Lot 220. A fine small Chinese ruby-pink yanghong enamelled bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark within double circle (1723-1735). Est: £40,000-60,000. Photo: Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions.

NEWBURY.- Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions announced their Chinese Ceramics and Asian Works of Art Sale which will take place on Tuesday 15th November 10.00am at Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire. Estimates range from £100 to £40,000 and includes the Peter Arlidge Collection of Song Ceramics. 

Peter Arlidge, who describes himself as ‘an old-fashioned collector’, comes from a long line of potters and was the first son not to take up the profession. His interest in ceramics developed alongside his 50 year career in transport investment that made him resident in countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Many of the 50 lots that make up the collection carry attractive estimates. During his time in Malaysia in the 1960s Arlidge’s interest in Chinese ceramics peaked and when he later moved to Indonesia, he bought the first two pieces for what would become a much prized personal collection. Highlights from the Arlidge collection in the sale this November include an attractive Chinese ovoid jar and cover, possibly Qingbai, Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) (Lot 173, Est £800-1,200) and a Chinese carved Qingbai 'Boys' bowl, Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The bowl is freely carved to the interior depicting two boys amongst a lush ground of scrolling peonies. (Lot 187, Est £1,000-2,000). A very similar bowl sold in The Pilkington Collection of Chinese Art, Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, 6th April 2016, lot 81.  

 Lot 173: An attractive Chinese ovoid jar and cover, possibly Southern Song Dynasty. Estimate £800-1,200. Photo: Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions.

ncised and combed with a broad floral band above lappets, moulded foliate cover with floral knop, 17.5cm high

Provenance: The Peter Arlidge Collection, 1976-2014.

Lot 187: A moulded Qingbai 'Goose' bowl, Southern Song Dynasty or early Yuan Dynasty. Est £1,000-2,000. Photo: Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions.

of thinly potted conical form, decorated with a central medallion of a goose in flight, surrounded by radiating panels of baskets of Lotus flowers, beneath key-fret band, the rim left unglazed, 18.7cm diameter and with original Sotheby s sale catalogue (2) 

Provenance: Sotheby s, London, Lot 169, 15th April 1980 and then The Peter Arlidge Collection.

Also in the sale is a fine Chinese ruby-pink enameled bowl. The delicate bowl, approximately 11cm in diameter, is from a private collection where it was previously exhibited at Stockholm Museum ‘Te som konst’ (Tea Art) in 1996. The interior is painted with peach blossom in famille rose enamels, and the exterior is covered with a vibrant ruby-pink enamel in contrast to the white interior. It is complete with Yongcheng six-character mark within double circle and is estimated at £40,000-60,000 (Lot 220). 

 Lot 220. A fine small Chinese ruby-pink yanghong enamelled bowl, Yongzheng six-character mark within double circle. Est: £40,000-60,000. Photo: Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions.

with rounded sides rising to the slightly everted rim, the interior painted with peach blossom in famille rose enamels, and the exterior is covered with a vibrant ruby-pink enamel in contrast to the white interior, approximately 11cm diameter.

the exterior is covered with a vibrant ruby-pink enamel in contrast to the white interior, approximately 11cm diameter Provenance: Private collection and exhibited at Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, Te som konst (Tea Art), loaned 16th March to 18th August 1996. 

Although the original collector's name is not disclosed, he was well known as a connoisseur having formed a study collection acquired both in London and Sweden. His advice is said to have been of great help to many of the members of the Kinaklubben (The China Club) which included the Swedish Crown Prince Gustav Adolf, Emil Hultmark and Carl Kempe. 

For a similarly decorated pair of tea bowls see, Qing Imperial Monochromes: The Zande Lou Collection, Fan, George. et al, published Hong Kong, 2005, no.16, described as having paper- thin bodies and the centres painted with flower heads. The author further notes that pieces with a floral design to the centre are rare. Variations of the yanghong ( Western Red ) rose-red range of coloured enamels were favoured by the Qing Court and introduced with falangcai (enamel colours) from Europe. This type of low-fired glaze was derived from colloidal gold and has variations of bright pink, purplish red and rose pink and is mentioned in Tang Ying s famous Taocheng jishi bei ji, Commemorative Stele on Ceramic Production, of 1735, where they are referred to as Western red-glazed wares. The rose-pink is perhaps the most striking colour among the yangcai wares. 

We believe with all these bowls the foot rim was ground down at the time it was made, after it had been glazed. We understand the foot rim was generally polished a little bit at the time of making, otherwise there would be traces of pink enamel left on the foot rim. The foot rim may well be in original condition but we leave it to buyers to determine.

Elsewhere in the sale, two key items from the Pen Moel estate, the country house near Chepstow, owned by Sir Holbart Waring 1st Baronet, CBE, FRCS (1866-1953). Sir Holbart was a surgeon at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, Vice-Chancellor of the University of London from 1922-24 and President of the Royal College of Surgeons (1932-35). A large, cast bronze sectional incense burner and cover that stands just under two metres tall is a standout piece. The burner is beautifully decorated, with panels of birds amid the branches of an oak tree on one side of the main body and Gigaku dancers on a stage on the reverse. The piece is from the Meiji-Taisho Period and is estimated at £4,000-6,000 (Lot 349). A set of nine Indian gouaches of a Hindu Festival School, circa 1820, thought possibly to be by the celebrated Patna artist Sewar Ram, serve as an additional highlight from the Pen Moel consignment. These were originally presented to the vendor's grandfather, Sir Holburt Jacob Waring, 1st Bart., by Sir Baber Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, 1888-1960, second son of Maharaja Chandra Shamsher Rana, hereditary Prime Minister of Nepal (Lot, 298, Est. £4,000-8,000).  

Another beautiful piece is a Chinese Imperial yellow embroidered silk throne seat cushion cover from the late Qing Dynasty (pictured). The centre is worked with an earlier 18th century gold thread and is adorned with a five-clawed Imperial dragon surrounded with brightly coloured embroidered flowers, bats and scrolling foliage in tones of blue. This exquisite piece has provenance from an Italian family whose grandfather was stationed in China during the early 1900’s (Lot 141, Est £1,500-2,500).

Lot 141. A Chinese Imperial yellow embroidered silk throne seat cushion cover , late Qing Dynasty. Est £1,500-2,500. Photo: Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions.

the centre worked with an earlier 18th century gold thread five-clawed Imperial dragon facing forward with a flaming pearl below, the later borders covered with brightly coloured embroidered flowers and bats and scrolling foliage in tones of blue, lined with a yellow cloud pattern silk, approximately 78cm high x 95cm wide

Provenance: From an Italian family whose grandfather was stationed in China during the early 1900 s.