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The Fonthill Dragon Jar

THE Fonthill Dragon Jar is expected to sell for more than US$10.3 million at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on October 8. The carved celadon glazed jar has the seal mark and period of Qianlong.  The classic jar form was rendered in a larger format than previously and  the eternal subjects of dragons among waves and clouds are portrayed in exceptional style.

Other highlights include a Xuande fish stem cup from the Chunzaizhai Collection which is estimated at US$5.1-7.7 million.

Nicolas Chow, Sotheby’s Asia Deputy Chairman and International Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, said: “This season, it is our privilege to present a wonderful selection of some of the world’s most celebrated collections – Hosokawa, Hausmann, Baoyizhai – spanning a diversity of fields such as Imperial porcelain, later bronzes and lacquer.  Besides, we will also offer a number of masterworks of Chinese Imperial porcelain, including the magnificently carved celadon jar decorated with dragons formerly in the Fonthill collection.”

With everything from photographs of Yeti footprints to vintage film posters, an elephant bird egg and a fossilised giant palm frond Christie’s online auction Out of the Ordinary: The Online Edit runs from now until September 10.  The sale offers collectors of all things extraordinary the chance to acquire unusual objects from around the world at any time. A group of photographs showing Yeti footprints in the Memluk Basin (£3,000 – 5,000) were taken by Eric Earle Shipton (1907-1977) during the 1951 Everest expedition. Shipton’s photographs ignited speculation about the existence of a Yeti which had been growing since N.A. Tombazi made the first European sighting during an expedition to the Sikkim Himalaya in 1925. Edmund Hillary  had a strange experience at 19,000 feet in the Himalayas in 1952. In his book High Adventure (1955) he reported:  “We were climbing quite a steep pitch when Pemba stopped and picked something off the rock. Obviously greatly excited he showed it to Angpemba. Feeling somewhat curious I asked them what it was all about. They placed in my hand a tuft of long black hairs – thick and coarse they looked more like bristles than anything else.  “Yeti, Sahib, Yeti”. I couldn’t help being impressed by their conviction and it did seem a strange place to find some hair. We were well over 19,000 feet and the Abominable Snowman was obviously no mean rock climber”.

Eric Earle Shipton (1907-1977), Photographer
Yeti footprints in the Menlung Basin Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014.

I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE
Reynold Brown (1917-1991) Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014
1958, Paramount, U.S.

Certified coloured stones will be a feature of the auction at O’Reilly’s, Francis St., Dublin on September 3. The catalogue for this auction of over 300 lots is online. Here is a small selection:

A FINE QUALITY DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE THREE STONE RING, the oval sapphire to two brilliant cut diamonds, mounted in white gold. Together with coloured gemstone report stating the sapphire to be; 3.90 ct, of Burmese origin with no evidence of heat treatment (18,000-22,000)

A FINE QUALITY JADEITE CARVED PENDANT, in the form of an ampoule with foliage, tourmaline detail, on a silver chain. Together with a coloured gemstone report stating the jadiete to be of natural origin with no treatment (5,000-6,000)

A DIAMOND CLUSTER RING, the rectangular brilliant fancy yellow diamond, to a brilliant cut diamond surround. Together with EGL coloured diamond report stating the diamond to be; 2.01 ct, Fancy Vivid yellow, VS2 cl (20,000-22,000)

Shanghai Ampire Building

The importance of Asia in the international world of art and antiques cannot be overstated. Christie’s today announced the opening of a new home and multi-purpose art space at Shanghai’s historic Bund.  With its combination of heritage and style the location is considered to be a perfect match for the global auction house.  Located in the heart of The Bund – the symbol of the city, Christie’s Shanghai is based in the Ampire Building, built in 1907 and part of the urban landscape over the past century.  The Shanghai autumn auctions on October 24 will feature a new category of Chinese Contemporary Design as well as an evening sale of Asian and Western 20th Century and Contemporary Art and a Prestigious Lifestyle sale. A private selling exhibition, The Art of The Horse, is to be the opening exhibition at Christie’s Shanghai on October 21.  It will tour and to Hong Kong in November.  Here are some examples from the Chinese Contemporary Design sale.

