A BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN DRAGON JAR SOLD FOR $7,658,000 IN THE FINE ASIAN WORKS OF ART SALE ON MONDAY AT BONHAMS & BUTTERFIELDS IN SAN FRANCISCO. THE 360 LOT SALE BROUGHT MORE THAN $19 MILLION WITH THE CAST MAJORITY OF LOTS FETCHING MULTIPLES OF THEIR ESTIMATES. THE EXCITEMENT IN THE STANDING ROOM ONLY SALESROOM WAS PALPABLE, AS DETERMINED BIDDERS ON THE TELEPHONE AND IN THE AUDIENCE FOUGHT TO WIN THE MUCH COVETED JAR. BROOKE SIVO, THE SALE'S PRINCIPAL AUCTIONEER AND A 22 YEAR VETERAN OF THE ART WORLD, EXPERTLY GUIDED THE BIDDING ALONG UNTIL IT CULMINATED IN THE RECORD PRICE. THERE WAS MUCH ANTICIPATION AND DELIBERATION OVER THE DRAGON JAR. FOLLOWING CAREFUL PRE-SALE RESEARCH AND CONSULTATION, THE FIRM DESCRIBED THE JAR CONSERVATIVELY AS QIANLONG MARK, LATE QING/REPUBLIC PERIOD AND GAVE IT A PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF $10,000-15,000. ULTIMATELY, TWO KEY BIDDERS BACKED THEIR OWN JUDGMENT AND THE DRAGON JAR SOLD FOR A REMARKABLE $7,658,000. THE BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN JAR MEASURES AN IMPRESSIVE 14 INCHES HIGH AND IS DECORATED WITH BANDS OF PLANTAIN LEAVES, WAVES, AND A CLOUD-COLLAR AT THE WAISTED NECK AND BROAD SHOULDERS. THE SIDES ARE DENSELY PAINTED WITH SIX METICULOUSLY RENDERED FIVE-CLAWED DRAGONS PORTRAYED EMERGING FROM THE CRASHING WAVES AND FLYING AMID STYLIZED CLOUDS AND FLAMES.
No comments:
Post a Comment