HONG KONG.- The Sze Yuan Tang Collection of Chinese Jades, formed by a distinguished Asian connoisseur/collector, comprised 73 outstanding lots of jade carvings dating from the Neolithic period (3000 BCE) until Imperial China’s Han, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties.
The exceptional collection, mostly pieces never before seen at auction, sold today (5 April, 2016) at the Bonhams Hong Kong Gallery for an unprecedented HK$178,276,250 (GBP16,141,386) including buyer’s premium) with very strong bidding from all over Chinese speaking Asia and active participation from American and European collectors and dealers. The atmosphere in the saleroom was electric with standing room only, and all telephone lines occupied throughout the sale.
Jade has always been regarded by Chinese scholars as ‘the stone of spirit’, and has a cultural resonance among traditional classical Chinese collectors without any equivalence in the West. Since the Neolithic period, it has a spiritual significance (early examples were often found associated with aristocratic burials) and only later did it become valuable fashion and social accessories. The collection was formed in Hong Kong, mostly from the mid-1980s onwards, and reflects this classical and religious significance. Scholarship has been greatly strengthened in recent decades by official excavations in China, and the sale was particularly popular because a number of the lots had been exhibited in the Hong Kong University Museum and Art Gallery in 2006 and were published and illustrated in the accompanying Exhibition Catalogue Art and Imitation in China.
As expected, some of the earliest and rarest figure carvings achieved astonishing prices. The most expensive example, an exceptionally rare figure of a male dancer (Lot 35) dating from the Eastern Han dynasty (circa 100 CSE) multiplied the pre-sale estimate many times to reach a world record price of HK$31,480,000 (GBP2,851,450).
Early jade animal models often include representations of mythical beasts familiar from Spirit Ways leading to traditional tomb sites, and of these beasts the four-legged winged lion-like bixie clearly played an important part in early religious ceremonies and rituals. Two jade examples of these mythical beasts vastly exceeded expectations, a grey and black jade bixie (Lot 33) selling to an Asian buyer for a spectacular price of HK$24,760,000 (GBP2,242,750), while another larger example but with the surface characteristically calcified by burial conditions (Lot 32) soared to an unprecedented HK$21,960,000 (GBP1,989,130).
From early Imperial China’s period was a remarkable carving of a pale green and brown jade elephant and male mahout (Lot 44). The elephant represents strength, wisdom and prudence and an amusing play on its Chinese name provides the auspicious homophone ‘may there be good fortune’. It certainly achieved this for the vendor soaring past the estimate of HK$500,000 – 800,000 to sell for a record HK$19,160,000 (GBP1,735,500), underbid by a large number of buyers attracted by its symbolism and rarity.
Early jade carvings are often produced in fairly simple functional shapes for secular and religious usage. Highlights of such functional shapes included an exceptionally rare yellow-grey and black jade stem cup, Western Han dynasty (BC 206 – AD 9), estimated at HK$ 400,000-600,000 (Lot 38) which sold for a record HK$10,240,000 (GBP927,536). Such cups are associated with the wish for longevity and the search for immortality.
From the Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911), the collection boasted a number of fine examples, including a pale green and russet jade carving of a mythical beast, 17th/18th century (Lot 47) estimated at HK$200,000 – 300,000), which demonstrated the collector’s sharp eye for later decorative jade animals when it sold for HK$1,360,000 (GBP123,188).
A delightful group of two yellow jade quails retaining attractive areas of the original brown skin symbolised ‘double peace’ and the auspicious nature (Lot 52) again attracted bidders well beyond the estimate HK$300,000 – 400,000, finally selling to an Asian buyer for HK$2,200,000 (GBP199,275).
The collection featured an exquisite white jade pendant, 18th century, estimated at HK$ 600,000-800,000 (Lot 51), formerly in the collection of Stephen Junkunc III, sold in New York in 2008 for some HK$500,000. This time the quality of the carving and brilliant tone of the stone saw it reach HK$2,080,000 (GBP182,500).
Commenting on the unprecedented results of the sale, Xibo Wang, Head of Department, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Hong Kong said: ‘It was a privilege to offer a collection of this exceptional quality comprising such a group of rare early jade carvings and very rewarding to see the excitement it caused amongst jade connoisseurs.’
Asaph Hyman, International Head, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Asia & Europe, commented: ‘The enthusiasm for this exceptional collection proven by the multiple world record prices realised, demonstrated the robustness and depth of the Chinese art market. We are delighted to have been chosen to offer this special collection and look forward to welcoming the public to our forthcoming Chinese art sales in London in May and in Hong Kong in June.’
Colin Sheaf, Chairman of Bonhams Asia, noted that: ‘Bonhams held its first auctions in Hong Kong in 2007 and our business model has evolved since then. We have tracked the way in which the global market in Chinese art is seen to have changed in the last two years. Responding to the changes, we believe that our policy to offer small, carefully chosen selections of fine Chinese art unknown to the market represents the most successful way to develop our market position for the next decade.’
