The 2012 Autumn Auction of China Guardian ended on Oct 31st in Beijing, accumulating 1.74 billion yuan after four days of bidding. The sales cover categories of Chinese painting and calligraphy, porcelain, works of art and furniture, Chinese oil paintings and sculptures, rare books, rubbings and manuscripts, as well as jadeite, jewelry and watches.
The first China Guardian sale in Hong Kong was concluded on Oct 7, taking in 455 million Hong Kong dollars.
According to the auction house, its Stamps and Covers, Coins and Banknotes Auctions this autumn will open to the public for presale viewing from November 24 to 25, and the sale will start from November 26 to 28 in the Beijing International Hotel.
"To satisfy the demands from the market, our company has launched many well-planned themed auctions, which are well-received,” said Wang Yannan, the Director and President of the China Guardian.
"The market demands are strong and the result is within our estimates. As the market indicated, the sale result has infused the artwork market with confidence this autumn. The market is in steady development. ” Wang added.
The total turnover of the Chinese ancient painting and calligraphy section topped 1.1 billion yuan.
Fuchun Mountain After Huang Gongwang
Fuchun Mountain After Huang Gongwang, a classical Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) painting from artist Dong Qichang, was sold for 62.67 million yuan after a heated race, a new sale record for Dong Qichang's works; Temple in Cloudy Mountain from imperial painter Zhang Zongcang living in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) went for 39.67 million yuan; Calligraphy in Running Script by Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty realized 23 million yuan; anonymous painting Leisure in Royal Garden from an imperial artist in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) sold for 18.17 million yuan; Ming piece Green Landscape After Song Master by Lan Ying was bought for 14.95 million yuan, a value that is seven times the estimate; Landscape After Wang Meng by Ming painter Song Xu went for 13.22 million yuan.
In the section of Modern Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, Album of Flowers and Landscape by Zhang Daqian went for 25.3 million yuan; The View of The Xuan Wu Lake by Fu Baoshi fetched 20.7 million yuan although its estimated value was 2.8 million yuan; Auspicious Flowers by Qi Baishi made at the age of 87 went for 18.4 million yuan; Blue Landscape by Zhang Daqian realized 21.85 million yuan. In addition, Landscape of Guizhou by Qian Songyuan realized 8.63 million yuan, reaching a record high among all his works going under the hammer. In contemporary painting section, Testing Tea Under the Trees by Wang Mingming went for 5.18 million yuan, and Nature S3 by Lou Zhenggang was sold for 5.75 million yuan.
A Rare Famille-rose and Gold Lines Figure of Amitayus Buddha
In the Porcelain, Works of Art and Furniture category, sales totaled 388 million yuan.
The spotlighted top grade cultural relic in China, Imperial Jade-hiled Ceremonial Sabre and Scabbard made in the period of Emperor Qianlong, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), realized 48.3 million yuan; A Rare Famille-rose and Gold Lines Figure of Amitayus Buddha, an imperial treasure during the reign of Emperor Qianlong went for 10.8 million yuan.
At the auction entitled Pristine Reflection: Classic Chinese Furniture of Ming and Qing Dynasties, sales reached 68.42 million yuan. As the focus of the auction, Huanghuali High Brazier Stand from Ming period fetched 6.9 million yuan. While for Hall of Beauty-Jewelry and Replica of Qing Court Furniture Donated by Madam Chen Lihua, the total sales were 27.94 million yuan. All the revenue from the auction was donated by Ms. Chen to Beijing Zitan Cultural Foundation, in an effort to promote the Foundation’s undertakings for the public welfare.
Within the modern and contemporary works of art section, a Shoushan Tianhuang Stone Carving, 394 grams in weight, was sold for 4.37 million yuan; A Pair of Shoushan Furong Stone Seals with Beast Knob carved by Wu Rangzhi fetched 3.45 million yuan; Spring Trip, Colour-Glazed Porcelain Plaque, a ceramic piece by Li Jusheng went for over 4 million yuan; Flat Belly Pot, a boccaro teapot piece by Gu Jingzhou realized 5.98 million yuan, topping the price of all other boccaro teapot lots; Three Friends Shared Blessing Pot by Wang Yinxian went for 5.3 million yuan, reaching a record high among all the lots’ prices from the artist; A Pair of Jin Ge Pots by Gao Zhenyu brought 2.53 million yuan, setting a record among the artist’s pieces coming under the hammer.
Watching the Waterfall
In the Chinese Oil Paintings and Sculptures section, the combined sales from four sessions totaled 120 million yuan. Sinology Research Institute by oil painter Chen Danqing brought 20.7 million yuan, topping all other pieces of the kind; There Are Winds Stroking Over the Shoulders by painter Ai Xuan was sold for over 4 million yuan; a landscape piece entitled Watching the Waterfall by Li Tiefu in the 1930s realized7.82 million yuan.
The debut of Nudity session got recognition from the market. For example, a canvass oil painting entitled Lady and Cat by Yang Feiyun went for 6.9 million yuan, according to China Guardian.
In the premiere session of Inspiration-Art and Design, Charm of the Dragon-Special Edition Piano for the Chinese Year of Ren Chen designed by Tian Jiaqing was bought by a telephone bidder for 6.9 million yuan.
The sales of Rare Books and Manuscripts reached 98.4 million yuan. As one of the top grade cultural relics in China, Ti Song Ban Tong Jian Zong Lei from Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), 18 volumes in total, was sold for 13.8 million yuan, the highest among all lots of the kind. In the section of letters of the modern literati, Letters From Zhou Zuoren to Bao Yaoming topped all other items of the kind, realizing 4.43 million yuan. A photography album about China Yingzao Xueshe society’s scientific research of ancient buildings went for 4.025 million yuan.
In the session of Treasure of Yimeian—70 years' collection by Mr. and Ms. Luo of China Guardian’s autumn sale, the most notable piece—A Seal Engraved by Fu Baoshi —brought 2.82 million yuan; in Treasures from the Yuan Yu Xuan Collcetion, Wu Deng Hui Yuan (from volume 6 to volume 10), one of the top grade cultural relics, and a rare book made by Shi Puji in 1252 of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) was sold for 10.12 million yuan.
While within the category of Jadeite, Jewelry and Watches, one Patek Philippe wristwatch (model 5131) fetched 747 thousand yuan; another green emerald bracelet was sold for 2.53 million yuan.