A fine and very rare carved copper-red-decorated ‘dragon’ meiping, Yongzheng six-character mark within double-circles and of the period (1723-1735); 35.5 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 78,125,000/US$10,042,508 (Estimate HKD 65,000,000 – HKD 80,000,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

HONG KONG.- Christie’s Asian Art Spring live auctions in Hong Kong spanning Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art and Chinese Paintings achieved a sale total of HK$547,464,440 / US$70,460,753. Across the sales, the packed saleroom witnessed intense and enthusiastic bidding as collectors responded to the meticulously curated selection of rare and important objects with exceptional provenance. Christie’s continues to steward the world’s most prestigious single-owner collections, achieving exceptional results for the dedicated sale ‘The Ten Perfection - Qing Imperial Ceramics from the Wang Xing Lou Collection’, which was 100% sold and totalled HK$122,704,000 / US$15,772,875; and numerous esteemed single-owner collections of Chinese Paintings were also 100% sold. The Asian Art categories continue to resonate with a younger generation – millennials accounted for 40% of all new buyers to the sales.

CHRISTIE’S HONG KONG | ASIAN ART LIVE AUCTIONS OVERVIEW
Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art | 30 May
Spring Live Sales Total: HK$265,143,700 / US$34,082,658

• Curation achieved 117% hammer against the low estimate, with 44% of lots surpassing high estimates

• An influx of new buyers to the category with a 70% increase in new buyers compared to Spring 2023

• Number of in-room bidders increased by 48% versus Spring 2023, with overwhelming onsite participation

Single-Owner Sale of the Wang Xing Lou Collection Totalled: HK$122,704,000 / US$15,772,875

• Museum-quality Qing imperial masterpieces 100% sold; 127% over low estimate

• New and younger buyers enticed: a quarter of buyers were new to Christie’s, and half of those were millennials

On 30 May, Christie’s Hong Kong’s Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Department presented two live auctions which realised a combined sale total of HK$265,143,700 / US$34,082,658. The saleroom was full for the dedicated auction of The Ten Perfections - Qing Imperial Ceramics from the Wang Xing Lou Collection, with competitive bidding for all of the museum-quality pieces offered. A fine and very rare carved copper-red-decorated ‘dragon’ meiping became the top lot of the sale and the entire Spring Season across all categories when it realised HK$78,125,000 / US$10,042,508.

Lot 2705. A fine and very rare carved copper-red-decorated ‘dragon’ meiping, Yongzheng six-character mark within double-circles and of the period (1723-1735); 35.5 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 78,125,000/US$10,042,508 (Estimate HKD 65,000,000 – HKD 80,000,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Collection of Mary J. Morgan (1823–1885), New York
Sold at The American Art Association, New York, The Art Collection formed by the late Mrs. Mary J. Morgan, 9 March 1886, lot 538 (fig. 1)
Sold at Christie’s New York, 28 March 1996, lot 385

Literature: Ye Peilan and J. Thompson, Imperial Perfection: The Palace Porcelain of Three Chinese Emperors, Kangxi- Yongzheng- Qianlong, A Selection from The Wang Xing Lou Collection, Hong Kong, 2004, pp. 76-77, no. 24
The Oriental Ceramic Society, Collectors, Curators, Connoisseurs: A Century of the Oriental Ceramic Society 1921-2021, London, 2021, pp. 252-253, no. 96
 

Exhibited: New York, The American Art Galleries, The Art Collection formed by the late Mrs. Mary J. Morgan, 12 February- 3 March 1886
On loan to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2003-2020
London, Brunei Gallery, SOAS University of London, Collectors, Curators, Connoisseurs: A Century of the Oriental Ceramic Society 1921-2021, 15 October-11 December 2021

Note: A nearly identical example with a Yongzheng mark has appeared at auction, formerly in the collection of Stephen Junkunc III (d. 1978), was sold at Christie’s New York, 21 September 1995, lot 225 (fig. 2). Another related meiping bearing a Yongzheng mark, whose shape closely follows the Ming dynasty prototypes and is more similar to the one preserved in Taipei National Palace Museum, formerly in the collection of Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge and The British Rail Pension Fund, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 April 2001, lot 602.

Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art was headlined by a pair of important and extremely rare huanghuali yoke-back armchairs, which achieved HK$18,525,000 / US$2,381,279, and a rare white-glazed meiping sold for HK$8,820,000 / US$1,133,759, more than 14 times its low estimate.

Lot 2916. A pair of important and extremely rare huanghuali yoke-back armchairs, sichutouguanmaoyi, 17th century; 119.4 cm high, 64.7 cm wide, 48.2 cm deep. Price realised HKD 18,525,000/US$2,381,279 (Estimate HKD 10,000,000 – HKD 15,000,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: The Gangolf Geis Collection of Fine Classical Chinese Furniture
Sold at Christie’s New York, 18 September 2003, lot 38 (cover lot, fig.1)

Note: The yoke-back armchairs are constructed of fine huanghuali, each ‘official’s hat’ toprail with strongly swept-back ends supported on round corner posts which continue through to the back legs. The well matched backsplats are flanked at the sides by openwork ruyi-scroll flanges, pierced and exquisitely carved in deep and layered technique from both sides with a ruyi-shaped cartouche enclosing auspicious emblems surrounding a lion on one and a spotted deer on the other. The out-scrolled arms supported on sinuous tapering stiles and curved front posts with beaded cloud spandrels continue through the rectangular frame of the soft mat seat to form the front legs, which joined in front by beaded scrolling aprons and long flange spandrels carved with dragons, lotus buds, ruyi and clouds, with similarly carved aprons and spandrels on all four sides, and with a shaped footrest and stepped stretchers, each with a curvilinear apron carved with dragon heads or leafy tendrils .

Lot 2848. A rare white-glazed meiping, Sui dynasty (581-618); 33.6 cm high, box. Price realised HKD 8,820,000 (Estimate HKD 600,000 – HKD 800,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Warren E. Cox, New York, by repute
Frederick Agassiz Prince collection (d. 1950), Boston, and thence by descent within the family, by repute
An American private collection, Boston, purchased in 2009.

Note: It is extremely rare to find Sui dynasty white ware of this form and size, as this type of ware is more commonly found in cups and smaller jars.

A nearly identical meiping is preserved at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, object number B60P155. A similarly shaped jar with a wider mouth from the Sui dynasty is preserved in the Beijing Palace Museum, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Porcelain of Jin and Tang Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2016, p. 64, no.58. A closely related meiping from Tang dynasty with a more exaggerated lower body and smaller lipped mouth, is preserved in the Beijing Palace Museum, collection number xin-00136908.

Compare to an almost identical Sui dynasty white-glazed meiping, sold at Tokyo Chuo Auction, 10 September 2022, lot 481. Compare also to a Sui dynasty white-glazed jar and cover with a taller and more slender body, formerly with J. J. Lally & Co., sold at Bonhams New York, 20 March 2023, lot 10.

Chinese Paintings | 31 May – 1 June
Spring Live Sale Total: HK$282,320,740 / US$36,335,752

• Spirited bidding across two days of sales resulted in 118% hammer over low estimate, and close to half of lots sold over the high estimates

• Influx of new and younger buyers: close to a quarter of buyers were new, 45% of new buyers were millennials

• Online engagement went viral, with a 78% increase in spending online

From 31 May – 1 June, Christie’s Hong Kong Chinese Paintings Department presented two live auctions which realised a combined sale total of HK$282,320,740 / US$36,335,752. Fine Chinese Modern and Contemporary Ink Paintings was led by Qi Baishi’s Countryside Pleasures, which achieved HK$14,290,000 / US$1,839,177, and Lin Fengmian’s The Four Beauties more than doubled its low estimate, totalling HK$8,820,000 / US$1,135,168. 

Lot 1154. Qi Baishi (1863-1957), Countryside Pleasures. An album of twenty four leaves, mounted and framed, ink / ink and colour on paper. Each leaf measures approximately 34 x 34 cm. Twenty leaves inscribed and signed, four leaves signed, with a total of twenty-six seals of the artist. Dedicated to Lin Feng. Price realised HK$14,290,000 / US$1,839,177 (Estimate HKD 10,000,000 – HKD 15,000,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Sotheby’s New York, Fine Chinese Paintings, 5 December 1984, Lot 92.

