This autumn is a harvest season for China Guardian customers, and the 49th China Guardian Quarterly Auctions, a three day event, has been a great success. A total of 12 special auctions including about 5,000 collections of Chinese paintings and calligraphy, porcelain and works of art, old Japanese iron teapots and furniture, and rare books and other categories have been sold for 115 million yuan. Collectors have gained a few favorite collections, as well as had fun in auctioning.
As the largest and most authoritative offline trading platform of China’s art market, the Guardian Quarterly Auctions is a leading player in medium-sized auction market, as well as the auction platform with the most extensive mass base. Director and president of China Guardian Hu Yanyan said the Guardian Quarterly Auctions was a popular brand in art auction market.
“We have always maintained the lead as we adapt to the market,” she said.
“The 49th China Guardian Quarterly Auctions has had a 10 percent year-on-year growth.”
The 49th China Guardian Quarterly Auctions.
Chinese painting and calligraphy: small pieces contain great value
The China Guardian Quarterly Auctions endeavor to select general works of maters and masterpieces of less famous talents. General works of paintings and calligraphy can fully demonstrate artists’ free and easy nature. Paintings or calligraphy work of one to two square feet (about 929-1858cm2) have features of easy display, elegance and freshness, which is suitable for both senior and new collectors.
The auction has five special sessions of Chinese paintings and calligraphy works. A total of 1,824 pieces of works are divided into modern, classical and contemporary parts. Modern part includes works of Qi Baishi, Zhang Daqian, Xu Beihong, Li Keran, Huang Binhong and Wu Changshuo, as well as masterpieces of less famous artists. In order to better showcase the artistic value, we have set several special themes, such as “Paintings about Sichuan province and Chongqing city”, “Modern Chinese paintings and calligraphy” and “Master pieces by modern Chinese paintings and calligraphy artists”. All of these have deepened the understanding towards artists and their works, excavated the intrinsic artistic value and provided a novel open perspective. Works of Huang Zhou, Zhang Daqian and Qi Gong, or even works with estimated prices of several thousand yuan, all have been proved to be a great success.
476
Du Ziling
Character
211×358cm
Price Realized: RMB 1,265,000
59
Wang Mingming
Character and Landscape
68×136cm
Price Realized: RMB 425,500
308
Zhang Daqian
Lotus
37×41cm
Price Realized: RMB 517,500
47
Huang Zhou
Donkeys?
69×46cm?
Price Realized: RMB 517,500
366
Jiang Youqiao
Landscape
136×53cm
Price Realized: RMB 92,000
The unique historical value and rich cultural connotation of ancient paintings and calligraphy works have been recognized by more and more collectors. The scarcity has also decided their important position in the art market. A total of 800 classical Chinese paintings and calligraphy works – including works of Qiu Ying, Ni Zan, Wen Zhengming and some anonymous artists – were divided into two parts. The works by anonymous artists have gained more popularity, indicating collectors now highly praise artistic value rather than fame. Items of several auction themes have all been sold out.
1348
Anonymous
Shakyamuni Buddha
86×41cm
Price Realized: RMB 333,500
1539
Ni Zan
Landscape
50×40cm
Price Realized: RMB 977,500
1145
Qiu Ying
Character and Landscape
34×849cm?
Price Realized: RMB 1,437,500
Porcelain and works of art: small objects bring great fun
With a growing emphasis on the quality of life nowadays, China Guardian intends to bring spiritual pleasure and artistic edification to collectors of porcelain, Buddhist art, jade and art from scholar’s studio.
3924
Yongzheng period of Qing Dynasty
A blue glazed rectangular vase
L 26cm
Price Realized: RMB 782,000
3899
Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty,
A porcelain hanging screen with portrait of ladies and children
42.7×33.2cm
Price Realized: RMB 437,000
3844
Kangxi period of Qing Dynasty
A red glazed vase
H 19.6cm
Price Realized: RMB 425,500
3848
Xuande period of Ming Dynasty
A blue and white bowl with an interlock branch lotus decoration
D 20.6cm
Price Realized: RMB 368,000
There are five sessions for the porcelain and works of art section: “Collection of Yongbi Retreat” showed human feelings inspired by landscape in Chongqing city and Sichuan province, with a 97% transaction rate; “Jade and Works of Art” also achieved great success, so we will offer more Buddha and jade lots in the future; “Charm of the Important Porcelain” gathers nearly one hundred items, demonstrating the unique charm of porcelain; and “Arts from the Scholar’s Studio” selected diversified stationery for collectors.
4855
Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty
A bronze gilt Buddhist figure of the Heavenly King of Wealth
H 17.5cm
Price Realized: RMB 494,500
4364
Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty
A white jade stove
L 17.8cm
Price Realized: RMB 437,000
4129
Early Qing Dynasty
A bronze vase
H 54.5cm
Price Realized: RMB 460,000
Furnishings: junior collectors have great influence
In the past 12 years, China Guardian has been committed to promoting and inheriting fine Chinese culture through collection. A total of 138 furnishings and artworks were divided into “utility” and “entry level” categories. Among them, 102 old Japanese iron teapots and most of the antique furniture had no reserve price. Affordable collections are our belief. These entry-level collections attracted many new collectors, and all lots with no reserve price were sold out. It fully demonstrates the great potential of junior collectors.
2838
Early Qing Dynasty
A pair of Huanghuali armchairs
55.5×43×82cm×2
Price Realized: RMB 1,127,000
2826
Qing Dynasty
Redwood carved table
77.5×52.2×34cm
Price Realized: RMB 414,000
2750
Japan Meiji period
An iron teapot made by Ryubundo
H19.5cm
Price Realized: RMB 71,300
2734
Japan Taisho period
An iron teapot made by Kibundo
H20.5cm
Price Realized: RMB 69,000
Rare Books:common attachment with great potential
Hit programs Letters Alive and The Reader reflects the fact that contemporary people cherish the memory of old time. In the era of the keyboard, people seldom read and write in old way, so people will value this fashion more.
Collections of rare books, autograph and rubbing books have become more and more popular among collectors. A total of 86 percent of 696 rare books have been sold out, and the total turnover is 10.44 million yuan, which indicates the great potential of the market. Among them, 155 lots of “Collections of Same Collector” have all been sold out. Many items even renew the market record of similar collections, reflecting the great interest and preference of ancient book market. The Plough and Weave in the Qing Dynasty was transacted at the price of 552,000 yuan, Four Music Scores by Li Jiaozhuan of 241,500 yuan and Rubbing Books Collected by Tianquan Study of 218,500 yuan, which are more than ten times higher than the estimate prices.
6142
Qing Dynasty
The Plough and Weave
2 volumes; paper
32×52cm
Price Realized: RMB 552,000
6087
Li Jiaozhuan
Four Music Scores
A block-printed edition in 18th year of Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty (1753)
4 volumes; paper
20.5×14.3cm
Price Realized: RMB 241,500
6467
Rubbing Books Collected by Tianquan Study
Old version
12 volumes; paper
25.5×13.5cm
Price Realized: RMB 218,500