PARIS.- Millon auction house was full of energy and excited whispers reverberated across the room as auctioneer Alexandre Millon slammed his hammer down, declaring the final hammer price and auction record sale at 3,250,000 Euros for a Chinese imperial porcelain bowl. Millon’s Asian art auction took place on December 11, 2019 in Paris. The sale set a new precedent for Asian art sales in France as the larger conglomerate auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby’s were humbled by the results. The record breaking sale featured other notable results; a pair of Chinese Manchu Tibetain mounted conchs with a Qinglong mark fetched 55,000 Euros. A Chinese 19th century carved Hongmu table sold for 65,000 Euros. The sale was led and initiated by Asian art expert, Jean Gauchet. Mr. Gauchet’s authority and prowess as an expert for Asian fine art has been catapulted as his reputation as France’s top Asian art expert has not only been confirmed but expanded as a result of the sale.
“The record breaking sale is a testament to the depth of our global client base as well as the caliber of the artworks in the sale. The Chinese market is constantly fluctuating and it is always a risk when handling such important pieces of history. It is definitely a moment of achievement and celebration.” Jean Gauchet.
The record breaking bowl dates back to 18th century China. Although modest in size at 7.6 cm high and 16.2 cm in diameter, the bowl boasts a four character kaishu mark, “Yongzheng Nian Zhi.” The bowl’s body has a delicate finesse with a slightly protruding profile, ending in an upwards, rounded lip. The exterior is soft and painted with a graceful continuation of crossing plum tree branches encircled with pink and white budding flowers. The exceptional piece is part of the extremely small circle of porcelain production known as falangcai. Production for this type of decor took place in the imperial workshop of the Beijing Palace known as “Falang Zuo” (hence the namesake of the porcelain). The quality and rarity of this group of enamels is unequaled. These specific porcelains are notoriously the most refined among all Chinese porcelain.
The auction covered the spectrum of Asian art. The two day sale encompassed art ranging from ancient to modern China. Other areas also included were southeast Asian art as well as an array of modern and ancient Japanese artworks. Included in the sale were four signed drawings from Sanyu (the Picasso of China), dating back to the 1920’s. A rare and unique 19th century porcelain pagoda pendulum made in France for the Japanese market sold for 36,000 Euros. The quality and diversity of the artworks is a testament to Mr. Gauchet and his team’s international reach and influence. The impressive catalog is both visually stimulating and historically enlightening as viewers traced artwork’s rarity, quality and aesthetic through time.
