2020 in Review: Asian Art

By: Waddington's Staff

(detail) A Large Chinese Yellow Embroidered Silk ‘Dragon’ Hanging, 19th Century 十九世纪 中国黄地祥云八宝五龙挂帐

Our Asian Art auctions are always filled with a variety of art, objects and historical items, curated to appeal to the new collector and experiences connoisseur alike. This year was no exception. The changing COVID-19 legislation kept our team busy, with specialists connecting with clients from around the world on platforms including Zoom, Weibo, and WeChat, as well as by email and telephone.

We didn’t get to spend as much in-person time with you as we would have liked, but we did enjoy providing as much insight as possible into the many unique items we offered, and hoped you enjoyed reading about some of them on our blog.

In case you missed it, we explained the allure of collecting netsuke, the ‘foreign colours’ of the famille rose ceramics, and the art of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints. We explored the shipwreck of the Dutch ship Geldermalsenand its Nanking Cargo, and dug deeper into the history of Chinese snuff bottles.

We also shared an article on Zhang Shuqi, one of the earliest Chinese artists to impact mainstream American collectors, whose paintings are among the highlights of this year’s auctions.

 

2020 Highlights

Below are some highlights from the year. We simply could not have done it without you. Thank you!

Lot 36, October 2020: A White Jade Plaque of Two Fish, Qing Dynasty 清 白玉「鱼水何耶」佩
Estimate $1,000-$1,500; Realised: $20,400

Lot 168, October 2020: Zhang Shuqi (1901-1957), Bird, Butterfly, and Peony 张书旂 (1900-1957) 杞菊延年 设色纸本 镜框
Estimate $4,000-$6,000; Realised: $8,400

Lot 185, October 2020. A Gilt Bronze Figure of Vairocana, Qing Dynasty 清 铜鎏金大日如来坐像
Estimate $3,000-$5,000; Realised: $13,200

Lot 63, December 2020: A Large Chinese Yellow Embroidered Silk ‘Dragon’ Hanging, 19th Century 十九世纪 中国黄地祥云八宝五龙挂帐
Estimate $2,000-$3,000; Realised: $21,600

Lot 144, December 2020: A Suit of Samurai Armour (Tosei Gusoku) and Box with Go-San Kiri Mon All Matching and En-Suite, Momoyama (1573-1615) to Edo Period (1615-1868)
Estimate $4,000-$4,500; Realised: $7,800

ONWARDS INTO THE NEW YEAR…the year of the ox!

As we move into another year of Asian Art auctions, we look forward to seeing what will pass through our doors.

We look forward to connecting with you in the new year about our auctions and opportunities for consignments.

Don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Wishing you the best for the holiday season.

Amelia and Austin.

Zhang Shuqi (1901-1957), Bird, Butterfly, and Peony 张书旂 (1900-1957) 杞菊延年 设色纸本 镜框
A Gilt Bronze Figure of Vairocana, Qing Dynasty 清 铜鎏金大日如来坐像
A White Jade Plaque of Two Fish, Qing Dynasty 清 白玉「鱼水何耶」佩

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