Chinese vase sells for £50,000 at Shrewsbury auction
An impressive series of Asian art auctions held by Shropshire fine art auctioneers Halls continued on Wednesday when a rare Chinese ‘Empress’ vase sold for £50,000.
The elegant pear-shaped vase, probably Daoguang, belonged to the same Southport owner who sold a rare Chinese vase for £150,000 with Halls in July.
Achieving 10 times its pre-sale estimate, the vase was decorated using a technique known as doucai with two ornamental pheasants perched on rocks amid flowering magnolia and peonies, elements believed to represent the Empress.
The auction, which attracted interest from collectors and sellers around the globe, also saw a hexagonal shaped vase with guan type glaze from an American owner sell for £19,000.
The two vases were among eight precious objects that Halls had promoted to international buyers at the 20th annual Asian Art in London festival earlier this month.
The Association of Accredited Auctioneers (AAA), of which Halls is a member, conducted a special viewing event of upcoming auction highlights.
Alexander Clement, Halls’ Asian art specialist, said the vases were the most admired and viewed of the eight precious objects and he was pleased the interest converted into excellent auction prices.
“It’s another fantastic result for the owner of the Empress vase and the American vendor of the guan hexagonal vase will also be delighted,” he added.
“It was one of those sales where there were a lot of unexpected results which reflects what has been happening at auction houses in London and around the regions this autumn.”
Halls’ growing reputation for selling highly priced Chinese antiques attracted entries from across the UK and as far away as the United States, Canada and Europe.
A large Chinese blue and white ovoid form vase with deer head handles from the late Qing Dynasty sold for £4,200 and a Chinese Canton carved ivory vase and cover with dragon handles and finial fetched £3,800.
Japanese precious objects also came to the fore in the auction as a small cloisonné vase and cover by Namikawa Yasuyuki (1845-1927) sold for £5,500 and a pair of Meiji period enamelled silver vase signed Kazuyuki made £3,600.
Other leading prices included £2,700 for a 20th century Chinese celadon glazed bottle vase, £2,300 for a pair of 19th century Chinese powder blue famille rose vases, £2,000 for a large, Japanese Meiji period, ivory and bone okimono of a takarabune carrying the seven gods of fortune.
The demand for amber bead necklaces continued with a 41-bead example selling for £1,100, which was the same price paid for a blue and white baluster vase, bearing the Kangxi Emperor reign mark but made later. Decorated with scenes of immortals flying kites, the vase came from a Wolverhampton vendor.
Halls’ excellent run of results has seen a rare 18th century Chinese cinnabar lacquer brush pot sell for £155,000 and a pair of 19th century Chinese Daoguang vases fetch £85,000 at previous Asian art auctions.
