HONG KONG.- Sotheby’s Hong Kong December series of Chinese Works of Art sales will take place on 3 and 4 December 2015. The series will feature a dedicated sale of Later Chinese Bronzes from the Collection of Mr and Mrs Gerard Hawthorn, and the Chinese Art sale, encompassing Song ceramics, classical Chinese furniture and carefully curated private collections from Hong Kong and Europe.

Christian Bouvet, Director and Head of Mid-Season Sales, Chinese Works of Art Department, says, “We hope that collectors will appreciate the selection of works we curated in our December auctions. The collection of later Chinese bronzes assembled by Gerard and Ellie Hawthorn over 50 years in Europe is of impressive quality. The twoday Chinese Art sale brings a special focus on works from the Song dynasty, including collections of classic ceramics and a rare sculpture of a luohan from the collection of the legendary explorer and art dealer Arthur S. Vernay.”

LATER CHINESE BRONZES FROM THE COLLECTION OF MR AND MRS GERARD HAWTHORN 10am│3 December 2015
Collected over five decades by London-based specialist Chinese Oriental art dealer Gerard Hawthorn, this scholarly collection includes incense burners, archaistic vessels, water droppers, hand warmers and religious figures. Comprising over 100 lots, the sale is highlighted by two outstanding Imperial reign-marked vessels, a Yongzheng jue, dated 1730 and a Qianlong lian, both ranking alongside the greatest examples from the Qing court collection preserved in Beijing and Taipei.

Highlights:
Lot 30 A Bronze Ritual Vessel, Jue Mark and Period of Yongzheng, dated 1730 Height 25 cm Est. HK$600,000 – 800,000 / US$77,500 – 104,000*
This outstanding bronze vessel is of exceptional quality and rarity, comparable to the finest early Qing dynasty incense burners preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing. Elegant in form, derived from a Shang dynasty ritual bronze vessel, its rare mark is outstanding on all surviving vessels. Only a small number of Yongzheng reign-marked bronze vessels have ever been offered at auction.

Lot 8 A Bronze Cylindrical Incense Burner, Lian Mark and Period of Qianlong Diameter 12 cm Est. HK$400,000 – 600,000 / US$52,000 – 77,500
It is extremely rare to find Qianlong reign-marked bronze incense burners of this form, designed for daily use, as opposed to the more commonly found garniture vases produced for temples. Its rich reddish-brown patina and exquisite tactile quality rank it amongst the finest examples of its type in private hands. The prototype for all lian vessels is from Han dynasty cosmetic boxes found in tombs of high ranking members of the aristocracy.

Lot 105 A Bronze Stem Bowl Seal Mark and Period of Qianlong Height 19.5 cm Est. HK$150,000 – 250,000 / US$ 19,400 – 32,300
It is extremely rare to find a bronze stem bowl of this ritual form cast with a Qianlong reign mark, and of the period. Skilfully formed with shallow rounded sides and a raised rib on the foot, it is a shape more commonly found in porcelain.

CHINESE ART
Session I: 2 pm, 3 December│Lots 201 – 387
Session II: 10 am, 4 December│Lots 388 – 529
Session III: 2 pm, 4 December│Lots 530 – 670
Ceramics of the Song dynasty (960 – 1270) have long been praised among collectors for their refinement and understated elegance. This season’s Chinese Art sale highlights this field by presenting to the market several collections all carefully assembled and preserved by their owners. Together with selections from Hong Kong private family collections, the coming sale will also feature Chinese works of art from a private European collection, a group of jade carvings assembled in Europe in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as notable examples of classical huanghuali furniture and sculpture including a Song dynasty sculpture of a Luohan from the collection of the legendary explorer and dealer, Arthur S. Vernay (1877 – 1960).

Highlights:
Lot 220 A ‘Ding’ ‘Lotus’ Lobed Bowl Northern Song Dynasty Diameter 21.6 cm Est. HK$300,000 – 500,000 / US$38,800 – 65,000
This elegant bowl is representative of classic Ding designs of the Northern Song dynasty. The restrained yet flowing lines of the decoration successfully capture the spirit and grace of the lotus flower while accentuating the refined quality of the porcelain body. Symbolic of purity and integrity because it rises clean from muddy water, the lotus was a popular motif throughout the Song dynasty and frequently featured on white-glazed Ding ware.

Lot 228 A Superb ‘Jizhou’ ‘Prunus’ Meiping Southern Song Dynasty 19.5 cm Est. HK$500,000 – 700,000 / US$65,000 – 90,500
This charming meiping is notable for the vibrant rendering of the prunus branches, which are in striking contrast to the dark brown-glazed ground. Wares decorated with this resist technique, achieved through the application of papercuts that were removed to reveal the design after the vessel was immersed in the dark glaze, were probably made at the kilns in Yonghezhen, Ji’an, Jiangxi province and well epitomise the subdued refinement of the ceramic art of the Song dynasty.

Lot 584 A Rare Painted Pottery Figure of a Seated Luohan Southern Song Dynasty Height 43.5 cm Est. HK$300,000 – 400,000 / US$38,800 – 52,000
Seated in a meditative post with eyes slightly downcast, this figure is notable for its naturalistic yet serene modelling which captures a sense of deep contemplation. It follows in the tradition established during the Tang dynasty (618-907) when highly realistic sculptures of meditating Luohans were produced in a variety of materials to be displayed in temples, where they encouraged devotees to reach a state of deep meditation. This sculpture, kept over 15 years in a distinguished Hong Kong collection, originally belonged to the legendary explorer and dealer Arthur S. Vernay (1877-1960) and was first sold at Sotheby’s London in 1986.

Lot 303 A Fine Huanghuali Square Table, Fangzhuo 17th Century 87.2 x 90 x 90 cm Est. HK$1,800,000 – 2,500,000 / US$233,000 – 323,000
Masterfully crafted and finished to highlight the outstanding translucent golden honey colour of the huanghuali, this table is extremely rare for the unusual octagonal ball feet terminals. Square tables have a long history and ancient association with food, drink and games. The cuisine and eating habits of China developed during the Song dynasty and continued in the Ming dynasty, when craftsmen constructed elegant hardwood square tables, which became the central piece of furniture in the home. Also known as baxian zhuo (‘Eight Immortals table’) the name associates it with auspicious and convivial activity centred around food and drink.


*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium and prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium