HONG KONG.- Julian King, Sotheby’s International Specialist of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Department, said, “We are delighted with the results of our first series of Chinese works of art sales at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, which follow on from the spectacular success of our Spring sales of the category in April that totalled HK$934.9 million / US$119.9 million. ur gallery space was perfectly suite to the presentation of the pri ate collections on offer , and attracted a truly international group of collectors, who competed for the finest pieces against determined online bidding. The sales were a great success, achieving a total of HK$121.3 million / US$15.6 million, nearly double the low estimate of HK$62 million / US$8 million.

“The highlight of the sales series was Playthings from the Collection of Edward T. Chow, a single-owner collection of exquisite scholar’s objects an Imperial works of art, which sol for a gran total of HK$39 million / US$5 million, more than four times its low estimate, with some outstanding results for white jade and jadeite. Following on from the success of our Spring Sales, when the Sakamoto Dingyao Basin sold for HK$147 million, we were pleased with the success of Chinese Art through the eye of Sakamoto Goro - Asian Lacquer, which more than doubled its low estimate, with particularly strong interest in Korean mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer. Snuff Bottles from the Mary and George Bloch Collection: Part VIII attracted a buoyant crowd of collectors from all over the world, and every lot was sold. The two enamelled snuff bottles from the Qianlong reign flew high above their estimates, with the exquisite yellow-ground double-gourd bottle from the legendary Barbara Hutton collection (lot 1038) selling for HK$6.04 million / US$774,358 against an estimate of HK$4 – 5 million, and the rare gold-ground “mille-fleurs” bottle (lot 1138) achieving HK$5.08 million / US$651,282 against an estimate of HK$3.5 – 4.5 million.”

Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 26 – 27 May Sale Results Breakdown:

Snuff Bottles From The Mary And George Bloch Collection: Part VIII
Total: HK$38,288,750 / US$4,908,814 (Est. HK$18.8 – 24 million / US$2.4 – 3 million)

Playthings From The Collection of Edward T. Chow
Total: HK$39,015,000 / US$5,001,923 (Est. HK$9 – 13 million / US$1.2 – 1.7 million)

Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Collections
Total: HK$37,286,875/ US$4,780,369 (Est. HK$32.6 – 45.3 million / US$4.1 – 5.8 million)

Chinese Art Through the Eye of Sakamoto Gorō – Asian Lacquer
Total: HK$6,740,000 / US$864,103 (Est. HK$2.7 – 4.1 million / US$350,000 – 530,000)

Two-Day Consolidated Total: HK$121.3 million / US$15.6 million