Bonhams Leads 'Asian Art in London'
Sales Total £11.2m and New Record for Zeshin
Shibata Zeshin 柴田是真 (1807-1891) PANEL WITH DESIGN OF FARMHOUSE IN THE SNOW AT SANO 雪中佐野(「鉢の木」)図蒔絵額面 Meiji era (1868–1912), 1883 (4)

The six Asian Art auctions at Bonhams in London this week produced several stunning results for Japanese and Chinese art, confirming the strength of the Asian art sector. And the £11.2m total from the six sales put Bonhams well ahead of other auction houses offering Asian auctions during the week.

Colin Sheaf, Bonhams UK and Asia Chairman, said: 'The strong sales for Asian art in London reflect well on the company policy of treating sales of Asian art on a global basis. Japanese art is clearly most attractive at auction in London and New York, where we hold our premier sales.

'Chinese art sales are split between Hong Kong, London, New York and San Francisco, with every object being consigned to the city where it will perform best. This policy is succeeding, as our exceptional sales in London and Hong Kong this month demonstrate. It is the first time that a work of Japanese art has taken top spot in the annual Asian Art in London week.'

The top Japanese work at Bonhams was a very rare lacquer panel by Shibata Zeshin (1807–1891), an artist admired by Western collectors for over a century. Based on a Noh play, the panel was made in 1883 in imitation of Western paintings on canvas, and executed in lavish silver on black lacquer. It had been estimated at £80,000–120,000, but, after competitive bidding, made £842,500.

Suzannah Yip, UK Director of Japanese Art at Bonhams, commented: 'This landmark sale underscores Bonhams status as the leading global auction house for truly important Japanese art. The Zeshin panel achieved the highest price paid for a work during Asian Art in London week and established a new world record price for a work by Zeshin.'

The top item from the three Chinese Art sales at Bonhams was a rare imperial gilt bronze 'double phoenix' vessel from the Imperial Qianlong period (1736-1795), lavishly decorated with hardstone and glass. The piece is an exceptional example of Qing magnificence at its peak, and exemplifies the sumptuous Imperial taste during the Qianlong period. It sold for £482,500, after a pre-sale estimate of £50,000-80,000.

The second highest price in the Chinese art sales was £440,500 for a porcelain 'lotus pond' jar, from a European private collection, which had not been seen at auction for over half a century. The jar bears the mark of the Chinese Emperor Chenghua, who ruled between 1464 and 1487. For centuries, most Chinese connoisseurs have considered Chenghua period ceramics as the finest ever created in China.

Sheaf added: 'Three decades in the Chinese Art trade does not entirely prepare you for an object like this. When I saw it for the first time, after years of storage, it had that certain something, that charisma of the truly spectacular object which creates a frisson of excitement in anyone who knows about Chinese porcelain.'


NOTES FOR EDITORS

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son & Neale. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street and Knightsbridge; and a further three in the UK regions and Scotland. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Connecticut in the USA; and Germany, France, Monaco, Hong Kong and Australia. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments go to https://www.bonhams.com

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