HONG KONG.- Tokyo Chuo Auction Hong Kong will hold its Autumn Auctions at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong from 25 to 26 November 2015. A series of sales, which brings together over 400 lots, will be featured including Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy, Fine Chinese Modern Paintings, Imperial Treasures, ICHIGO ICHIE - The Art of Tea Ceremony, Fine Scholar's Objects as well as The Enchantment of Chinese Ink - Letters and Manuscripts from an Important Japanese Collection which will be held for the first time. All offerings will be exhibited in a public preview at the Four Seasons Hotel from 23 to 24 November 2015.
Imperial Treasures
The Imperial Treasures sale will feature a selection of extremely rare works of art made for the Qing court. The star lot is a blue and white “dragon” meiping, Kangxi mark and period (1662-1722). The shape of this classical meiping, literally "prunus vase", is slightly different from those most frequently seen as its superbly balanced body is taller and more slender in form. Painted in different tones of flamboyant blue on the white-glazed body, the five-clawed dragon, symbolising Imperial power and dignity, cavorts in the sky with its whiskers and mane flying in the wind. Known as Tuweilong, or “dragon with bare tail”, the painted dragon design was invented by the Qing Imperial Kilns and was most widely used during the Kangxi era.
Another highlight is an Imperial celadon-glazed square-formed vase, Yongzheng mark and period (1723-1735) from the Konoike Family collection. The Konoikes were an important and respected clan in the Edo period. The family started its winemaking business in the 16th century and moved into banking in 1656 through the founding of Konoike Bank. At Tokyo Chuo’s 5th anniversary sales held in September this year, treasures from the clan’s collection were well received by collectors and achieved excellent sale results.
AN IMPERIAL CELADON-GLAZED SQUARED-FORMED VASE YONGZHENG MARK AND PERIOD (1723-1735) H: 30.5cm Est.: HK$ 1,800,000 – 2,800,000 / US$ 230,400 – 358,400
Emperor Yongzheng was known for his penchant for details in the design, forms and colours of Imperial wares. The present vase was made in the shape of the ancient bronze vessel Zun. Its square-formed body is glazed in pure celadon on which no further decoration compromises the vessel’s elegance and simplicity, and its base bears the six-character Yongzheng reign mark.
A CARVED WHTE JADE "DRAGON" JAR AND COVER QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795) H: 27.5cm Est.: HK$ 2,500,000 – 2,800,000/ US$ 320,000 – 358,400
Crafted in excellent white jade, this jar is adorned with a superbly carved dragon on its cover and a pair of ruyi-shaped handles with rings on its shoulders. Full of movement and beauty, the decoration epitomizes the marvellous craftsmanship of the Qianlong era.
Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy
Bird-and-flower paintings collected by an oil painter from the Taisho period
The Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy sale will showcase rare bird-and-flower paintings of the Song and Yuan dynasties from the collection of a respected oil painter from the Taisho period (1912– 1926) in Japan. The paintings cover a wide range of subject matter, including birds, animals, insects and flowers. Among the highlights are Young birds attributed to Li Di and Flower basket attributed to Li Song. Classical paintings from the Song and Yuan dynasties are exceedingly rare in the market and given the numerous important collectors’ seals on the present pieces, these two superb lots on offer are expected to generate intense bidding.
LI DI (attributed to, circa Song to Yuan dynasty) Young birds Ink and colour on silk, hanging scroll 23× 25 cm Provenance: Collection of an oil painter from the Taisho period. Est.: HK$ 600,000 – 900,000/US$ 76,800 – 115,200
Li Di was one of the eminent figures of the Imperial Painting Academy famed for his vivid depiction of birds, small animals, flowers, bamboo and rocks. Young birds on offer is one of his outstanding pieces. With meticulous brushstrokes, he depicted two chicks gazing forward. The various colours of the subjects are in harmony with the light brownish tone of the background, further creating a sense of harmony and refinement.
