OAKLAND – Clars Dec. 15-16 auction was led by an exceptional array of Asian fine art, antiques and decorative art which came to the sale from several fine California estates, private collections and institutions. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
Two important paintings by Zhang Daqian (Chinese, 1899-1983) sparked what would become an international event drawing highly competitive bidding from around the globe and fueling more than $1,040,000 for the Asian collections offered alone. Exceptional results were seen throughout this weekend sale and across all categories making this Clars most successful December auction in their history, with a 48 percent increase over the previous year.
The two much-anticipated works by Zhang Daqian were offered in a special session on Sunday evening.
The first work presented was titled The Lotus Pond, 1967. This signature ink and colors on paper featured a scholar standing on a bridge amid the lotus pond (above). Presented with an estimate of $150,000-$200,000, fierce bidding quickly drove the final sale price on the work to over twice its estimate fetching $443,250.
The second Daqian painting, also an ink on paper, featured a scholar on a boat gazing at a waterfall. Offered with an estimate of $30,000-$50,000, this work also performed well selling for $43,050 (below).
A nonstop trend of the Asian lots offered soaring well past estimate became the norm of this sale throughout both the Saturday and Sunday sessions. A Chinese bronze Gui ritual food vessel estimated to bring $5,000-$7,000 commanded $52,275. [PHOTO 3]
A Chinese blue and white plant container expected to earn $400–$600 went out at a whopping $43,050 (below)(below) and a Chinese hardstone rectangular palette dish flew past its high estimate of $5,000 selling for $33,825.
Rare Huanghuali furniture also proved its ever-increasing value with a Chinese folding chair fetching $30,750 against its $6,000-$9,000 presale estimate.
Rounding out the top highlights in this category was a Japanese hanging scroll from the Edo period. Presented for $800-$1,200, this anonymous work skyrocketed to $33,825.
The jewelry and timepieces offered also saw highly competitive bidding with exceptional results.
Topping these offerings was a rare Patek Philippe 18K yellow gold Lorgnette pendant watch with a 14K yellow gold slide necklace. Offered with an estimate of $10,000-$15,000, this exquisite timepiece outperformed fetching $24,600.
Another exciting outperformer was a diamond and platinum ring which featured an old European-cut diamond weighing approximately 3.85 carats, accented by 20 single-cut diamonds. Estimated to bring $3,000-$5,000, this ring achieved for $20,910. Rounding out these highlights was a set of two jadeite bracelets that topped high selling for $12,300.
Fine art saw successful sales on several works offered. From Spanish painter Emilio Sanchez-Perrier (1855-1907), his oil on canvas titled Boating Along a Quiet River, Acala, 1886, sold well for $14,760.
In prints, the top sellers included A Storm, a gouache and lithograph on paper by Howard Hodgkin (British 1932-2017) which flew past high estimate selling for $8,125. Coming in next was Untitled (from Pop Shop VI), 1989, by Keith Haring (American 1958-1900) which sold for $7,380.
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