SOTHEBY S LONDON SPRING CHINESE SALES TO BE HIGHLIGHTED BY AN OFFERING OF MASTERPIECES OF CHINESE PRECIOUS METALWORK: EARLY GOLD AND SILVER

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Lydia Douglas
7 years ago
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1 34-35 NEW BOND STREET LONDON W1A 2AA +44 (0) PRESS RELEASE Press Office Contact: Simon Warren +44 (0) SOTHEBY S LONDON SPRING CHINESE SALES TO BE HIGHLIGHTED BY AN OFFERING OF MASTERPIECES OF CHINESE PRECIOUS METALWORK: EARLY GOLD AND SILVER --- The only extant collection of Chinese precious metalwork to have been formed in the early decades of the 20 th century --- A fine and rare Parcel-Gilt Silver Bowl, Tang Dynasty, 8 th /9 th century (Estimate: 350, ,000*) FOLLOWING SOTHEBY S HONG KONG record breaking Spring sales series of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, which realised US$97 million, Sotheby s London will stage two important sales in this category on Wednesday, May 14, Combined, the single and various owners sales will present around 500 lots of Chinese works of art and ceramics that are estimated to realise in excess of 5.2 million. Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork: Early Gold and Silver and Early Chinese White, Green and Black Wares: Earlier this month, Sotheby s Hong Kong held the first of three sales of works formerly in the Collection of Dr Johan Carl Kempe - the sale realised a remarkable $21.9 million and established a new auction record for any Chinese Metalwork when a Xuande Period Gold Tripod Vessel, Cover & Liner sold for US$14.9 million. SOTHEBY S: REGISTERED AT THE ABOVE ADDRESS NO

2 In the wake of this tremendous result, Sotheby s London will offer for sale Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork: Early Gold and Silver and Early Chinese White, Green and Black Wares formerly in the collection of Dr Johan Carl Kempe which together form Part Two** and are estimated to realise more than 2.5 million. The group of Chinese gold and silverware to be offered for sale including the 30 lots from the collection sold at Sotheby s Hong Kong is the only extant collection of Chinese precious metalwork to have been formed in the early decades of the 20 th century. The sale includes approximately 120 lots of gold and silver metalwork that span from the Eastern Zhou to the Qing Dynasty ( ), with particular focus on wares of the Tang Dynasty ( ). Dr Johan Carl Kempe ( ) was a Swedish industrialist that transformed his lumber-producing family firm into a leading industrial concern in the pulp and paper business. He formed his collection in the 1920s and 30s and became one of Sweden s most avid collectors of Chinese works of art. With its particular emphasis on gold and silver, as well as his special interest in white porcelain areas that had largely been neglected until that time his collection quickly became internationally renowned. It was studied in depth by Bo Gyllensvärd, whose catalogues of the precious metalwork in 1953 and of the white wares in 1964 rapidly became standard reference works on the subject. Until Sotheby s recent sale in Hong Kong, a collection of Chinese precious metalwork such as assembled in the Kempe collection has never before come on the market. Kempe was not only a successful businessman, but also a keen sportsman; he won the silver medal at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm playing in the men s tennis doubles event. The most important and highest value work in the sale is very fine and rare Tang Dynasty Parcel-Gilt Bowl, which dates to the 8 th /9 th century (illustrated on the front page) and is estimated at 350, ,000. This bowl is among the finest examples of silverwork made by Chinese artisans during the Tang Dynasty and only one other comparable example appears to be recorded; a bowl of much larger dimensions but of the same shape and design probably made by the same craftsman, in the Hakutsuru Fine Art Museum, Kobe. Another important piece is a fine and very rare 8 th /9 th century Tang Dynasty Parcel-Gilt Bowl and Cover, illustrated right, which is estimated at 300, ,000.

