This Ming Dynasty white jade carved group with an egret amongst flowering stems made a hammer price of €34,000 over an estimated of €2,000-€3,000 at the Fine Asian Art sale at James Adam in Dublin on December 18. It had been in an Irish private collection since the early 20th century. The top lot of the sale was A Charioteer by Kattingeri Krishna Hebbar (1911-1996) which made €65,000 at hammer over a top estimate of €40,000. A Ding Kilns white stoneware bowl from the Northern Song Dynasty made €23,000, a celadon glazed jar and cover made €20,000 and a Qing Dynasty soapstone seal made €10,000.
An important Qing Dynasty celadon jade. UPDATE: THIS WAS WITHDRWN PRIOR TO THE SALE
A Qing Dynasty celadon jade seal heads up the Fine Asian Art sale at James Adam in Dublin on December 18. The base is carved with six characters meaning: “A treasure in auspicious celebration of a seventeenth birthday”, Set on a small square platform surmounted by a mythical double headed beast carved with a scaly body it will attract international interest and is estimated at €120,000-€150,000. Dr. Wei Wang, who has taken over as head of the Asian art department at Adams explained that seals symbolise power and can be crafted from various materials,with jades being particularly prized for their precious nature. “Our seal stands out for its impressive size and intricate carving work” she said.
A Meiji period ivory okimono of a grimacing fisherman holding giant conch shells being tackled by a large crab at Adams. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
A total of 455 lots will come under the hammer on Monday in an auction divided across four sections originating from China, the Himalayas, Vietnam and Japan. Offerings from each country have been divided into categories including ceramics, jade and stones, accessories, bronzes and paintings. A Meiji period (1868-1912) Imari charger from Japan is estimated at just €300-€400, a very rare Ding kilns white stoneware bowl of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) carved with a peony spray is estimated at €15,000-€20,000). Ding bowls with peony designs are rare. This one is from an Irish private collection. A bronze stupa with four directionals Buddhas made in 18th century Tibet is estimated at €1,500-€2,000.
Two kingfisher feather hairpins, one with carved amber. UPDATE: THESE MADE 420 AT HAMMER
The sale offers a European collection of Qing Dynasty kingfisher feather ornaments worn as head pieces and accessories within an estimate range of €300-€1,500. For over 2,000 years, the Chinese have utilized the iridescent blue feathers of kingfisher birds as inlays for fine art objects and adornments, ranging from hairpins, headdresses, and fans to panels and screens. Dr. Wang said that In the past decade, a rising trend has emerged among the younger generation in China seeking to incorporate historical Chinese elements into the design of modern fashion. This has created a revival and appreciation of Hanfu culture and traditional Chinese handicrafts.
An 18th century Bleu de Hue porcelain bowl finely painted in shades of cobalt blue from Vietnam – commissioned from China – has an estimate of €8,000-€10,000. A fantastic carved ivory Japanese okimono of a fisherman with giant conch shells being tackled by a crab is estimated at €3,000-€5,000.Or how about an armchair made of deer antlers. One of the top lots of the auction is a Qing Imperial style antler armchair. There are seven known surviving deer antler chairs in China, with five in the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City. The one at Adams is a late copy, but it remains rare in the market, hence the estimate of €85,000-€95,000.
A rare Qing Imperial style antler armchair at Adam. UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
ENGLISH SCHOOL, ATTRIBUTED TO CAPTAIN ROBERT MELVILLE GRINDLAY (1786-1877)
THIS historic English School portrait of a poignant moment in Indian history and one of triumph for Britain made a hammer price of €75,000 at the second day of the Fine Asian Art sale by James Adam in Dublin today. The unsigned oil on paper with a handwritten title on the back in French shows the king of Delhi and his suite at the time of his capture by the English army. The arrest of Bahadur Shah Zafar, King of Delhi and last Mughal Emperor took place 1857/09/20 before the Humayun’s tomb, where the former did find refuge. It was performed by Captain Hodson and did constitute a major event of the Sepoys Mutiny or First War of Independence, the first step towards the fall of the Mughal Empire. Captain Robert Melville-Grindlay is well-known for his illustrations transcribed in books of engravings such as Scenery, Costumes, and Architecture, chiefly on the Western Side of India.
THIS very large coral model of a standing lady with fan and lotus sprig comes up as lot 88 at the James Adam online sale of Fine Asian Art today and tomorrow. It dates to early 20th century China and is estimated at €20,000-€40,000. Fine Arts from China and Himalaya comes under the hammer today. Tomorrow it is the turn of fine arts from Vietnam, South East Asia, India, the Middle East, Japan and Korea.
