Full details of each lot are displayed, except the lot number, estimate and price. You must be a subscriber to view lot numbers, estimates and prices.

Click here to view registration and subscription levels

Fine Asian, Australian & European Arts & Design — Sotheby's

Articles on this Sale

Auction House:Sotheby'sNumber of lots recorded:243
Sale Title:Fine Asian, Australian & European Arts & DesignLots with images:236
Auction Location:SydneyPrices available:186
Date:15-Apr-2014
***
A pair of yellow-ground green and aubergine enamelled 'dragon' dishes marks and period of Guangxu, the shallow rounded sides resting on a short foot, the interior incised with an aubergine and a green glazed dragon contesting a flaming pearl within a frieze of fruiting and flowering sprigs, the exterior with chilong and lingzhi sprigs, all reserved on an egg-yolk yellow ground, the base inscribed in aubergine with a six-character mark, box, (2), 10.5 cm diameter
***
***
***
A doucai 'mandarin duck and lotus' bowl seal mark and period of Jiaqing, with steeply rounded sides rising from a straight foot to the flared rim, decorated on the exterior in underglaze blue, iron-red and green enamel, with two pairs of mandarin ducks divided by clumps of lotus and sedge, above a band of lappets and between double line borders, the interior with a similar central medallion, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character seal mark; together with an edition of Gunhild Avitabile…
***
***
***
An unusual blue ground vase, the slender ovoid body surmounted by a waisted neck with incurved mouth, decorated with bands of rectangular landscape panels in 'famille-verte' enamels reserved on the gilt cracked-ice blue ground, the interior and base glazed in turquoise, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with an apocryphal seal mark of Qianlong in a square reserve, 50.5 cm high
***
***
***
An inscribed landscape vase, 20th century, of slender shouldered form, the sides painted with figures in a continuous mountain landscape between formal blue enamel borders around the base and flared mouth, an inscription on the reverse, the base with an iron-red seal Yitao Zhai, box, 41 cm high
***
***
***
A 'famille-verte' rouleau vase, the steep sides painted with a maiden holding a fan seated on green rockwork, her head turned towards a boy approaching offering her a lotus flower, the shoulders with a vignette diaper ground border below bamboo and flowers on the sender neck with everted rim, 25 cm high
***
***
***
A soapstone figure of a Luohan Qing dynasty, late 19th century, seated holding a ball in both hands with a Buddhist lion lying on a rocky ledge to the side, wearing loose robes, the face with curled moustache and shaven head, the opaque cream coloured stone with traces of coloured pigments, wood stand, (2), 11 cm long
***
***
***
A polychrome soapstone figure of a Luohan Qing dynasty, late 19th century, seated holding a rosary, wearing loosely draped robes baring his chest and stomach, with downward gaze and smiling expresssion, his hair in tight curls, his books on a rock ledge to one side, traces of coloured pigments, the opaque cream stone with areas of caramel sufffusions, wood stand and box, (2), 17.5 cm long
***
***
***
A soapstone group of the Hehe Erxian, the two laughing boys seated on a ledge, one holding a large peach, with a double gourd to the side, and a lingzhi fungus stem with two cash below, the cream stone with russet suffusions and an area of opaque white and reddish markings on the reverse, wood stand, box, (2), 8.2 cm high
***
***
***
A soapstone figure of a Luohan Qing dynasty, 19th century, seated with right hand resting on his raised right knee, holding an alms bowl in his left, wearing loose robes with incised decoration picked out in black, the pale stone with some russet suffusions, 8 cm high
***
***
***
Three soapstone figures of a Luohan, 19th/20th century, each seated wearing loosely draped robes, one with an alms bowl, carved from a brown stone; one cleaning his ear, carved from a whitish stone with polychrome details with stand en suite; and one with a Buddhist lion, the stone of mushroom colour with opaque whitish inclusions, (4), 8.3 cm high; 8.2 cm high; and 8 cm high
***
***
***
An unusual celadon jade belt fitting Qing dynasty, 19th century, carved on one side in the form of two pomegranates, with a boy climbing over the top, holding on to the leafy branch between the two fruit, the slightly concave reverse with two circular flat buttons, the pale celadon stone with faint white mottling, 7.5 cm long
***
***
***
A celadon jade pendant Qing dynasty, 19th century, carved in the form of a gourd with leaves, tendrils and a lingzhi sprig in pierced relief growing from a branch, and with a parrot perched on one side biting a tendril and a bat on the other, the pale stone with an area of faint russet suffusions, 6 cm long
