RECENTLY AT SOTHEBY'S HONG KONG FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART AUTUMN SALE 2009, AN OUTSTANDING IMPERIAL CARVED ZITAN 'DRAGON' THRONE OF THE QIANLONG PERIOD WAS SOLD FOR CLOSE TO HK$86 MILLION/$12 MILLION TO A BIDDER IN THE ROOM, BREAKING THE WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR ANY CHINESE FURNITURE. BIDDING OPENED AT HK$13 MILLION, QUICKLY REACHING HK$20 MILLION, WHEN A BIDDER IN THE ROOM SHOUTED OUT A BID OF HK$30 MILLION. THE FRENZIED BIDING CONTINUES FOR SOME TIME, WITH A NEW BIDDER OVER THE PHONE JOINING THE COMPETITION AT HK$60 MILLION. AFTER A TOTAL OF 36 FURIOUS BIDS WHICH LASTED FOR A TENSION FILLED TEN MINUTES, THE THRONE WAS EVENTUALLY SOLD FOR AN ASTONISHING HAMMER PRICE OF HK$76 MILLION, NOT INCLUDING BUYER'S PREMIUM, FAR EXCEEDING THE HIGH ESTIMATE OF HK$30 MILLION/$3.9 MILLION US. A SPOKESPERSON FOR SOTHEBY'S SAID: "THIS THRONE WAS LITERALLY THE SEAT OF IMPERIAL POWER, AND THIS HAS AROUSED ENORMOUS INTEREST AMONG DISCERNING COLLECTORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. AS THE FINEST PIECE OF IMPERIAL FURNITURE TO COME TO THE MARKET IN A DECADE, IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT IT HAS NOW BROKEN THE WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR CHINESE FURNITURE."
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