NEW YORK, NY.- Bonhams saw incredible results across its five Asia Week New York sales, starting the week with the white-glove – 100% sold – sale of J.J. Lally & Co. properties which earned 10 times its estimate at US$4.2 million, and the Mary and Cheney Cowles collection with 95% of lots sold and achieving 5 times its pre-sale estimate at US$7.3 million. The top lot of the week, from the Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art sale, was a complete set of portrait bronzes depicting the five patriarchs of the Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism, which sold for US$2.9 million - nearly 6 times its estimate.

Auctions

J. J. Lally & Co. Fine Chinese Works of Art
March 20

From premiere Chinese art gallery J.J. Lally & Co., Bonhams presented 68-lots of ancient Chinese jades, silver, bronzes, and ceramics spanning 5,000 years from pre-historic China through the Qing dynasty. The white glove sale overall achieved US$4.2 million with 100% sold by lot and 100% sold by value.

Sale highlights:

• A large Neolithic mottled grey jade cong sold for US$1.5 million, 50 times its estimate of US$30,000 – 50,000.

• A Sui dynasty glazed white stoneware jar and cover sold for US$668,000, 22 times its estimate of US$30,000 – 50,000.

• A Six Dynasties jade figure of a recumbent beast, bixie sold for US$378,000, 12 times its estimate of US$30,000 – 50,000.

• A pair of 'ruyi' silver vases, meiping sold for US$277,000, 13 times its estimate of US$20,000 – 30,000.

The Mary and Cheney Cowles Collection of Classical Chinese Furniture
March 20

The dedicated sale of the Mary and Cheney Cowles collection brought to auction twenty of the finest examples of classical Chinese furniture. The sale overall achieved US$7.3 million with 95% sold by lot and 100% sold by value.

Sale Highlights:

• A huanghuali ‘Wannian Taiping’ yokeback armchair, guanmaoyi (Ming dynasty, 16th/17th century) sold for US$1.9 million, seven times the estimate of US$250,000 - 400,000.

• A Ming dynasty huanghuali recessed-leg wine table, jiuzhuo sold for US$1.9 million, 23 times its estimate of US$80,000 – 120,000.

• A rare and exceptional huanghuali and nanmu ‘fu’ character yokeback armchair, guanmaoyi (Ming dynasty, 16th/17th century) sold for US$882,000, doubling its estimate of US$350,000 – 500,000.

• horseshoeback armchair, quanyi sold for US$756,000, tripling its estimate of US$250,000 – 350,000.

• A rare zitan corner-leg table, tiaozhuo sold for US$668,000, 11 times its estimate of US$60,000 – 90,000.

Chinese Works of Art and Paintings
March 20-21

Over two days, Bonhams presented a strong offering of Chinese Works of Art and Paintings including a selection of fine Chinese snuff bottles from American collections. The sale overall achieved US$2.8 million with 100% by value.




Sale highlights:

• An important Kangxi period hardstone-inlaid huanghuali tapered sloping-stile cabinet sold for US$278,000, seven times its US$40,000 – 60,000 estimate.

• An oil on canvas painting, Hongs of Guangzhou (Canton) from early 1850's by an anonymous Chinese artist sold for US$139,000, against an estimate of US$100,000 - 150,000.

• Cooked Crabs and Wine from 1946 by Qi Baishi (1864-1957) sold for US$139,000, against an estimate of US$40,000 – 60,000.

• A 17th century mottled grey jade figure of a seated sage sold for US$120,000, soaring past its US$1,800 – 2,500 estimate.

Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art
March 21

Bonhams’ Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art was highlighted by exceptional and rare examples of important figures in Tibetan Buddhism. The sale overall achieved $5.5 million with 100% by value.

Sale Highlights:

• The only known complete set of portrait bronzes depicting the Five ‘Founding Fathers’ of the Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism sold for US$2.9 million, nearly six times its estimate of US$500,000 - 700,000.

• A gilt copper alloy figure of the Buddhist goddess Tara (Early Malla Period, 14th century) sold for US$1 million, eclipsing its high-estimate (estimate:US$600,000 - 800,000).

• A 14th century Buddhasamayoga mandala from the Shalu monastery in Central Tibet sold for US$404,000 over its estimate of US$150,000 – 200,000.

• A 13th century gilt copper alloy figure of Prajnaparamita from Nepal sold for US$391,000, against at estimate of US$80,000 – 120,000.

Fine Japanese and Korean Works of Art
March 22

Bonhams’ Fine Japanese and Korean Works of Art sale featured a selection of works art from Japan and Korea spanning centuries, including a special collection of contemporary Japanese ceramics. Overall, the sale achieved US$991,000.

Sale Highlights:

• A large and impressive model of a skull and snake, Meiji (1868-1912) or Taisho (1912-1926) era, early 20th century, by Izumi Sukeyuki (1838-1920), sold for US$95,000, against an estimate of US$8,000 – 12,000.

• Elemental Form IX, Heisei era (1989-2019), 2019, by Baba Yasutaka (b. 1991), sold for US$38,000, over its US$6,000 – 8,000 estimate.

• A Maebyong porcelain vase (Korea, 2003) by Park Young Sook (b. 1947) sold for US$25,500, against an estimate of $8,000 – 10,000.

Bonhams will close out Asia Week New York with Arts of India, Southeast Asia and the Himalayas, running online until March 24.