Prince Castle to conduct multi-estate auction of important Asian art on April 1

 

HOUSTON – Prince Castle Auctions will present a curated collection of Asian art and antiques on Saturday, April 1. The 120 cataloged lots – all offered with no reserves – have been carefully chosen from estate and family items from the United States, the UK and France. Absentee and Internet bidding is available through LiveAuctioneers.

The star attraction is Lot 45, an Imperial iron-red reverse-decorated dish (shown above) having a Yongzheng mark and of the period. The 6.5-inch dish also has an original Christie’s label, which may be of interest to collectors. The dish is from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wilson, both originally from the UK and are now retired and living in California. They acquired most of the collection in London and Paris from the 1970s through the 1990s.

 

 

 

Other outstanding piece collected by the Wilsons are Lot 52, a pair of Imperial iron-red dragon cup stands (above), Kangxi mark and of the period (est. $2,000-$3,000), and Lot 47, an Imperial coffee-glazed bowl (below), Xuande mark and of the period (est. $2,000-$3,000).

 

 

Several lots were formerly in the collection of Dr. Siegfried Ramler (1927-2009), a physician who lived and worked in Hong Kong from the 1960s to the 1980s, and are consigned by his family in Florida. Lot 17, an Imperial yellow-glazed incised dragon bowl, Qianlong Mark and of the period, includes its original box. The bowl, 6 1/4 inches in diameter, has a $2,000-$3,000 estimate.

 

 

Also highly desirable is Lot 67, a Tang Dynasty Sancai-glazed pottery figure of a camel. The figure measures 14.75 inches long by 13 inches long by 5 inches wide. It is accompanied by a signed thermoluminescence analysis report from Oxford Authentication Ltd. attesting to its age. It was formerly in the collection of S. Byrne (1918-1996), a distinguished Asian art collector from New York.

 

 

The oldest lot in the sale is an archaic bronze li from the Spring and Autumn Period. The three-legged pot , which has a $400-$600 estimate, was also part of the Byrne collection.

 

 

Another impressive item from the Byrne collection is an Imperial Famille Rose butterfly jar and cover (below) that stands 16 inches high by 11 inches in diameter. Covered with colorful butterflies, the jar has a Guangxu mark and is of the period. Attached to the base is a Sotheby’s original auction label.

 

 

Also noteworthy is Lot 71, an Imperial ruby enameled bottle vase (below) with a Qianlong mark and of the period. The 9-inch-high vase is in excellent condition and also retains an original Christie’s label.

 

 

Additional highlights include Lot 12, an Imperial Famille Rose ruby-ground medallion bowl, Daoguang mark and of the period, 5 3/4 inches in diameter (est. $2,000-$3,000); Lot 19, a 7 3/4-inch-tall Imperial red-glazed vase, Yongzheng mark and of the period (est. $2,000-$3,000); and Lot 22, an Imperial Doucai bowl, Qianlong mark and of the period, 4 1/4 inches in diameter ($1,000-$1,500), all of which are from the Ramler collection.

 

 

“For this auction, it took our expert appraiser a full year to research and authenticate all of the lots. We believe that anywhere from 70 to 100 percent of the lots will sell for at least $10,000,” said Rafael Mirra of Prince Castle Auctions, a Houston-based company.

The auction will begin at 8 a.m. Central time, (9 a.m. Eastern).

For details phone 844-798-5484 or email contact@princecastleauctions.com