LI SONG (attributed to, circa Song to Yuan dynasty) Flower basket Ink and colour on silk, hanging scroll 21× 26 cm Provenance: Collection of an oil painter from the Taisho period Est.: HK$ 500,000 – 800,000/US$ 64,000 – 102,400
Li Song was a court painter best known for his flower and figure paintings. Flower basket is a captivating depiction of a basket filled with blossoming spring flowers, such as begonias and white roses. All the flowers and leaves are meticulously drawn and vibrantly painted so that the overall composition represents a lively tribute to the joy of spring.
Fine Chinese Modern Paintings
Paintings and calligraphy by Wu Changshuo from various Japanese collections
Exceptional works by the master Wu Changshuo have been eagerly sought after in both China and Japan. Thanks to Kawai Senro’s and Nagao Uzan’s promotional efforts in Japan, the artist attracted even more attention from collectors in the country and his works were highly coveted. Respected collectors from the political and financial sectors, of particular note, included Inukai Bokudo, Saionji Kinmochi and Okura Kishichiro. Tokyo Chuo will present a series of Wu’s masterpieces from various Japanese collections, including Lychee.
Paintings and calligraphy from the collection of Mr Arakawa
From the 1970s to 1980s, Japanese collectors competed fiercely in Europe for Chinese artworks. One of them was Mr Arakawa, an esteemed businessman who, through consulting professionals and artists, built up his very sophisticated private collection, bringing together representative works by important artists including Dong Shouping, Ya Ming, Ying Yeping and Liu Jiyou. Highlights presented in this sale include:
• DONG SHOUPING (1904-1997) Peaks clothed with pines Ink on paper, framed 66 × 66 cm Provenance: Collection of Mr Arakawa Est.: HK$ 200,000 – 500,000/ US$ 25,600 – 64,000
• QIN ZHONGWEN (1896-1974) Peaks clothed with pines Ink and colour on paper, framed 135 × 67 cm Provenance: Collection of Mr Arakawa HK$ 150,000 – 300,000 US$ 19,200 – 38,400
• CHENG SHIFA (1921-2007) Girl feeding goats Ink and colour on paper, framed 50.5 × 82.5 cm Est.: HK$ 350,000 – 550,000/ US$ 44,800 – 70,400
• QI BAISHI (1863-1957) After the rain Ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll 103 × 33.5 cm Est.: HK$ 600,000 – 1,200,000/ US$ 76,800 – 153,600
ICHIGO ICHIE - The Art of Tea Ceremony
The ICHIGO ICHIE - The Art of Tea Ceremony sale will offer a selection of magnificent tea wares and incense accessories crafted in the Meiji era during which the majority of Maki-e wares, traditional Japanese lacquer wares sprinkled with gold or silver powder for decoration, were made for export to Europe and America. Such handcrafted works were later replaced by mass produced ones and hence very few handcrafted Maki-e wares are still available on the market today. The sale will also feature an array of excellent agarwood, showcasing to collectors the beauty of Chinese and Japanese incense ceremonies.
• A fine gold teapot and cover by Kitamura Shizuka H:14.5cm; W:394g Est.: HK$ 320,000 – 400,000/ US$ 40,960 – 51,200
• A gold-inlaid silver teapot with iron handle and cover by Kudo Enju H: 17.5cm; W: 493g Est.: HK$ 320,000 – 380,000/ US$ 40,960 – 48,640
The pot has a neat and elegant shape. Its neck and the rim of the cover are carved with archaistic angular scrolls, auspicious designs symbolising fortune and prosperity. The gold knob is adorned with a Bagua pattern, while the silver handle is covered by a layer of iron engraved with three Chinese characters in gold.
