LONDON.- Christie’s announces an online-only sale Japanese Art at The English Court, ‘At the Candle’, which is now open for bidding until 19 December. Comprising 129 lots, the auction takes place almost exactly 400 years after what is believed to have been the first auction of Japanese works of art ever held in London, on 20 December 1614. This historic sale comprised a group of lacquer wares which were brought back to England by the Clove, a ship of the English East India Company, which was the first British ship to trade with Japan, having arrived in Japan in 1613 bearing gifts for the Japanese shogun. After 6 months the ship left Japan following a successful meeting with the country’s rulers, returning to England carrying cargo which included gifts from the Japanese shogun to King James I. The 1614 auction was conducted using a candle, with bids accepted while there was still an inch of candle alight.

A tribute to the historic sale, Christie’s online-only auction will focus on Japanese works of art relating to trade and presents a dynamic array of export ceramics, lacquer, telescopes, illustrated books, screens and other works relating to this important period in the history of Japan and Europe. With starting bids ranging from £300 up to £65,000, the sale is led by The Winckler Catalogue, an important documentary trade catalogue from the Meiji Period, which is offered from the property of a private collector (starting bid:£65,000). For full details and to see the complete array of works featured and to start to bid please visit the department page https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/japanese-art-at-the-english-court/categories/127.

Highlights
• A pair of Kakiemon models of karashishi, Edo Period (late 17th century) (starting bid: £50,000)

• A woodblock print depicting Muyder Poort, La Porte de Muyden by an anonymous, circa 1772-1780 (starting bid: £8,000).

• Examples of the 1330 exquisite drawings on thin rice paper in The Winckler Catalogue

• An important documentary trade catalogue from the Meiji Period

• A veritable vade mecum to European tastes in Japanese objects during the late nineteenth century (starting bid: £65,000).

• A pair of six-fold screens depicting festivals at a Buddhist temple and a Shinto shrine respectively Edo Period (mid-17th century) (starting bid: £60,000)

• A Sawasa ware Dutch style shakudo and gilt copper coffee urn Edo period (early 18th century) (starting bid:£14,000)

• A rectangular lacquered plaque depicting the Battle of Dogger Bank (1781), Edo Period (late 18th century) (starting bid: £12,000).

• An Arita Vase, Edo period (late 17th century) (starting bid: £1,000)

• A fine and rare kakiemon model of Hotei, Edo period (late 17th century) (starting bid:£65,000)

• An Export Lacquer Plaque, Edo Period (18th century), with a half-length portrait of Gustav III of Sweden, dated on the reverse 1788, (starting bid £800)

• Five Arita Mukozuke (food dishes), late 17th century (starting bid: £700).