3 A further highlight (illustrated above) also Tang Dynasty to be offered for sale is a late 7 th -/early 8 th - century remarkable silver Animal bowl, which is estimated at 150, ,000. The bowl is outstanding in its extremely fine workmanship and in its design, which reflects the familiarity and fascination of Tang high society with exotic animals introduced via the Silk Road. It is stylistically comparable with a footed bowl of similar form and size from the collection of Frederick M. Mayer and which was included in the Los Angeles County Museum exhibition of The Arts of the T ang Dynasty. Tang silver bowls of this simple and elegant form rarely appear on the market. Other noteworthy pieces include a fine and very rare Tang Dynasty Parcel-Gilt Rhinoceros Silver Dish, which dates to the 8 th /9 th century and is estimated at 40,000-60,000; two fine and rare Song Dynasty Gold Dishes that respectively carry an estimate of 30,000-40,000; and a fine and rare Song Dynasty Gold Cup, which is estimated at 15,000-20,000 (illustrated left). The ceramics formerly in the Collection of Dr Carl Kempe, Early Chinese White, Green and Black Wares, are primarily monochromes from the Song Dynasty ( ) and earlier, and include Ding, Qingbai, Longquan, Guan and Ge wares, which range in estimate from to 200, ,000. Among those in the collection, the most important piece to be offered for sale is a rare Northern Song Dynasty Ding lobed bowl. Celebrated for their thin potting, fine white body and ivory-coloured glaze, Ding wares were favoured by the court and wealthy monasteries during the Song and Jin periods. The bowl is decorated with ducks symbolic of happy marriage and the lotus flower, which were popular decorative motifs with Song Dynasty decorators and often featured on ceramics. It is a fine example of the superb stylistic achievements of these wares and particularly unusual in that it is decorated with alternating ducks and lotus bloom. The bowl is estimated at 200, ,000.

4 Another major highlight in the sale is a fine and rare Southern Song Dynasty Ge Flower-Shaped Bowl. Ge bowls of this elegant fluted form, which is finely potted with each of the six gently curved petal-shaped lobes, springing from the short straight foot to the slightly everted rim, are especially rare. A related bowl with a similar cracked glaze is in the Alfred Clark collection and was included in the 1952 Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition Ju and Kuan Wares in London. It is estimated at 200, ,000. A further Southern Song Dynasty highlight to be included for sale is a fine and rare Longquan Celadon Funerary Jar and Cover, which is estimated at 100, ,000. The glaze of this jar is a thick lustrous bluish green, often referred to as the kinuta glaze by the Japanese who were especially fond of these wares. Kinuta wares are considered masterpieces of the Longquan potter who prepared the perfect glaze and had total control of the kiln. Longquan celadon funerary jars of this type have been described as belonging to the finest Longquan celadon vessels recorded and it is believed that funerary jars of this type were made in pairs, one bearing the Green Dragon of the East such as the offered lot and the other of the White Tiger of the West.. Other highlights in the sale include a Northern Song Dynasty Ding deep Lotus Bowl, which is an elegant example of the understated beauty of Ding ware (est. 40,000-60,000); a Ding Ducks and Water Plants Dish, Northern Song Dynasty est. 20,000-30,000); a rare Ding Tripod Incense Burner, Northern Song Dynasty (est. 20,000-30,000); a rare White Stoneware Figure of a Seated Buddha, Northern Song/Jin Dynasty (est. 15,000-20,000); and a large White Stoneware Lion, Tang Dynasty (est. 5,000-7,000). Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art: The Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art sale, which includes around 230 lots and is estimated to realise in excess of 2.7 million, will be highlighted by: An important Gilt-Bronze Figure of a Bodhisattva mark and period of Yongle (est. 300, ,000).

5 A fine and large Blue and White Ming Style Vase, Hu sealmark and period of Qianlong (est. 200, ,000). A rare Iberian-market Armorial Blue and White Pilgrim Flask Ming Dynasty, circa (est. 80, ,000). Notes to Editor: *Estimates do not include buyer s premium. **The third and final part, which will be dedicated to Ming and Qing ceramics formerly in the collection of Dr Johan Carl Kempe, will be offered at Sotheby s Paris on June 12, # # #

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