The 51st China Guardian Quarterly Auctions successfully ended on May 20. It lasted for three days, and posted a total turnover of 135.6 million yuan. Here are some highlights as the auction celebrated the 25th birthday of China Guardian.
Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy
Xiao Yang, General Manager of Quarterly Auctions-Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy Department
The 51st China Guardian Quarterly Auctions was the first auction exhibited and auctioned at our new Guardian Art Center. Thanks to the support of collectors and the efforts of all departments, the auction was a huge success.
The Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy category had seven finely selected sessions and a dozen special sections, and its turnover tallied with our expectation. Two sessions, Modern Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy and Classical Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy from Yangxintang, achieved 100 percent turnover rate respectively.
For the modern Chinese paintings and calligraphy part, Modern Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy (Ⅰ) session maintained consistency, and special section New Jinling School also achieved a good result, reflecting our precise positioning of market trend.
Contemporary Ink Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy session had six special sections, three of which achieved 100 percent turnover rate. The price of items and turnover rate of the auction all rose steadily. The turnover rate of 80 percent and the sales of works by backbone artists of the contemporary painting world brought fresh and long-lasting vitality to the contemporary painting market.
Classical Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy (Ⅰ) maintained a high turnover rate, which was a major feature of ancient calligraphy and paintings part of quarterly auctions. Under the support of collectors, its market recognition consistently increased.
Thanks all our friends for the support to the Quarterly Auctions. We will work harder and provide you more wonderful auctions in the future.
Based on the selection principle of “small works from great masters and masterpieces from artists of some renown”, Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy Department presented seven finely selected sessions. There were many excellent works in Modern Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy sessions, Contemporary Ink Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy session, and Classical Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy sessions. Finally, two sessions achieved 100 percent turnover rate respectively, and other sessions also achieved a satisfying turnover rare.
Lot 1181
Ji Youzhi
Character and Landscape
26×29 cm
Price realized: RMB 2,875,000
Lot 1165
Chen Rong (Southern Song Dynasty)
Dragon
22×523 cm
Price realized: RMB 2,645,000
Lot 1321
Zhang Fu (1546-1631)
Landscape
29×340 cm
Price realized: RMB 747,500
Lot 223
Li Xiongcai (1910-2001)
Landscape
33×68 cm
Price realized: RMB 690,000
LOT 607
Xue Liang (b.1956)
Landscape
64×39 cm
Price realized: RMB 299,000
LOT 608
Xue Liang (b.1956)
Landscape
64×39 cm
Price realized: RMB 276,000
LOT 609
Xue Liang (b.1956)
Landscape
64×39 cm
Price realized: RMB 368,000
LOT 610
Xue Liang (b.1956)
Landscape
64×39 cm
Price realized: RMB 299,000
Lot 550
Ai Xuan (b.1947)
Character
109×98 cm
Price realized: RMB 402,500
Classical Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy from Yangxintang session raised hummer in the morning of May 20. Nearly 200 masterpieces of ancient calligraphy and painting stirred up a fierce competition of buyers, and all items were bid for and sold, achieving 100 percent turnover rate at the auction.
With the buyers' bidding price round after round, many auctions were transacted at much higher prices than the estimate. Peony by Shi Hao was sold for 345,000 yuan, dozens of times more than the estimate price. Calligraphy by Zhu Kejian, showing the circumstances and scholar characters of calligraphy in the late Ming Dynasty, was sold for 183,000 yuan. Liu Yong represented the highest peak of calligraphy in the middle Qing Dynasty, and his Calligraphy was sold for 184,000 yuan. Flowers by Tang Yifen, Wu Shanzun, Dai Xi and Wu Changhua was sold for 172,500 yuan. All of those exceeded estimate prices.