• A Makie pear-skin ground home pattern incense box and cover L: 20cm; W: 15.5cm; H: 16cm Est.: HK$150,000 – 180,000/ US$ 19,200 – 23,040
• An exceptional log of Ziyou agarwood L: 35cm; W: 9cm; H: 8cm; W: 661g Est.: HK$ 800,000 – 1,200,000/ US$ 102,400 – 153,600
• A gold-and-silver-inlaid iron “dragons and phoenix” censer and cover by Hiraishi Chikayuki, Meiji period (1868-1912) H:13cm Est.: HK$ 450,000 – 550,000 /US$ 57,600 – 70,400
This small censer is inlaid with an elegant composition of numerous mythical animals in gold and silver. The silver knob is sculpted as a crouching qirin and the cover is engraved with a pair of gold phoenix. The body of the vessel is decorated with a dragon and a turtle, both in gold, cavorting in the sky and sea. Commonly known as the "Four Auspicious Beasts", the featured animals symbolise luck and longevity in Chinese culture.
Fine Scholar's Objects
• A yellow Chengni inkstone from the formercollection of Huang Yi, with Huang’s inscription on box’s cover, midQing dynasty L: 23.5cm; W: 16cm; H: 2.3cm Est.: HK$ 150,000 – 250,000/ US$ 19,200 – 32,000
Made of extremely fine and smooth clay, this yellow Chengni inkstone originally belonged to Huang Yi (1744-1802), a celebrated artist of the Qing dynasty. The piece was later acquired by Japanese collectors. The cover of the box is marked with collector’s seals and inscriptions by the artist, as well as by Sugitani Rokkyo (1865-1944) and Adachi (1868-1946).
• A carved bamboo “Qiao sisters” brush pot, early Qing period H:12cm; D:19cm Est.: HK$ 200,000 – 300,000/ US$ 25,600 – 38,400
The exterior of this brush pot is meticulously carved in multiple layers of relief depicting the Qiao Sisters in elegant robes under towering trees. With a refined composition and superbly carved design, this brush pot is believed to be made by one of the prominent craftsmen in Jiading in the early Qing period.
• A bamboo “two immortals” carving, early Qing period H:19cm Est.: HK$ 450,000 – 550,000/ US$ 57,600 – 70,400
• A finely carved Tianhuang stone “beast” seal with mark of Zhoubin, early Qing dynasty L:2cm; W:2cm; H:3.7cm; W: 25g Est.: HK$ 750,000 – 850,000/ US$ 96,000 – 108,800
The Enchantment of Chinese Ink - Letters and Manuscripts previously from an important Japanese Collection
The Japanese Calligraphic Association, which is particularly active in the Wakayama region of west Japan, has devoted itself to the promotion of calligraphy, seal carving and the collecting of works by renowned calligraphers. One of the cherished pieces from its collection is Letter to Shen Shiyou by Wu Changshuo, a 10-page album which will be offered in the coming sale. The work is written in Wu’s signature runningcursive script displaying coherent brushwork. It was written and sent during the Republic of China period and one of the pages is stamped “9th May”, revealing the date the letter was written. . Wu’s regards to Shen Shiyou’s family and their discussions on art and poetry can be found in the correspondence.
• Wu Changshuo (1844-1927) Letter to Shen Shiyou (1858-1917) Album of ten pages 9 × 13.5 cm × 10 HK$ 200,000 – 250,000/ US$ 25,600 – 32,000
• Zhang Ruitu (1570-1641) Calligraphy in running script Album of twenty-eight pages, ink on silk 23.5 × 11 cm × 28 HK$ 400,000 – 600,000/ US$ 51,200 – 76,800
Zhang Ruitu, one of the talented calligraphers of the late Ming dynasty, was famed for his expressive and unorthodox style. He excelled in standard, running and cursive scripts and his works often display characters written without concealing the tip of the brush. In addition, some cursive connecting strokes are replaced by more angular ones, coupled with vigorous brushwork.
Calligraphy in running script, a 28-page album also from the collection of the Japanese Calligraphic Association, was created by Zhang in 1630 after he returned from Beijing to his native city of Jinjiang in Fujian province. He then lived in retreat with his wife and they spent their time in the countryside, trying to leave the mundane world behind. The album was rendered with his signature running script but without any overbearing sentiment and the characters convey a sense of tranquillity. Zhang’s calligraphy has long been admired in Japan and the featured album has been highly treasured by the association.