Echo – a white eggshell porcelain bowl

One of a pair of Da Tian Di Bo Luo lacquered carbon fibre chairs

DA TIAN DI (SKY AND EARTH) LUOHAN BED

A summer on-line auction of vintage and modern pieces – Statement Jewels – gets underway at Christie’s today and runs to September 3.  The collection will feature everyday wearable pieces, from coloured gems to classic jadeite and pearls, and timepieces.

Vickie Sek, Deputy Chairman of Christie’s Asia and Director and Head of Jewellery and Jadeite Department said: “We have put together a selection that offers something for everyone. The online sale platform means our clients will be able to view and purchase the statement pieces that we have on offer from anywhere in the world and best of all, at accessible prices.”

Two signed sapphire & diamond rings (Van Cleef & Arpels & Boucheron) (US$5,000-7,000).

Two signed sapphire & diamond rings (Van Cleef & Arpels & Boucheron)

A jadeite, diamond, onyx and ruby brooch (US$1,000-1,500).

A pair of diamond and emerald ear pendants (US$2,500-3,800).

A gold bracelet by Van Cleef and Arpels (US$1,000-1,500).

The 8.41-Carat Pear-shape Internally Flawless (IF) Fancy Vivid Purple-Pink Diamond.

AN 8.41-carat pear-shape internally flawless (IF) fancy vivid purple-pink diamond  comes up at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on October 7.  Cut from a 19.54 carat rough it ranks amongst the rarest and most desirable of coloured diamonds ever seen at auction.

Internally Flawless clarity is extremely rare in pink diamonds, and virtually unseen in any significant pink diamond of Fancy Vivid or Fancy Intense colour grading ever sold at auction. It was mined by the world’s leading diamond corporation De Beers. The final cutting was completed in New York.  It is estimated at US$12.8-15.4 million.

The stone will be previewed in Singapore, Taipei, New York, London, Geneva and Hong Kong.

UPDATE: IT MADE A WORLD RECORD PRICE OF US$17.77 MILLION

An Enigma Cipher machine is one of the more unusual offerings at Christie’s second annual Out of the Ordinary sale in South Kensington, London on September 3.   The three rotor machine was the standard German ciphering machine widely used in World War II.  In several variants it was used, among others, by the German Navy, the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe and the Abwehr (Intelligence). It was regarded by the Germans as too complex to be broken. Its decipherment at Bletchley Park is credited in some quarters are shortening World War II by two years.  This version is estimated at £40,000-60,000.

The top lot in the sale is a late medieval broadsword with an earlier Viking blade bearing the arms of the De Bohun family (£80,000-120,000).  Christie’s say it was possibly captured at the Battle of Hastings by Humphrey De Bohun.  Unusual pop memorabilia in the sale include the front door of Sir Paul McCartney’s childhood home, 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton, Liverpool (£6,000-8,000). Out of the Ordinary comprises over 180 lots with estimates from 500 to £120,000. A portion of the sale will be offered exclusively at Christie’s on-line with bidding from  August 27 to September 10.  Highlights of the online version include an elephant bird egg.

A THREE-ROTOR ENIGMA CIPHER MACHINE c1939
Number A-4127 (£40,000-60,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014.

AN EXTREMELY RARE LATE MEDIEVAL BROADSWORD WITH EARLIER VIKING BLADE AND BEARING THE ARMS OF THE DE BOHUN FAMILY, EARLS OF HEREFORD AND ESSEX (£80,000-120,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014

A wooden front door, late 1950s, removed from 20 Forthlin Road, Allerton, Liverpool, the childhood home of Paul McCartney (£6,000-8,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014.

A VERY RARE RADFORD MINI DE VILLE
BY HAROLD RADFORD COACHBUILDERS LTD., 1964 (£40,000-50,000). Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014