The November 4 auction at I.M. Chait was the kind of sale that keeps collectors buzzing, with highly anticipated collections of monumental ivory carvings, Japanese bronzes and woodblock prints, white jade carvings, pre-Columbian figures, Russian and American paintings and magnificent jewels on the block.
The day’s top lot was a pair of Tiffany & Co. diamond stud earrings with GIA certified center gems of more than 1 carat each, surrounded by smaller diamonds, all set in platinum. They set the auction’s record at $39,000.
But this success paled in contrast to the results of two antique Chinese scrolls. One featured a bird on rockery amid cherry blossoms; the other a blooming plant and white butterfly. Both had inscriptions and seals. Moderately estimated at a high of $500, by the time the hammer fell and the applause erupted, the scrolls had made $4,575.
It was the final bidding war in a day marked by drama. The tenor had been set within the first 15 minutes of the sale when two lots of antique Kagamibuta netsuke doubled and tripled their estimates, making $1,200 and $2,400, respectively. As competition broke out for items from the single-owner and specialty collections, nearly every category produced unexpected stars.
In contrast, the marquee lots turned in respectable performances in line with their catalog estimates. The catalog cover lot, a monumental pair of elaborately carved phoenix standing in fields of intricately articulated peonies, made $24,000, midway between its estimate. A 7-foot-long carved ivory tusk bridge supporting a double level pagoda at its zenith commanded $22,000, also the midpoint of its estimate. A carved ivory set of the Eight Immortals, each standing about 10 inches tall, exceeded its high estimate when it made $14,400.
A meticulously carved pair of white jade table screens, each slightly more than 2 feet tall, with matching figural scenes of landscapes and waterfront pavilions, found its predicted market at $21,000.
Among the antique Chinese porcelains, a 20-inch-tall Qianlong jar with original cover and decorated with blue and white lotus blossoms and scrolling foliage fetched $18,300. A Ming dynasty “Fahua” jar, with navy and yellow glazes and featuring the Eight Immortals lounging amid waves and pine trees, was taken for $15,000.
When it came to the smaller collectibles, bidders turned up the heat.
Chinese ivory carvings drew intense interest. A carved chess set nearly doubled its estimate, playing out at $8,700. A group of three Chinese star gods of patinated ivory doubled their estimate at $6,900.
Of the white jades, a covered vase with an array of cranes and pines in high relief was hammered down at $6,600, topping its estimate.
Among the celadon jades, a pair of delicately carved perfumers with spinach jade covers went to the high bidder for $7,800.
Diminutive Chinese porcelains proved their desirability as well. A pair of Daoguang dragon bowls, in green and yellow and of the period, went for $5,185.
Japanese bronzes held their own, with a pair of cranes with silvered surfaces and colored details fetching $3,900. Among the swords, an antique Kiyokuni Naginata blade brought $6,600.
The pre-Colombian collection realized a high of $6,000, with a partially nude figure with raised arms and wearing an elaborate headdress.
A woodblock print by Hiroshi Yoshida, an ethereal skyscape, brought $4,800. A Russian harbor scene by David Burliuk, signed and dated 1959, commanded $4,575.
All prices include buyer’s premium. For information, www.chait.com or 800-775-5020.