Note: Qi Baishi had never stopped developing his painting skills even after his sixties and had kept gaining widespread recognition in Beijing and across China. After 1949, Qi Baishi was honoured as a national artist by the government, leading to increased support and acknowledgment in both life and art. His creativity flourished, reaching new heights in his nineties and his works from this period are highly celebrated by collectors.
The album with the quantity of twenty-four leaves is seldom seen in both public and private collections, not to mention the inscription of “Qi Baishi at Ninety-Four” in twenty of the pages, showing the dating of 1954. In the significant year of 1954, Qi Baishi had his exhibition held in Beijing by the China Artists Association in April, followed by his election of National People’s Congress by Hunan Province in August, cementing his reputation and confidence as an esteemed painter.
Ranging from landscapes to various themes like flowers, fruits, and animals, which are the most celebrated themes painted by Qi Baishi, the present album with twenty-four leaves showcased the artist’s versatile artistic repertoire. Despite creating this album at the age of ninety-four, his vigorous spirit can be seen in the confident and masterful brushstrokes, vibrant colour, and the superb technique.
The album was dedicated to Lin Feng (1906-1977), a prominent political figure also known as Zheng Yongxiao. Born in Wangkui, Heilongjiang Province, Lin Feng joined the underground Chinese Communist Party during his early years. After 1949, he worked in the Northeast of China and in Beijing as the Deputy Minister of the second and third National People’s Congress and the President of the Central Party School of the Chinese Communist Party. Lin Feng’s former residence was turned into a memorial hall in Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province. The album was sold in a New York auction in 1984, and has been in the present owner’s collection since then.

Lot 1067. From the Collection of Dr Wong Chun Bong. Lin Fengmian (1900-1991), The Four Beauties. Scroll, mounted and framed, ink and colour on paper, 69 x 69 cm. (27 1/8 x 27 1/8 in.). Inscribed and signed, with one seal of the artist. Dedicated to Zhenbang (Dr. Wong Chun Bong). Price realised HK$8,820,000 / US$1,135,168 (Estimate HKD 4,000,000 – HKD 6,000,000). © Christie's Images Ltd 2024.

Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist, thence by descent.

Note: Dr. Wong Chun Bong (Dr. C B Wong, 1942-2019) was a registered general practitioner in Hong Kong who graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1968 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Wong treated patients at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital and St. Paul’s Hospital. The local community highly regarded Dr. Wong for his superb medical skills and generous personality. Outside of his profession as a medical doctor, Dr. Wong was an enthusiast in sports, travel, and Chinese opera. Dr. Wong was also very committed to philanthropy, providing free medical services to people with needs. In 1970, Dr. Wong married Ms Leung Kwok Ping Lois. The two were together for 49 years and exemplified an excellent example of a happy marriage and partnership in the eyes of their friends and family.
Dr. Wong acquired the two Lin Fengmian paintings (Lot 1066 and 1067) directly from the artist in 1980. In 1973, he travelled to Thailand and met Dr. Ling Po, a fellow medical professional. The two quickly formed a strong friendship that would endure for many decades, extending to their families (fig).

Dr. Ling Po, a native of Meizhou, was a cousin of Lin Fengmian. In 1977, when Lin Fengmian was granted permission to leave China to visit his family, he eventually settled in Hong Kong and was in urgent need of financial support. Through Dr. Ling’s introduction, Dr. Wong had the opportunity to meet the artist and commissioned two paintings of any subject matter of the artist’s choice. In 1980, Lin Fengmian completed the two paintings and dedicated them to Dr. Wong on the inscription, a rare practice by the artist as a gesture of gratitude.
One of the paintings, The Four Beauties, is an exceptional composition seldom seen in private or public art collections. Lin expertly applied soothing pastel hues on the four beauties, contrasting the figures with a darker background. The other painting, Goose Flying Over Lotus Pond combines two of Lin’s well-versed subjects. It portrays geese flying over an expansive landscape against a vibrant backdrop of a lotus pond adorned with lush green lotus leaves. These two paintings were displayed at Dr. Wong’s residence for over four decades and now belong to Mrs Wong since Dr. Wong’s passing in 2019.