This Week’s Top Lots: September 14 – 18

Editorial Staff Art

*  The first of several Asian art auctions kicked off this week with the Arthur M. Sackler collection sale at Christie’s New York on September 14, which totaled $3.2 million with 111 of 115 lots sold. The top lot was a 12th-11th century BC bronze ritual vessel that sold for $362,500 (estimate $20,000-30,000). Other top lots were a Qing Dynasty black and white jade pendant that sold for $128,500 (estimate $20,000-30,000), and a pair of Huanghuali square waisted corner leg tables, and a greenish white and brown carved jade mountain that each sold for $92,500 (estimates $20,000-30,000).

*  At Christie’s New York on September 15 the sale of Chinese ceramics and works of art totaled $20.6 million with 291 of 351 lots sold. The top lot was a 1778 imperial zitan stand and cover that sold for $1.4 million (estimate $20,000-30,000). Other top lots were a Yuan/early Ming Dynasty Junyao tripod bowl that sold for $1.2 million (estimate $300,000-500,000), and a pair of Daoguang familie rose vases that sold for $902,500 (estimates $60,000-80,000).

*  On September 16 the sale of Chinese furniture, works of art, and carpets from the Arthur M. Sackler collection at Sotheby’s New York totaled $4.6 million with 82 of 86 lots sold. The top lot was a pair of huanghuali compound cabinets and two-drawer stands that sold for over $1 million (estimate $120,000-180,000). Several other pieces of huanghuali furniture sold well above estimate including a display cabinet that sold for $338,500 (estimate $25,000-35,000), a pair of square-corner cabinets that sold for $332,500 (estimate $70,000-90,000), a daybed that sold for $326,500 (estimate $80,000-120,000), and a low table that sold for $194,500 (estimate $8,000-12,000).

*  Also at Sotheby’s New York on September 16 the sale of Chinese ceramics and works of art totaled $10.9 million with 146 of 195 lots sold. The top lot was a Qianlong large celadon vase and cover that sold for $926,500 (estimate $250,000-300,000). Other top lots were a Jiaqing period famille rose lantern shape vase that sold for $902,500 (estimate $250,000-350,000), and Lin Fengmian’s A Series of Sets (Lian Huan Tao) that sold for $818,500 (estimate $90,000-120,000).

The top lot at the sale of Japanese works of art at Bonhams New York on September 16 was an 18th century gilt lacquer Amida triad that sold for $158,000 (estimate $150,000-250,000). On the same day, the top lot of the sale of netsuke and sagemono from the Bluette H. Kirchhoff collection was a boxwood netsuke of Rashomon by Ouchi Sosui that sold for $67,100 (estimate $15,000-18,000), and a wood netsuke of two octopi by Ikkyu that sold for $54,900 (estimate $20,000-30,000), and wood netsuke of a workman with rice bale by Morita Soko that sold for $54,900 (estimate $18,000-20,000).

*  The September 16 sale of Indian and Southeast Asian art at Christie’s New York totaled $3.4 million with 112 of 184 lots sold. The top lot was a set of seven thangkas depicting the Great Fifth Dalai Lama and his lineage that sold for $566,500 (estimate $250,000-350,000). Other top sales were a 16th century bronze figure of Atisha that sold for $242,500 (estimate $250,000-350,000), and a 19th century gilt bronze figure of Queen Maya that sold for $170,500 (estimate $40,000-60,000). On the same day, the sale of South Asian Modern and Contemporary art totaled $6.2 million with 63 of 100 lots sold. The top lot was Tyeb Mehta’s Mahishasura that sold for $1.2 million (estimate $600,000-800,000). Also notable were Tyeb Mehta’s Two Figures that sold for $926,500 ($600,000-800,000), and Jitish Kallat’s Dawn Chorus – 7 that sold for $386,500 (estimate $80,000-100,000)—an auction record for the artist.

*  At Christie’s New York on September 17 the sale of Japanese and Korean art totaled $2.9 million with 89 of 156 lots sold. The top lot was a Southern Song/Yuan Dynasty “O-Meibutsu” stoneware tea-leaf storage jar that sold for $662,500 (estimate $100,000-150,000).

*  The sale of South Asian modern and contemporary art at Sotheby’s New York on September 17 totaled $3.7 million. The top lot was Vasudeo Gaitonde’s Untitled that sold for $602,500 (estimate $400,000-600,000). Other top lots were Maqbool Fida Husain’s Bewildered Brown that sold for $338,500 (estimate $80,000-120,000), and Tyeb Mehta’s And Behind Me Desolation that sold for $350,500 (estimate $250,000-350,000).

* The September 17 sale of prints at Christie’s London totaled £1.8 million. The top lot was a Woll fifth state edition of Madonna by Edvard Munch that sold for £217,250 (estimate £200,000-300,000).

Image: Gui (ritual food vessel), early western Zhou Dynasty. Courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd, 2009; Pair of cabinets, 17th century. Courtesy of Sotheby’s;Rashomon netsuke by Ouchi Sosui. Courtesy of BonhamsMahishasura by Tyeb Mehta, 1994. Courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd, 2009.

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