HONG KONG.-Sotheby's Hong Kong is pleased to announce that Dr. Stanley Ho, Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, has decided to donate the Bronze Horse Head of Haiyantang in the Yuanmingyuan (or Summer Palace) to China upon his purchase of the piece in a sale brokered by Sotheby’s for HK$69.1 million (£4.42 million, US$8.84 million). The Bronze was originally scheduled to be auctioned in Hong Kong in October, but given Dr. Ho’s good intentions to donate this rare and magnificent Chinese imperial piece to China, the Bronze was sold to Dr. Ho under an agreement with the consignor through Sotheby’s Hong Kong. The purchase has set a world record price for any Chinese Qing sculpture.

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the People's Republic of China commented, “We are glad to witness the home-coming of the Bronze Horse Head after its expatriation for nearly one and a half centuries. We highly commend and are grateful for Dr. Ho’s patriotic act and appreciate Sotheby's Hong Kong's for its efforts in making this possible.”

Dr. Stanley Ho said, “I am very honoured to be able to participate in the recovery program of China’s lost cultural relics by donating the Bronze Horse Head to China, following my donation of the Boar Head to our country in 2003. I hope this will help encourage more people to join efforts in preserving China’s cultural relics and nurture patriotic feelings.” To fulfill Dr. Ho’s wish of enabling more people to appreciate this national treasure, the Bronze Horse Head will be exhibited to the public from 4th to 8th October at the Sotheby's Hong Kong Autumn Sales 2007 Preview held in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and be subsequently displayed at Hotel Grand Lisboa in Macau from 9th October onwards.

Mr. Kevin Ching, Chief Executive Officer of Sotheby's Asia, said, “Sotheby’s Hong Kong is proud to have concluded this sale. The home-coming of the spectacular Bronze Horse Head is most exciting and its patriotic donation by Dr. Ho to China commands great admiration. With our unparalleled expertise and our strong client base, Sotheby’s Hong Kong will continue to be a leading international platform for the collection of pre-eminent works of art.”