***
***
***
A white jade 'boy' group, carved in the form of a boy playing with a Buddhist lion, both resting on a large leaf beneath them, the details incised in the faintly mottled stone of even tone, 6.5 cm long
***
***
***
A celadon jade openwork 'spring water' plaque, 17th century, carved with a goose in flight swooping down among intertwining stems of lotus leaves and flowers and saggitaria, growing from incised waves, in pierced and high relief within the plain oval border, the stone of even pale tone with a small opaque inclusion at the edge, mounted in gilt metal as a belt clasp, the back plate with engraved floral scrolls and fitted with a gilt metal strap, 9 cm long
***
***
***
An amethyst and jadeite court necklace, Chaozhu, the 108 amethyst beads divided by four jadeite fotou (Buddha heads), the fotou at the back connected to a gourd-shaped fotouta (Buddha head stupa) suspending a green hardstone matrix beiyun (back cloud) oval plaque and terminating with a turquoise and a rock crystal tear-shaped bead, the three jinnian strands of jasper beads each further suspending similar tear-shaped drops, approx. 176 cm diameter
***
***
***
A celadon jade carving, of a cat fish with young, resting on a large lotus leaf, the stone of even faintly greenish tone, 9 cm long, 9 cm
***
***
***
A pale celadon jade 'phoenix' carving Qing dynasty, early 19th century, well carved as the mythical bird standing on its right leg, the left raised with claws clasping at one of its long coiled tail plumes curling beneath its wing, the elegant crested head turned back holding in its beak a trailing peony bough with blooms and leaves extending over its back, the long tail plumage falling in tiers on either side of its long legs and curling up beneath its body, the details finely incised, the pale stone with…
***
***
***
A jade 'dragon' belt hook Qing dynasty, 19th century, the terminal carved in the form of a dragon's head and the shaft surmounted by a chilong in pierced relief grasping a sprig of lingzhi fungus in its jaws, the reverse with a button knop, the pale stone with some faint russet suffusions, 12.5 cm long
***
***
***
A zitan celadon jade-inlaid ruyi sceptre Qing dynasty, 18th/19th century, the gently curved shaft carved and pierced with stylised scrollwork, the head, centre and terminal inset with jade plaques in the form of a bat, a kylin and a mythical beast, with finely carved details, the pale greenish stones with slight russet suffusions, cloth and wood stand, with glass case and wood box, (4), sceptre 34.5 cm long; box 22.8 cm high, 48.5 cm long,15.5 cm wide
***
***
***
Two jade openwork plaques Qing dynasty, 19th century, one carved in the form of a butterfly, the reverse mounted with a clasp as a brooch, the whitish stone with a faint russet vein; and another of ruyi head form with three bats and pendant qing, the pale celadon stone with slight opaque mottling, wood stands, (4), 9.5 cm long; and 9 cm long
***
***
***
A 'yellow wax' scholar's rock, with characteristic hollows and perforations, the yellow coloured weathered stone with some amber tones and waxy appearance, wood stand, (2), 40 cm high
***
***
***
A grey 'lingbi' scholar's rock, of irregular craggy form, the dark grey stone interspersed with whitish veins and inclusions, wood stand, (2), 41 cm high
***
***
***
A carved Duan inkstone, of rectangular form, the smooth sunken palette deepening to the top surmounted by two confronted stylised dragons in low relief, one side with an inscription reading Zuoyuan zhencang (Treasured collection of Zuoyuan), 17.5 cm long
***
***
***
An impressive pair of cloisonne enamel vases, each of hexagonally lobed form, the pear-shaped body supported on a splayed foot and tapering to a waisted neck with trumpet mouth, decorated in bright colours on a turquoise ground with the wufu encircling a shou medallion pendant with qing and twin fish, all on a ground of stylised lotus sccrolls between bands of lappets at the base and ruyi heads below the lipped gilt metal rim, (2), 39.5 cm high
***
***
***
An unusual bronze offering dish late Ming dynasty, supported on short tripod feet, the interior decorated in relief with a phoenix perched on a rock amidst a turbulent sea; together with a censer supported on slender tripod legs, the sides with taotie below the everted mouth set with two lug handles, wood cover, (3), 17.5 cm diameter; and 13 cm high
***
***
***
A Bronze 'Eight Immortals' arrow vase Ming Dynasty, the compressed globular body surmounted by a detachable tall cylindrical neck, set with two tiers of Immortals in high relief on a diaper ground divided by two vertical flanges, and set with double animal head and loose ring handles, the high splayed foot with wave motifs, 45 cm high
***
***
***
A silver inlaid bronze censer Qing dynasty, 19th century, the rounded body tapering to a flared mouth and galleried rim, supported on three conical feet and set with two curving strap handles, the sides inlaid in silver wire with dragons chasing flaming pearls on a dense cloud scroll ground, the base with an apocryphal four character date in a recessed square, corresponding to the year 807 of the Tang Dynasty, 27 cm high, 44 cm wide
