Archives

Lot 60. A Very Rare And Magnificent Imperial Three-Colour Carved 'Nine Dragon' Lacquer Throne, Qianlong Period (1736-1795); 43 ¼ in. (111.1 cm.) high; 45 ½ in. (115.5 cm.) wide; 33 ¾ in. (85.7 cm.) deep. Estimate GBP 800,000 - GBP 1,200,000 (USD 1,046,400 - USD 1,569,600). Price realised GBP 6,108,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019. The throne is finely carved through the red lacquer to the ochre and dark green lacquer and has a stepped back separated into three vertical panels each... [Lire la suite]

NEW YORK  – Propelled by strong interest in antique and contemporary jewels from the houses of Bulgari, Tiffany & Co., Cartier and Harry Winston, as well as for highly impressive colored and white diamonds, Sotheby’s spring auctions of Magnificent Jewels and Fine Jewels concluded today in New York with a combined total of $21.5 million. Below is a look at some of the highlights that drove today’s sparkling results: MAGNIFICENT JEWELS Auction Total: $17.7 Million Gary Schuler, Chairman of Sotheby’s Jewelry Division, Americas... [Lire la suite]

The Okavango Blue. A rare fancy deep blue diamond, weighing 20.46 carats, was unveiled in Botswana on April 17, 2019. Image courtesy of Okavango Diamond Company. PRETORIA, South Africa - Okavango, the Botswana government–owned diamond seller that markets 15 percent of the country’s diamond production, has unveiled a 20.46 ct. blue stone, which it calls the largest blue diamond ever discovered in the country’s mines. The brilliant oval stone, christened the Okavango Blue, comes from a piece of 41.11 ct.... [Lire la suite]

Lot 3425. A russet jade pendant, huang, Eastern Zhou dynasty, Warring States period (475-221 BC); 12.4 cm, 4 7/8  in. Estimate 150,000 — 250,000 HKD. Lot sold 300,000 HKD (38,643 USD). Courtesy Sotheby's the arc-shaped pendant with crisp edges and bordered along the upper and lower edges with thin bands, both sides worked with spiralling scrollwork, the top of the arch and each end of the pendant pierced with an aperture, the stone of a variegated green colour accentuated... [Lire la suite]

Lot 3443. A celadon and russet jade figure of a beast, Shang dynasty (circa 1600-1046 BCE); 10.3 cm, 4 in. Estimate 350,000 — 450,000 HKD. Lot sold 350,000 HKD (45,084 USD). Courtesy Sotheby's depicted crouching on all fours and terminating in a long tapering tail curling upwards at the end, the muscular contours of the horned beast, possibly a stylised tiger, superbly rendered with rounded outlines, incised overall with double-line scrollwork, the prominent snout rendered... [Lire la suite]

Lot 3416. A celadon and russet jade figure of an owl, Shang dynasty; 3.5 cm, 1 3/8  in. Estimate 350,000 — 450,000 HKD. Lot sold 350,000 HKD (45,084 USD). Courtesy Sotheby's worked in the round and depicted standing on its feet with the head held high and accentuated with a pair of raised round eyes and sharp hooked beak, the breast rendered rounded and decorated with elaborate plumage, further portrayed with a pair of wings curving to the back of the figure above a... [Lire la suite]

Lot 3413. A Russet Jade 'Dragon' Pendant, Late Shang – early Western Zhou dynasty; 7 cm, 2 3/4  in. Estimate 40,000 — 60,000 HKD. Lot sold 375,000 HKD (48,304 USD). Courtesy Sotheby's  the flat stone cut and worked in the form of a stylised dragon in profile, its body incised with square scrolls terminating in a curled tail, the head turned to one side and detailed with almond-shaped eyes, scrolled horns and an upturned snout, perforated with a small aperture, the stone of... [Lire la suite]

Lot 3458. A pale celadon jade raft, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 17.7 cm, 7 in. Estimate 400,000 — 600,000 HKD. Lot sold 562,500 HKD (72,456 USD). Courtesy Sotheby's. worked in the form of a long sampan boat with a curved woven canopy, with a deer and a crane seated recumbent at the prow, the bird clutching a leafy spray of peaches in its beak, at the rear a figure standing in long robes and a straw hat beside a basket of flowers, the hands raised steering a long paddle... [Lire la suite]

Perseus and Andromeda (detail; 1730), Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Photo: Michael Bodycomb; courtesy Frick Collection, New York. NEW YORK - The Frick Collection will reunite a series of preparatory paintings and drawings related to Giambattista Tiepolo’s (1696–1770) first significant project outside of Venice, a series of ceiling frescoes for Palazzo Archinto in Milan, executed between 1730 and 1731. The paintings were commissioned by Count Carlo Archinto (1670–1732), whose family distinguished itself in the... [Lire la suite]

Lot 186. A pair of gem-set and enamelled bracelets (kara), North India, Rajasthan, mid-19th century; each: 7.6cm. diam. Estimate 6,000 — 8,000 GBP. Lot Sold 12,500 GBP (14,493 EUR). Courtesy Sotheby's. the terminals in the form of two confronting makaras, each with a hinge for opening to one side, gem-set on a blue enamel ground on the exterior, the interior with polychrome floral enameling. Sotheby's. Arts of the Islamic World including Fine Rugs and Carpets, London, 01 May 2019,... [Lire la suite]