LONDON.- A monumental Imperial exceptionally rare cast gilt-bronze ritual butter lamp, early Ming dynasty, circa first half 15th century, sold for £1,328,750 at Bonhams Fine Chinese Art sale in London.

The week commenced with the Asian Art sale in Knightsbridge followed by the Fine Chinese Art sale in New Bond St, London, making a grand total of £8,400,000. The Asian Art sale made £1,570,800 and the Fine Chinese Art sale £6,829,075.

The butter lamp was cast with the Imperial reign mark of the Jingtai Emperor (r.1449-1457). It weighed 335 kg, and measured an impressive 102.6cm high x 102cm diameter. It was a unique example and no other similar vessel of such proportions and bearing the Imperial Jingtai reign mark would appear to have survived.

Other highlights of the sale included:

A very rare pair of monumental fahua Buddhist lions on stands, Late Ming Dynasty, 16th/17th century, measuring over 2 metres high. This outstanding pair belonged to a specially commissioned statuary group that served as guardians, most likely for an important temple. Estimated at £150,000 - 250,000, the pair sold for an impressive £512,750.

A very rare archaic bronze ritual food vessel, fangding, late Shang/early Western Zhou Dynasty, from the Mengdiexuan Collection, was sold for £368,750, having been estimated at £120,000-150,000.

A magnificent and rare twelve-leaf double-sided coromandel lacquer screen, Kangxi period, from a Royal Collection, estimated at £60,000-80,000 was sold for £344,750.

A fine hongmu ‘dragon’ throne, dating to the Qing Dynasty made £308,750 against an estimate of £20,000-30,000.

Asaph Hyman, Global Head, Chinese Art, commented: “The results proved the strength of the Chinese art market for the finest and rarest of objects, with world-record prices achieved in this sale for a number of categories. We look forward to welcoming collectors to our forthcoming Chinese Art sale in Hong Kong on 29 May.”