A Feast from the East: Chinese Treasures Soar at Auction...
13th April 2022
Lawrences’ recent auction of Decorative Arts, Ceramics and Oriental Works of Art was a resounding success with a strong selection of prices from start to finish. In the Decorative Arts section, a Jaeger Le Coultre `Aquarium` clock, made of lucite and brass with decoration of fishes and plants, made £1875 and a large bronze sculpture of `Undressing Figure VI` by David Backhouse (b.1941) made £2500.
Within the Ceramics section, a large Meissen dinner service (63 pieces, including 40 dinner plates) made £3750 and a Royal Doulton bust of William Pitt, c.1906, made £1375. A Parian bust of Nelson (£1060) outpaced a similar model of the Duke of Wellington.
The quality of Chinese works of art on offer ensured that this would be the leading section of the sale: an 18th Century porcelain pagoda stand, 43cm across, was bid to £4250; a pair of Imperial `sang de boeuf` dishes, Qianlong period (1735-1796) was contested to £9375; and an Imperial yellow bowl, Kangxi period (1662-1722), 11cm diameter, made £11,875.
The sale’s highlight was a blue and white rouleau vase, Kangxi period, 47.5cm high. Consigned for sale by a gentleman in Wales who had not expected to learn that it was worth as much as the £5000-7000 estimate, the vase drew many enquiries and keen bidding from Chinese collectors and was bought for £47,500.
