Sotheby’s Hong Kong · Masterpieces from the Ise Collection

Sotheby’s Hong Kong proudly presented “Masterpieces of Chinese Ceramics from the Ise Collection,” one of the most significant Chinese ceramic auctions in recent years. The sale took place on September 9 and has now concluded, but we provide the full catalogue for collectors to consult and enjoy, experiencing this grand feast of collecting across history.

This collection was assembled over half a century by Mr. Hikonobu Ise (b.1929) and is regarded as the last truly great ceramic collection of the modern era.

Mr. Ise was not only a renowned collector but also a tea master. His collecting philosophy emphasized “striving for perfection” and was deeply guided by Tokyo dealer Mayuyama & Co., Ltd. His collection spans from Neolithic painted pottery to Qing dynasty famille rose porcelains, encompassing both systematic acquisitions of Song and Ming imperial masterpieces and functional wares closely tied to Japanese tea culture. Many works were wrapped in Mayuyama’s signature furoshiki, symbolizing the cultural dialogue between China and Japan.

Highlights include: a Southern Song Guan-ware dish with foliated rim (formerly in the collection of Sir Harry Garner); a Ming Chenghua blue and white “lily” bowl (formerly in the collection of the Bood & Palmer family); and a Yongzheng famille-rose “flowering branches” long-necked vase.

The significance of the Ise Collection extends far beyond the individual artworks—it is the embodiment of a collector’s spirit and a dialogue between East and West through objects. It holds both academic and collecting value, representing the pinnacle of Sino-Japanese aesthetic convergence.