a cream glaze, and the saddle cloth splashed with green, cream and brown glazes.
Provenance: Nagatani, Inc., Chicago, 1963.
Lot 15. A sancai-glazed pottery figure of a Bactrian camel, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 21 in. (53.4 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 4,000 - USD 6,000. Price Realised: USD 5,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The camel is modeled standing foursquare on a rectangular base with the head held high and the mouth open, with an oval blanket with a pleated border draped over its humps. The humps and mane are covered in an amber glaze, the saddle cloth covered in splashes of cream, ochre and green glazes, and the body and legs are straw-glazed, and highlighted with amber splashes.
Provenance: Spink & Son, Ltd., London, 1966.
Lot 19. A painted pottery figure of a horse, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 151⁄2 in. (39.5 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 2,000 - USD 4,000. Price Realised: USD 2,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The horse is shown standing foursquare on a rectangular base, with the head held straight and the mouth open, the flared saddle cloth and mane painted red.
Provenance: Nagatani, Inc., Chicago, 1965.
Lot 20. A sancai-glazed pottery figure of a standing official, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 26 in. (66 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 1,500 - USD 2,000. Price Realised: USD 1,125. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The figure is modeled standing on a pierced rock base, with the hands held together at the waist, the unglazed face with protruding lips, flared nostrils and bulging eyes conveying dramatic expression, wearing an official's hat with bird finial and a broad-sleeved robe that falls over the toes of the tall boots, the body covered in cream, green and amber glazes.
Provenance: Warren E. Cox Associates, New York, 1965.
Lot 21. A painted pottery figure of a prancing caparisoned horse, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 203⁄4 in. (52.8 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 2,000 - USD 4,000. Price Realised: USD 3,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The horse is shown standing on a rectangular base with its right foreleg raised, the mouth open and the ears pricked, the body caparisoned with a cloth-tied saddle and molded foliate appliqués.
Provenance: Nagatani, Inc., New York, 1964.
Lot 22. A large painted pottery figure of a soldier, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 33 in. (83.8 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 4,000 - USD 6,000. Price Realised: USD 3,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The figure is shown standing on the top of a rock base and wearing a helmet and breastplate over a short belted tunic and long underskirt, retaining areas of green, orange, red, white and black pigments.
Provenance: Hartman Trading Corp., New York, 1967.
Lot 25. A sancai-glazed pottery figure of a horse, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 213⁄4 in. (55 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 2,000 - USD 3,000. Price Realised: USD 5,625. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The figure is shown standing foursquare with the head turned slightly to the left, the saddle with green-glazed tassels and covered with an imitation saddle cloth.
Provenance: Nagatani, Inc., New York, 1964.
Lot 26. A sancai-glazed pottery figure of a horse, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 197⁄8 in. (50.5 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 1,200 - USD 1,800. Price Realised: USD 3,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The horse is shown standing foursquare on a rectangular base with the head turnined slightly to the left, covered in a straw glaze, the saddle and hooves glazed amber, and the saddlecloth bright green.
Provenance: Nagatani, Inc., Chicago, 1963.
Lot 27. A painted pottery figure of a horse, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 143⁄4 in. (37.5 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 2,000 - USD 3,000. Price Realised: USD 1,875. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
The horse is naturalistically modeled with the right leg raised and the mouth open, the long mane draped over its neck, with a blanket-draped saddle on its back.
Provenance: Nuri Farhadi, Inc., New York, acquired in the 1960s.
Lot 29. Two painted pottery figures of horses, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907); 143⁄4 in. (37.5 cm.) high. Estimate: USD - USD 2,500. Price Realised: USD 2,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019
Each horse is shown standing foursquare on a rectangular base with the head turned slightly to the left, with traces of black and red pigment on the saddle and the head.
Provenance: Frank Caro Co., New York, 1975.