London, 9 April 2026 - Unveiling exceptional Chinese furniture, scholar's objects and contemporary Chinese ink painting, Christie's London will auction The Flacks Family Collection II: Curtain Call on 12 May 2026. The celebrated collection of Marcus and Debby Flacks, this sale marks their retirement from the field of Chinese furniture and the next chapter of their artistic journey. Comprising 50 lots, the sale is brimming with treasures, led by an exceptionally rare late 16th to 17th century huanghuali table exemplifying sophisticated construction techniques and innovative design, executed in the most prized material for Chinese furniture (estimate: £700,000 to £900,000). The pre-sale public exhibition at Christie's headquarters in London will run from 7 to 11 May, with all welcome.
Marcus and Debby Flacks commented: "We have been blessed by luck and good timing in being able to have handled, studied, restored, presented and lived with such masterpieces over our careers. Over the past 30 years, we have taken so much pleasure in sharing our passion through multiple exhibitions, catalogs, fairs, books and one, soon to be two, auctions. Highlighting the high esteem and great faith we have in the quality and extreme rarity of many of the objects being offered, almost all were purchased back from our collectors. Now, we look forward to them inspiring and bringing joy to other collectors and institutions."
Kate Hunt, Director, Head of Department, Christie's London, commented: "We are thrilled to be offering this significant single owner collection in London, the second and final part of the remarkable Flacks Family Collection, following the sale at Christie's New York in 2016. A testament to the exacting eye of Marcus and Debby Flacks, this collection presents many exciting opportunities for the market. We look forward to welcoming the public to enjoy these museum quality works in the pre-sale view."
Chinese furniture
The simplicity of design, elegant curving lines, balance of form and graceful proportions of the late 16th to 17th century huanghuali table exemplify the sophisticated aesthetic of Ming furniture, creating a timeless effect. The graceful, undulating and sensuous line of the apron draws the eye across the table, which is raised on gently splayed legs that join flush, creating a continuous seamless surface, the silhouette accentuated only by crisp beading. Masterful craftsmanship, employing a flush mitre 'bridle joint' and a 'sword-tip' or 'triangular mitre joint', creates a single plane and a continuous decorative line. It is very rare to find this form in huanghuali, which is prized for its vigorous grain, distinct 'ghost face' markings, and deep amber color.
Further highlights include the first piece of Chinese furniture purchased by the Flacks: a masterfully designed 17th to 18th century huanghuali chair with elegant s-curved spindles (estimate: £80,000 to £120,000). The sinuous 'S' spindles are very unusual. They are precisely placed to create an incredible sense of movement, a rippling water-like effect. Such thin spindles require immense skill to execute, likely explaining why there is only one other known example, in a Hong Kong collection. Incredibly sophisticated and a masterful design, the negative space is as important as the defining line of the chair.
Objects
An exceptionally large 17th century Imperial white marble drum stool is executed in highly prized Han Bai Yu (snowy white) marble, with detailed carving (estimate: £30,000 to £50,000). Also monumental, a Lingbi scholar's rock with a wooden stand measures 27 ¾ in. (70.5 cm) high by 49 ¼ in. (125 cm) wide (estimate: £25,000 to £35,000). Bold and dramatic, it is imbued with the most sought after attributes: the natural sense of movement through the roughly textured rock is incredible, rising and falling in dynamic ebbs and peaks; the deep grey stone has a lustrous patina. Part of a larger phenomenon in Chinese art that recognizes the inherent ephemeral beauty of nature, scholar's rocks are extracted from nature, with some light enhancements to make their overall appearance more dramatic. The best examples evoke a landscape and are meditative. These dramatic and poetic rocks can instantly transport the viewer to that contemplative place in nature. Buddhist sculpture includes a beautiful limestone head of Buddha from the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 AD) (estimate: £10,000 to £15,000).
Drawings
Marcus Flacks' early championing of contemporary Chinese ink painting is exemplified by a large work that he commissioned of a Taihu stone (scholar's rock) by Liu Dan, entitled Auspicious Cloud, 2012 (estimate: £80,000 to £120,000). Liu Dan is a foundational figure in contemporary Chinese art, celebrated for his metaphysical, hyper-realistic depictions of scholar's rocks, which he calls 'the stem cells of Chinese landscape.' He believes rocks serve as gateways for the viewer's imagination, allowing one to travel through the cosmos from a microscopic vantage point. His exceptionally fine calligraphy in the present work provides a counterbalance to the monumental weight of the rock, completing the composition with literati elegance. Large format rock paintings by Liu Dan are rare, highly sought after, and seldom available. This is the largest single rock painting by Liu Dan to appear on the international auction market in the last five years. Similar examples are held in the collections of the British Museum, Harvard and Brooklyn Museum.
Selected highlights
This sale builds on the success of The Flacks Family Collection: A Very Personal Selection at Christie's New York in 2016, which realized US$3,756,000.
(Press Release)
