PHILADELPHIA — Ben Farina, Head of Asian Arts at Freeman’s expressed delight about the results of his curated Asian Arts auction held on October 14. Farina commented “We had a number of wonderful pieces from various regional collections, and we’ve greatly enjoyed working with the consignors to bring this material to auction.”
Following spirited bidding wars, several lots achieved results that soared well above their pre-sale estimates. A Chinese handscroll of eight works depicting One Hundred Auspicious Subjects from the Chinese School, dating to the 19th century or earlier, sold for $113,400 after garnering significant buyer interest.
A Chinese faux bronze porcelain shell-form coupe achieved $50,400, a remarkable 33 times its pre-sale high estimate of $1,500. Also, a Chinese flambe-glazed hu-form vase sold for more than 10 times its pre-sale estimate to achieve $21,420.
Leading the October 14 auction was the $378,000 sale of an important Imperial pale celadon-white jade seal, which confirms the strength of Freeman’s Asian Arts department in securing consignments of deep cultural significance and facilitating excellent results on clients’ behalf. The exceedingly rare seal is one of approximately 20 “Taishang Huangdi” seals commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor of China, a jade connoisseur, upon his retirement in the late 18th century.
Another lot, a large Chinese blue and white porcelain Ming-style meiping vase — an unusual and exceptional work — achieved $50,400 after multiple competing bids between buyers.
Though the majority of the highlights of the Asian Arts auction were Chinese in origin, several Buddhist sculptures from throughout Southeast Asia elicited significant buyer interest; one, a Nepalese gilt copper alloy figure of Vasudhara, achieved $47,250.
A Sino-Tibetan gilt bronze figure of Akshobhya likewise sparked a bidding war, selling for $30,240, more than four times its pre-sale high estimate, and a small Sino-Tibetan gilt bronze figure of Manjusri more than doubled its pre-sale high estimate to achieve $7,560.
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