New York – Bonhams annual Asia Week New York saw outstanding results totaling US$14 million across four live sales. The top lot of the week at Bonhams and across all the Chinese Works of Art sales in New York was a superbly painted vase with dragons amidst clouds from the Qianlong period (1736-1795) which sold for an astonishing $3.7 million, more than six times its estimate. A true masterpiece with the only known comparable work residing in the Beijing Palace Museum, the vase sparked an intense bidding war among 10 bidders over the phone and in the room. The Chinese Works of Art sale also saw an exceptional Imperial vase decorated with phoenix and chi-dragons, dated to the Yongzheng reign (1723-1735), soar more than three times past its estimate to achieve US$1.75 million.

Asaph Hyman, Bonhams' Global Head of Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, commented: "Bonhams New York has been going from strength to strength, offering the finest and rarest of Chinese and Himalayan art. This was exemplified by the superb prices achieved for the Qianlong and Yongzheng vases, as well as many other pieces of earlier periods. I am extremely grateful to the collectors and our wonderful team who worked tirelessly to achieve these results."

An additional highlight of the week was a Portrait of an Imperial Guard painted 1763-1764 by Ai Qimeng (Ignaz Sichelbart, 1708-1780) and Jin Tingbiao (Active 1757-1767) which sold for US$508,500 (estimate: US$400,000 – 600,000) during the Classical and Modern Chinese Paintings sale the next day. Depicted on silk, the subject of the painting was one of a hundred brave warriors and exemplary officials whose portraits once lined the walls of Ziguang Ge (Hall of Purple Brightness), the Qianlong Emperor's military hall of valor in the Zhongnanhai compound in Beijing. Additionally, the Indian and Himalayan Art sale was highlighted by a portrait thangka of Sangye Yarjon (1203-1272), the third abbot of Taklung Monastery in Central Tibet, from circa 1236-1296 which sold for US$229,100 (estimate: US$100,000 – 150,000).

Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art

Starting off the week strong, the Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art including the Bernard and Francine Wald Collection of Snuff Bottles, Part I auction achieved $9 million overall, with a sell-through rate of 82%. In addition to the success of the two exceptional vases, highlights included:

• A rare blue and white jar with 'horse and peony' design, sold for $152,900 (estimate: $100,000 – 150,000).

• A superb and rare Dingyao 'persimmon'-glazed cupstand, sold for 2x its estimate at $140,200 (estimate: US$60,000 – 80,000).

• A superb bulbous chalcedony agate 'bird and loquats' snuff bottle, sold for more than 2x its estimate at $53,760 (estimate: US$15,000 – 25,000).

• A black, gray and white jade 'Meng Haoran' snuff bottle, sold for more than 3x its estimate at $32,000 (estimate: US$8,000 – 12,000).

Michael Hughes, Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art in New York said: "It was a delight to bring to the market such rare ceramics and works of art, and a testament to the depth and robustness of the market, as well as the exceptional pieces of Chinese art that we've discovered across North America."

Classical and Modern Chinese Paintings

On March 18, the Classical and Modern Chinese Paintings sale overall achieved US$2 million led by the exemplary portrait of the Imperial Guard. Two works by Zhang Daqian (1899-1983), one of the most prolific and renowned artists of the 20th century, were also standouts of the sale. Seclusion in Qingbian Mountains after Wang Meng, a hanging scroll from 1944, drew significant interest, soaring past its estimate to sell for US$152,900 while Lotus and Bird after Shitao (1642-1707) and Zhu Da (1626-1705) sold for US$127,500 (estimate: US$100,000 – 150,000).

Additional highlights of the sale:

• An Imperial 'kerchief-box'-form manuscript route map for Emperor Guangxu's visit to the Hui Mausoleums, circa 1879, sold for 40x its estimate at US$83,050 (estimate: $2,000 – 3,000).

• Chrysanthemums by Qi Baishi (1864-1957) from the Collection of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Dickes sold for 2x its estimate at US$83,050 (estimate: $30,000 – 50,000).

• Blue Green Landscape after Qiu Ying dedicated to Zhou Xinfang (1895-1975), 1939 by Lu Yifei (1908-1997) sold for over 2x its estimate at US$57,600 (estimate: $20,000 – 30,000).

Indian and Himalayan Art

The Indian and Himalayan Art sale on March 19 offered an impressive group of statues and thangkas depicting deities and teachers of Tibetan Buddhism which overall achieved US$1.7 million. Highlights of the sale included:

• A 16th century copper alloy portrait of Lowo Khenchen Sonam Lhundrup from Tibet, sold for US$241,800 (estimate: US$100,000 – 150,000).

• A rare 12/13th century wood and gilt copper repousse sutra cover, sold for US$165,600 (estimate: US$100,000 – 150,000).

• An 18th century thangka of the Fifth Kenting Tai Situ, Chokyi Gyalsten Palzang (1337–1448), Eastern Tibet, sold for more than 4x its estimate at US$114,800 (estimate: $20,000 – 30,000).

Fine Japanese and Korean Art

Closing out the week, the Fine Japanese and Korean Art sale offered a range of works from rare pottery to a fine selection woodblock prints as well as a group of outstanding inrō from the collection of Alan and Simone Hartman. Overall, the auction achieved US$1.3 million. The sale was highlighted by a solid gold tea pot, crafted from a heritage collection of gold koban coins minted by the Shogunate government in the 18th century, which sold for US$64,000 (estimate: US$50,000 – 70,000).

Additional highlights include:

• A chūban tate-e print titled Warai Hannya (Laughing Demoness), from the series Hyaku monogatari (100 Ghost Stories) circa 1831-1832 by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) sold for 8x its estimate at US$32,000 (estimate: $4,000 – 6,000).

• Two mixed-metal tsuba from the Edo period (1615-1868) and Meiji era (1868-1912), sold for 8x its estimate at US$32,000 (estimate: $2,000 – 3,000).

• A rare woodblock print by British ex-pat Charles Bartlett (1860-1940) which depicts surfers riding the crest of a wave sold for US$28,160 (estimate: US$10,000 – 15,000).

(Press Release)