An early Chinese bronze mythical animal figure (Lot 12 ) at Davidson's mixed Fine Arts & Jewellery sale last yesterday made $60,000 against what would otherwise have been a strong pre-sale estimate of $5,000-10,000.
The animal was of archaic type with inlaid decoration in silver and gold, and was mounted with figures of recumbent tigers. It bore Chinese character inscriptions under the cover and a retailer’s label for C.T. Loo & Cie, Paris.
We’ve heard several stories in recent times of Chinese vases with modest estimates bringing tens of millions of dollars at auction. The main factor in this trend is simple: hundreds of thousands of Chinese are now seriously wealthy. According to the Hurun Rich List, by all accounts the Chinese equivalent of the Forbes or Sunday Times rich lists, there are now 875,000 Chinese people worth over a million US dollars[1]. And they are hungry to reclaim lost patrimony. Tigers buying tigers, and just about everything else Chinese.
Must be time to start attending those school fete days, check out the back of the cupboards at Nan’s place, double-check the attic and basement, and visit that eccentric aunt…