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A side view of the ancient glass bowl. (Click on image to enlarge).

The bowl from the front (click to enlarge).

An astonishing survivor – a glass Achaemenid bowl from the ancient Persian Empire, c 5th-early 4th century B.C. made £481,250 at Bonhams sale of antiquities in London on May 1 over an estimate of £30,000-50,000.  It came from an English private collection.

There is a similar bowl in the Hermitage collection in St. Petersburg, Russia. The largest collection of Persian glass known was recovered between 1931 and 1934 from the palace treasury at Persepolis, the royal residence destroyed by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C.  It consists of 24 pieces. These luxury vessels, made in the finest quality colourless glass, derived their forms from Achaemenid silver and bronze pieces, specially made in imitation of highly prized rock crystal.

Madeleine Perridge, Head of Antiquities at Bonhams, commented: “The price achieved for this wonderful ancient glass bowl is a result of its incredible rarity, excellent condition, and its great provenance from a private collection. There was a great deal of interest in it from around the world.”

More than 350 fine Chinese ceramics and works of art will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in London on May 15.  Ceramics and jades including Imperial Qing ceramics from a Far Eastern collection will feature in an auction expected to bring in more than £7.7 million.

Robert Bradlow, head of Sotheby’s London Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Department, said: “We have carefully curated this sale to offer some of the finest examples of Chinese ceramics and art currently available to the market.  The collection includes marvellous rarities, including a jade sceptre, a pair of Famille Rose vases and a Famille Verte bowl, all with outstanding provenances”.  (Click on any image to enlarge it).

A White and Russet Jade ‘Longevity’ Ruyi sceptre, Qing Dynasty, Qíanlong period (estimate £100,000-150,000).

Lime-Green Ground Famille-Rose Vases Jiaqing Sea| Marks (£200,000-300,000).

Coral-Ground Famille-Verte Bowl Kangxì Yuzhì Mark and Period (£150,000-200,000.

Underglaze-Blue Polychrome Enamel ‘Phoenix’ Vase – Fangu, Qíanlong Seal Mark and Period estimated at £80,000-120,000.

This panoramic view of Beijing dates from October 1860. UPDATE: THE ALBUM MADE £218,500

THIS 1860 panoramic view of Beijing comes up at Sotheby’s in London on May 14.  The sale of Travel, Atlases, Maps and Natural History  will include some of the earliest photographs of China including views of Dagu (Taku) and Beijing (Peking).  The images were taken by Felice Beato during gut Second Opium War.  These photographs reveal a forgotten China and illustrates landscapes and cityscapes now changed almost beyond recognition.

The panorama of Beijing is the most remarkable of the 18 photographs in this collection. It was taken from the wall of the city on October 24, 1860, revealing the interior and the Forbidden City beyond.  The album includes images of the Imperial Winter Palace and the Imperial Summer Palace.  The photos are estimated at £100,000-200,000.  UPDATE: THE ALBUM MADE £218,500.

The Romany Reading caravan at Mealy’s. UPDATE: THIS MADE 22,000 AND WILL STAY IN IRELAND.

An early gypsy caravan by Dunton and Sons of Reading – possibly the earliest surviving Dunton wagon – is the main lot at Mealy’s pre-summer fine and decorative art sale in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny on April 29.  John Barker, author of “Romany Relics the wagon album” dates it to around 1895 as there is no skylight and there are turned pillars in the bed space.  The fireplace is a later addition and the wheels are not original.  The caravan is 13 feet long and 6’8″ wide. It is painted in red and yellow and decorated with stylised flowers.  There is a hay rack and storage cupboard to the rear and three up and down sash windows.  The front and rear porch brackets  have open scrolls and vines and are flanked to each side with lion head gargoyles and two brass and painted metal coach lamps.  The Romany Reading Vardo or gypsy caravan is estimated at 20,000-30,000.

The sale of 650 lots includes period furniture, paintings, Oriental art, ceramics and a Dublin collection of more than 50 pieces of early Irish glass. The catalogue is on-line. Here is a small selection (click on any image to enlarge it):

a 19th century carved oak Gothic throne chair (2,000-3,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,800

A c1800 Irish cut glass urn and cover (350-550). UPDATE: THIS MADE 550

A collection of Royal Doulton toby jugs (200-300). THESE MADE 180.

THE sale of 800 years of Irish Political, Literary and Military history at James Adam in Dublin on April 30 contains much of interest to a wide variety of collectors.  There are 699 lots and the catalogue is on-line. Here is a small selection.

Portrait of Lily Langtry by George Frank Miles (1852-1891) (2,000-4,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,800.

An Irish William IV tea set, Dublin 1834 presented to Patrick J. Smyth under the terms of the will of William Smyth O’Bryan. (6,000-10,000).  UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

A daguerrotype photo of the Irish author Maria Edgeworth c1841 by Richard Beard of Beards Photographic Institution, 31 King Street and The Royal Polytechnic Institution, London (2,000-3,000) THIS LOT WAS WITHDRAWN

Sinn Fein Rebellion Handbook, Easter 1916 2nd edition (100-150) UPDATE: THIS MADE 200

An album of 18 historic photographs from the 1913-1922 period including a baton charge in O’Connell St. during the Dublin lock out of 1913. (1,000-2,000). UPDATE: THIS ALBUM MADE  3,200

A George III Irish freedom box, Dublin 1816 (15,000-20,000). UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD.

James Joyce reading Anna Livia Plurabelle manufactured by The Gramophone Co. Ltd., Hayes for The Ornithological Institute, Cambridge, [1929]. (200-300). UPDATE: THIS MADE 110