LONDON.- This morning at Sotheby’s in London, a sale of Classical Chinese Furniture from a European Private Collection was 100% sold, bringing a combined total of £11,058,000 (HK$130,888,017/ US$16,780,515), over 10 times the pre-sale low estimate.* The 26-lot sale showcased an exceptional collection of huanghuali and zitan furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasties, ranging from a stunning couch bed to various types of tables and cabinets. This follows Sotheby’s sale in October in Hong Kong of Ming furniture from the collection of Dr S Y Yip, which was 100% sold and brought a total of HK$260.2 million (US$33.4 million), more than double the pre-sale estimate.**

In a packed saleroom, bidders competed fiercely for each and every lot, pushing the final sale prices to many multiples of their pre-sale estimates. The top lot was a large huanghuali solid top altar table, which brought £1.8 million (est. £150,000-250,000), followed by £1,469,000 for a rare zitan couch bed with marble panels (est. £150,000-250,000), and £1,445,000 for a fine pair of huanghuali square-corner cupboards on stands (est. £150,000-250,000).

Robert Bradlow, Senior Director, Chinese Works of Art, Sotheby’s London, commented: “This phenomenal result demonstrates that classical Chinese furniture of exceptional quality, rarity and freshness continues to be sought after in today’s market. This is the second consecutive ‘white glove’ sale at Sotheby’s of classical Chinese furniture, following our recent Hong Kong single-owner sale of Ming furniture. In their simplicity of form, excellence of material and ingenious technical craftsmanship, these pieces transcend time and fit well in a contemporary living space.”

This group of Ming and Qing furniture, mostly in huanghuali wood, was assembled in the 1980s and 1990s at a time when pieces were readily available following the Cultural Revolution in China. Huanghuali is amongst the most valued hardwood in China, appreciated for its vibrant colour, impressive grain pattern and light, sweet fragrance. During the Ming and Qing dynasties it was used for making high quality furniture and craftsmen took full advantage of its distinct qualities to create smooth and plain surfaces that retained much of the material’s natural beauty. By the Qing dynasty, huanghuali became especially treasured by the imperial court and was frequently used for the production of imperial furniture. These pieces of furniture are distinguished by an ingenious joinery system which was perfected in the late Ming dynasty (1368-1644), drawing on technical advancements and a tradition of fine carpentry.


*Pre-sale estimate: £1,055,000 - 1,680,000

**Sotheby’s extraordinarily successful single-owner sale on 7 October 2015 in Hong Kong of the collection of Ming furniture from Dr S.Y. Yip was 100% sold and brought a total of HK$260.2 million / US$33.4 million, more than double the pre-sale estimate of HK$110 million / US$15 million.