Lot 1425
Shi Hao (Qing Dynasty)
Peony
97×50 cm
Price realized: RMB 345,000
Lot 1526
Zhu Kejian (1616-1693)
Calligraphy
192×42 cm
Price realized: RMB 184,000
Lot 1578
Zuo Zongtang (1812-1885)
Calligraphy
149×34 cm (2)
Price realized: RMB 184,000
Lot 1456
Tang Yifen (1778-1853), Wu Shanzun (1755-1821), Dai Xi (1801-1860), Wu Changhua (1779-1840)
Flowers
125×65 cm
Price realized: RMB 172,500
Modern Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy (Ⅱ) started in the afternoon of May 21, and did not end until 8 pm, marking the successful closure of the auction. With a total turnover of 12.552 million yuan, the session handed in the last satisfactory answer to the auction.
Lotus by anonymous author sold for 713,000 yuan, ranking top at the session. Shen Zao’s Calligraphy ranked second for 575,000 yuan, and Dong Qichang’s Calligraphy third for 517,500 yuan.
Lot 2041
Anonymous
Lotus
181×61 cm
Price realized: RMB 713,000
Lot 2241
Shen Zao (Ming Dynasty)
Calligraphy
24×58 cm
Price realized: RMB 575,000
Lot 2260
Dong Qichang (1555-1636)
Calligraphy
124×56 cm
Price realized: RMB 517,500
Porcelain, Jade and Works of Art
Liu Yang , General Manager of Quarterly Auctions-Porcelain and Works of Art Department
The total turnover of the Porcelain, Jade and Works of Art category was nearly 56 million yuan, and was the best result that had been achieved in recent years. First of all, thank you very much for your support.
An Era of Inspiration session that had been elaborately prepared was recognized and welcomed by our collector guests. We were gratified to see the fierce competition of the auctions. Generally speaking, whether the items of Porcelain session were boutique or plate could they attract mature buyers, embodying benign market characteristics. We will continue to strengthen the selection of our items and design of sessions.
Jade part was marked by Collection of Guo Ruoyu session, achieving an excellent result. The turnover of Guo Ruoyu’s 32 collections was nearly 7 million yuan. I think the excellent achievement was the best proof for Guo’s insight, and also the buyers’ supreme respect for him. There were also many highlights of other session of jade and works of art, such as the special section Jade Collections of Hong Kong Private Collectors and Arts from the Scholar’s Studio session. We still need to work harder in collecting, dig deeper into resources, and strive for more good works in the future.
The category of Porcelain, Jade and Works of Art has six finely selected sessions, rich in variety and price-friendly, reflecting characteristics of quarterly auctions. The six sessions had excellent transaction rate, and many of the items were transacted at much higher prices. There were also items that went for more than a million yuan.
Lot 4681
Kangxi period of Qing Dynasty
A blue-and-white vase with deer and pine pattern
H 72 cm
Price realized: RMB 2,162,000
Lot 4117
Republic of China
A famille rose porcelain hanging screen
101.5×63.5 cm
Price realized: RMB 1,667,500
Lot 4430
Early Qing Dynasty
A bamboo brush pot carved by Shen Jian
H 14.4
Price realized: RMB 1,380,000
Lot 4403
Qing Dynasty
36 fine ink sticks made by Cao Sugong, with black lacquerware box
L 6.2 cm, L 3.1 cm
Price realized: RMB 1,265,000
The turnover rate of Porcelain, Jade and Works of Art session was 83 percent with a total transaction volume of 18.489 million yuan.
The session brought together porcelains of official kilns in the Ming and Qing dynasties, famille rose and blue and white. The tea sets section of the Porcelain session, compatible with the fashion of tea drinking, was quite popular with tea lovers.
Jade and Works of Art session, including collections of golden bronze Buddha, jade ware, jewels, furniture, and tapestry and embroidery, had a high cost effective.
The porcelain auction on May 19 mainly sold porcelains of the Ming and Qing dynasties. A famille rose vase with landscape and character painting made during the Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty sold for 287,500 yuan, ranking top on that day of the session.