***
***
***
An archaistic bronze vase, Hu Ming dynasty, the pear-shaped body rising from a flared base above the straight foot, tapering to a slightly waisted neck with galleried mouth, set on the sloping shoulders with two animal mask and loose ring handles, the metal patinated to a dark brown colour with patches of encrustations, 31.5 cm high
***
***
***
Two bronze hand warmers Qing dynasty, 19th century, comprising one of squat circular form with swing handle, the domed cover pierced with a cell diaper pattern; and a smaller shaped rectangular hand warmer, the flat cover pierced with a florette diaper pattern, the base of each with impressed marks, (4), 11.5 cm diameter; and 7.5 cm long
***
***
***
Two bronze hand warmers Qing dynasty, 19th century, comprising one of shaped rectangular form set on the shoulders with a double swing handle, the flat cover pierced with a wan, ruyi head and florette diaper pattern; and a chamfered square-form hand warmer, the flat cover pierced with a florette diaper pattern, the base of each with impressed marks, (4), 13 cm long; and 6.5 cm long
***
***
***
A pair of carved lacquered wood wall plaques, 19th/20th century, of shaped oval form, each carved in high relief with a pair of Buddhist lions supported on clouds playing with a brocade ball, each energetically portrayed with lively expression, the lions in brown with red highlights against the red ground, (2), 43.5 cm long, 23.5 cm high
***
***
***
A pair of carved and pierced mother-of-pearl shells, circa 1900, each carved with a woman and child reading in a garden setting with bamboo, flowering plants and trees on a pierced cloud scroll ground, wood stands, (4), 22.5 cm wide
***
***
***
A carved agate snuff bottle, 19th/20th century, the well hollowed body carved with a sage and a bat hovering overhead, using the dark brown inclusions in the otherwise pale mushroom coloured stone, stopper en suite, 5.5 cm high
***
***
***
Three agate snuff bottles, comprising a banded agate bottle, stopper en suite; a bottle carved from a pale mushroom coloured stone with dense areas of black markings; and a bottle with double mask and ring handles, coral stoppers, (3), 5.3 cm high; 6.5 cm high; 6.4 cm high
***
***
***
A celadon jade snuff bottle, 19th/20th century, retaining the shape of the original pebble, carved as a gourd with leaves and tendrils in relief, the pale stone with russet suffusions, coral stopper, 5.5 cm high
***
***
***
A lady's majenta silk informal robe Qing dynasty, late 19th century, the silk ground woven with auspicious symbols among floral scrolls, embroidered in satin stitch with twelve figure scene roundels interspersed with butterflies, birds and flower sprays, the neck and hem with a border of animals and birds among blossoming trees, and the sleeve bands with figures and animals in rural and garden settings, all on white silk grounds, 1040 cm long, 1500 cm wide
***
***
***
Huang Zhou, 1925-1997, Old Man and Donkeys, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, signed Huang Zhou, dated early winter of 1972, inscribed and with two seals, 83.5 cm x 41.5 cm
***
***
***
Qian Songyan, 1898-1986, Birds Among Flowering Plants, ink and colour on paper, hanging scroll, inscribed with poem, signed Qian Songyan with a dedication, and three seals of the artist, 147 cm x 37 cm
***
***
***
An Imari vase and cover, late 19th century, together with a pair of vases and covers decorated predominantly in iron-red and gilding with details in coloured enamels, grisaille and sepia, (6), 34.5 cm high; and 22 cm high
***
***
***
A carved ivory box and cover, Meiji period, the cylindrical sides carved in relief on the exterior with an attendant pouring wine for a dignitary seated at a table, and several other figures variously occupied in a continuous garden landscape, the wood base supported on four scroll feet and the flat cover with figural knop, (2), 18.5 cm high
***
***
***
A lacquered ivory brushpot, Meiji period, of cylindrical form, the sides decorated in lacquer with details applied in ivory and mother of pearl, with two sages and an attendant, one sage holding a painting and paint brush, the other a fan, all reserved on the carved canework ground between simulated bamboo borders, supported on a wood base, metal lined interior, 32.5 cm high
***
***
***
A cloisonne vase by Ando Jubei, late Meiji period, of tapering shouldered form, the sides with alternating dragon and ho-o bird panels on a speckled dark brown ground, below a yellow ground border of floral scrolls and vignettes, the base with Ando mark, 18.8 cm high
***
***
***
Douglas Snelling, 1917 - 1985, pair of dining chairs Australian hardwood and cotton webbing. Manufactured by Functional Products, Sydney
***
***
N/A