Asian Works of Art Attract Fierce Bidding in Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions Interiors Sale

Whilst the art market were preparing to indulge in Asia Week New York, Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions celebrated Asian works of art in their Wednesday 12th March Interiors sale. The sale saw unwavering bidders pushing prices high, and suggesting there is no remission in the booming Asian art market.

A Chinese bronze censer, a vessel created for burning incense, was the highlight of the sale, selling for £8,060. From the former residence of Mr Rob Walker of Formula One’s highly successful Rob Walker Racing team and the heir of whisky mogul Johnnie Walker, the censer, with its excellent provenance, was sold in the room to a UK bidder. [Lot 12]

A collection of paintings opened the Asian Works of Art section. A fine group of eight, framed and glazed, 19th century Chinese paintings, in inks and colours on silk, attracted fierce bidding before selling for £5,952. The paintings were all of a natural theme, depicting traditional style floral scenes, and bird and flower subjects. [Lot 7] Other highly desired paintings included an Indian miniature depicting Maharana Jagar Singh II riding an elephant in procession which sold for £2,976 [Lot 80] and a further Indian miniature depicting Maharana Sangram Singh hunting a boar, which sold for £1,612. Both pieces were consigned from private UK collections. [Lot 79]

Asian ceramics also achieved top prices with a 19th century jar and cover, ornately decorated with a landscape scene, on a carved wooden stand achieving £3,968 [Lot 61] and a large Chinese blue and white dish doubling its pre-sale estimate and selling for £2,300. [Lot 53]

A red and gold lacquered wood figure of a Chinese general excited bidders in the room. Despite lacking his hands, the finely carved sculpture, wearing scale armour beneath his elaborate robes, sold for £6,200. [Lot 15]

The later part of the Interiors sale offered works of art and furniture from British and Continental makers. A grand pair of Continental carved giltwood Blackamoor torcheres, in 18th century Venetian style, measured 215cm tall and doubled their pre-sale estimate selling for £5,952. [Lot 121] Proving that fine British mahogany furniture is still in demand, a William IV mahogany extending dining table, circa 1835, sold for £4,960 [Lot 129]

The auction was held at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions’ Donnington Priory saleroom in Berkshire on Wednesday 12th March. Full results are available online at www.dreweatts.com