Jade and works of art part started the afternoon of May 19 with a turnover rate of 86 percent. A dozen of jade rings of the Ming and Qing dynasties were transacted for 379,500 yuan, ranking first. A dozen of jade belt hooks of Ming and Qing dynasties and a tooth carving ornament were both sold for 287,500 yuan respectively.
Works of Art section started the morning of May 20. Golden bronze statues occupied a considerable proportion of auctions, and also recognized by buyers, reaching a high turnover rate. Among them, a bronze statue of Buddha made in Yuan and Ming dynasties was sold for 402,500 yuan.
Lot 6136
A bronze statue of Buddha made in Yuan and Ming dynasties
Total H 82.5 cm, Buddha H 39.2 cm
Price realized: RMB 402,500
Lot 5439
A dozen of jade rings of the Ming and Qing dynasties
Price realized: RMB 379,500
Lot 5287
A famille rose vase with landscape and character painting made during the Qianlong period of Qing DynastyH 49.8 cm
Price realized: RMB 287,500
Lot 5435
A dozen of jade belt hooks of Ming and Qing dynasties
Various sizes
Price realized: RMB 287,500
Lot 5437
Ming Dynasty
Four sets of sixteen jade ornaments of sword
Various sizes
Price realized: RMB 241,500
Classical Furniture
Qiao Hao, General Manager of Classical furniture and Works of Art Department
Classical Furniture and Works of Art session reached a turnover rate of 93 percent with a total transaction volume of more than 2 million yuan, confirming to our expectation. The items of the session had several characteristics. First, they had relatively lower prices without reserve prices, suitable for new collectors. Second, they were functional. We emphasized their practical value under the premise that they were antique.
The items of the session in fact were from some famous collectors, like Gustav Ecké. In addition, many furniture items auctioned this time were very rare in the market, such as the finely selected blackwood furniture and softwood furniture. Their preservation was in good condition, and there was still room for appreciation in the future.
Although there was only one session of classical furniture, the atmosphere there was very hot, and its turnover rate achieved 93 percent. Lots of the session, combined utilities with appreciations, with no reserve prices and new special sections such as Western furniture, attracted buyers of different levels.
Lot 2646
Qing Dynasty
A huanghuali recessed-leg side table
201×52.8×72.3 cm
Price realized: RMB 287,500
Lot 2650
A pair of silkwood compound wardrobes in four parts
114×59.8×233cm×2
Price realized: RMB 149,500
Rare Books, Rubbings and Manuscripts
Song Hao, General Manager of Rare Books Department
The Rare Books, Letters and Manuscripts session lasted for seven hours, achieving a turnover rate of 72 percent with a total transaction volume of 8.23 million yuan. The lots were rich in variety, price-friendly, and had many highlights, including both academic collected books of Lu Song’an and Spring Festival pictures section full of folk culture. Sections of old collections of celebrities like Fan Zengxiang were very charming, deeply sought-after and loved by collectors.
The Rare Books, Letters and Manuscripts session finely selected nearly 700 lots, including many classic masterpieces with both academic value and artistic value, meeting the needs of collectors and reaching a total transaction volume of 8.23 million yuan.
The session also covered many aspects such as rubbings, Spring Festival pictures and letters. Finally, a carving copy of Collections of poems by Du Fu was sold for 529,000 yuan, ranking first at the session. A rubbing from the stone inscription of Confucius Temple in the Wei Dynasty was sold for 218,500 yuan, and Song Zong Zhon Jian Gong Ji for 195.500 yuan.
Lot 3273
Wanli period of Qing Dynasty
A carving copy of Collections of poems by Du Fu
21.7×14.3 cm
Price realized: RMB 529,000
Lot 3386
Wei Dynasty, a rubbing from the stone inscription of Confucius Temple
30.5×22.5 cm
Price realized: RMB 218,500
Lot 3274
SONG ZONG ZHON JIAN GONG JI
Various sizes
Price realized: RMB 195,500
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