Cowan’s Asian art auction on July 27 realized $1,277,538 and saw participation from more than 400 people in 16 different countries that bid on the telephone, online and in the salesroom for the 430 lots.
“I was especially pleased with the energetic response to the auction from our Chinese collectors,” said Graydon Sikes, Cowan’s director of Asian art. “We had several important collections in the sale and the results were exceptional. We will continue to vet material aggressively and maintain this high standard.”
The top selling lot was a pair of important Kangxi chargers, which attained $274,500. A pair of these chargers is listed in the illustrated catalog of the Tokyo National Museum, Chinese Ceramics, Volume 2 , 1990. Coming in second only to the chargers was a Ming period bronze Guanyin, which exceeded its high estimate more than tenfold to achieve $72,000.
A Northern Chi-style Buddha realized $51,000. This Buddha, possibly Fourth Century, is carved seated with jeweled regalia and flanked by two attendants.
Libation cups performed well, with a Seventeenth Century rhinoceros horn example selling for $48,000 and a Chinese Yuan period/Ming period libation cup realizing $26,400.
Jadeite items also did particularly well, led by a jadeite lidded vase that achieved $55,200, a Chinese jade bracelet and pendant for $26,400, a Chinese jadeite snuff bottle that realized $12,000 and an archaistic jadeite vase at $4,200.
Chinese Export silver also had a strong showing. A Chinese Export silver presentation bowl with dragons sold for $10,800, while two Chinese Export silver teapots went out at $4,200 and $3,900.
Additional noteworthy lots in the sale were a bamboo brush pot, which realized $36,000, and an important collection of Chinese incense clocks, which took $20,400. An Eighteenth Century ivory brush pot fetched $18,000 and a Kangxi beehive water pot brought the same price.
All prices reported include the buyer’s premium.
For more information, www.cowans.com or 513-871-1670.
