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Auction PR Publicity Announcements News and Information

Sotheby’s New York Sale Of Fine Chinese Ceramics And Works Of Art On March 18, 2008, Brings $11,091,263

New York, New York – Sotheby’s spring sale of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art in New York, which featured Qing period jades, ceramics of the Five Dynasties to the Early Ming period, bamboo carvings, Ming and Qing dynasty porcelains and works of art from a number of distinguished private collections, totaled $11,091,263. Highlighting the sale was the Dexingshuwu Collection, which is comprised of 30 lots of exquisite ceramics from the Five Dynasties, Song, Jin, Yuan and early Ming periods, is a ‘Jun’ purple-splashed narcissus bowl, incised si (‘four’) to the base, which commanded $869,800, far above its high estimate, selling to an Asian buyer (lot 97, est. $400/500,000); a fine ‘Jun’ skyblue narcissus bowl, early Ming dynasty, which brought $825,000, also well above its expected price, selling to Chak’s Company Ltd. (lot 100, est. $300/400,000); a very rare ‘Jun’ mallow-shaped lavenderglazed jardinière, incised san (‘three’) to the base, which sold for $469,000 to an Asian buyer (lot 91, est. $350/450,000); and a rare Clair-de-Lune basin, Yongzheng seal mark and period, which achieved $385,000, selling to a European dealer (lot 116, est. $80/120,000).

Nicolas Chow, Worldwide Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, “We were pleased with many of the exceptional prices achieved in today’s sale from a number of our private collections such as the Dexingshuwu Collection, the Lutz Collection and Japanese Arms and Armor Collection being offered by The Armand P. Arman Revocable Trust.”

Mee-Seen Loong, senior specialist for the sale, continued: “We saw strength across a number of categories today — ceramics from the Five Dynasties, Song, Jin, Yuan and early Ming periods, jades, bamboo carvings and works of art – particularly with property that was fresh to the market. While we were disappointed that the group of bronzes didn’t find buyers in today’s sale and impacted sold rate by value, overall our sold rates were consistent with many of our past sales.”

The largest private collection of the sale, an Important Private American Collection, offered more than 200 lots of Ming and Qing dynasty porcelains, rhinoceros horn carvings, jades, furniture and other works of art of the highest quality, and highlighting this offering was a magnificent and extremely rare pair of Huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs inlaid with mother-of-pearl, horn, ivory, amber and soapstone embellishments and dragons, 17th/18th century, which brought $433,000, selling to an Asian Private collector (lot 233, est. $300/500,000). Included is a ‘Doucai’ five-lobed vase (meiping),
Qianlong seal mark and period, which sold for $193,000 (lot 152, est. $140/180,000). At over 10? high, the vase is a masterpiece for its complex and innovative lobed form and for the brilliant execution of the painting reflecting a traditional Ming period style. Inspired by the classical forms of the Tang and Song dynasties, it was reinterpreted to reflect contemporary sensibilities.

The offering of jade included works from a Mid-Western Collector, including a fine and rare spinachgreen jade brushpot, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period, which achieved $433,000, selling to an Asian buyer (lot 16, est. $250/350,000). At 6?, the exterior is beautifully carved and undercut with four scholars and their acolytes in a mountainous landscape.

The sale also included a selection of over 30 lots of superb bamboo carvings from the Walter and Mona Lutz Collection, which performed exceptionally well. The highlight of the 33 lots was an important bamboo carving of the ‘Eight Daoist Immortals Crossing the Sea’, Qing dynasty, 18th/19th century, which sold for $217,000 to an Asian Private buyer (lot 52, est. $40/60,000). These works, collected over half a century, comprised brushpots, figures, and other scholar’s articles. The
collection started in 1945 during Mr. Lutz’s time as an American military officer in Asia; together with his Japanese wife, they amassed a formidable collection. Many of the works have been published and were on exhibition in the Denver Art Museum.

Other highlights of the sale included a scroll by Zhu Yunming, ink on paper, which sold for $361,000 to Arnold Chang Inc., many times above its high estimate (lot 69, est. $50/70,000); a gilt-decorated brownground ‘three boys’ vase, Qianlong seal mark and period, which brought $361,000, selling to Chak’s Company Ltd. (lot 117, est. $150/200,000); and a fine blue and white ‘Lianzi’ bowl, Xuande mark and period, which achieved $265,000, selling to a Japanese dealer (lo 114, est. $120/150,000).

Rounding out the sale was a collection of Japanese arms and armor, comprised of approximately thirty pieces including complete suits, breastplates, helmets, masks and swords, a number of them signed by armorers, including the Saotome family. Highlighting the pieces, which ranged in date from the late 16th to 19th centuries, was a russet iron Kasa-type Suji Boshi Helmet, signed Saotome, 17th century, which sold for $79,000 (lot 268, est. $25/30,000). Acquired over the past two decades by French painter and sculptor Armand P. Arman, the collection was being offered by The Armand P. Arman Revocable Trust and brought $824,688 (lots 261-289, est. in excess of $400,000).

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium

Sotheby’s New York Spring 2008 Asian Art Auction Schedule:
March 17 Contemporary Art Asia: China Japan Korea
March 18 Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
March 19 Indian Art
March 19 Indian and Southeast Works of Art, Including Miniatures

Sotheby’s Hong Kong Spring 2008 Auction Schedule at the Hong Kong Convention and
Exhibition Centre:
April 8 Fine Chinese Paintings
April 8 Modern & Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings
April 9 Contemporary Chinese Art
April 10 Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite
April 10 Important Watches
April 11 Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art

Sotheby’s London Spring 2008 Asian Art Auction Schedule
May 14 Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art

Sotheby’s Paris Spring 2008 Asian Art Auction Schedule
June 12 Arts of Asia

**Sales information and dates are subject to change**