Sotheby’s New York · Chinese Art Auction Highlights

September is undoubtedly the month of Asian Art, and Sotheby’s New York’s Chinese Art Sale was one of the most remarkable highlights. During the preview from September 12 to 16, numerous prominent collectors attended in person, demonstrating the prestige of the event.

This auction presented a panoramic collection ranging from early ceramics and jades to imperial porcelain. Among the most eye-catching lots was a Yongzheng famille-rose “Peach Branch, Magnolia, and Peach Blossom” celestial globe vase, distinguished by its soft palette and elegant composition, epitomizing the exquisite craftsmanship of the Yongzheng era. Another highlight was a rare and solemn gilt and lacquered bronze figure of Amoghapāśa from the Dali Kingdom (11th–12th century), embodying both artistic and religious significance.

Song dynasty pieces were also highlights: the rare and unusually shaped Southern Song Ge-ware eight-sided cup with a warm and elegant glaze, and the finely carved, stately Northern Song Ding-ware white-glazed lotus-decorated bowl. Both exemplify the refined simplicity of Song ceramics. Overall, this auction was not only a re-presentation of Chinese art history but also proof of the market’s continuing enthusiasm for masterpieces.

There were also several important masterpieces with well-documented provenance, such as: a Ming Hongzhi yellow-glazed dish with a “Da Ming Hongzhi Nianzhi” mark from a Minneapolis private collection; a Yongzheng red-glazed bowl with a “Da Qing Yongzheng Nianzhi” mark, formerly in the collection of Dr. Geoffrey Charles (1902–1986), acquired in Hong Kong between 1928–1941 and passed down through the family; a Qianlong imitation Guan-ware stem cup with a “Da Qing Qianlong Nianzhi” mark, previously sold at Sotheby’s London on November 5, 2014; and a Ming Yongle blue and white “lotus scroll” meiping, from a Japanese private collection, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong on May 2, 2005. Many other treasures were also presented, and we provide the full catalogue for collectors to review and study further.

These masterpieces not only demonstrate the craftsmanship and aesthetic sensibilities of different dynasties but also, with their orderly provenance and history of transmission, possess exceptional academic and market value.