Asia Week New York Auction Results
Our annual Asia Week New York saw outstanding results totaling US$14 million across four live sales. The top lot of the week at Bonhams and across all the Chinese Works of Art sales in New York was a superbly painted vase with dragons amidst clouds from the Qianlong period (1736-1795) which sold for an astonishing $3.7 million, more than six times its estimate. A true masterpiece with the only known comparable work residing in the Beijing Palace Museum, the vase sparked an intense bidding war among 10 bidders over the phone and in the room. The Chinese Works of Art sale also saw an exceptional Imperial vase decorated with phoenix and chi-dragons, dated to the Yongzheng reign (1723-1735), soar more than three times past its estimate to achieve US$1.75 million.
Starting off the week strong, the Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art including the Bernard and Francine Wald Collection of Snuff Bottles, Part I auction achieved $9 million overall, with a sell-through rate of 82%.
On March 18, the Classical and Modern Chinese Paintings sale overall achieved US$2 million led by the exemplary portrait of the Imperial Guard. Two works by Zhang Daqian (1899-1983), one of the most prolific and renowned artists of the 20th century, were also standouts of the sale. Seclusion in Qingbian Mountains after Wang Meng, a hanging scroll from 1944, drew significant interest, soaring past its estimate to sell for US$152,900 while Lotus and Bird after Shitao (1642-1707) and Zhu Da (1626-1705) sold for US$127,500 (estimate: US$100,000 – 150,000).
The Indian and Himalayan Art sale on March 19 offered an impressive group of statues and thangkas depicting deities and teachers of Tibetan Buddhism which overall achieved US$1.7 million.
Closing out the week, the Fine Japanese and Korean Art sale offered a range of works from rare pottery to a fine selection woodblock prints as well as a group of outstanding inrō from the collection of Alan and Simone Hartman. Overall, the auction achieved US$1.3 million. The sale was highlighted by a solid gold tea pot, crafted from a heritage collection of gold koban coins minted by the Shogunate government in the 18th century, which sold for US$64,000 (estimate: US$50,000 – 70,000).
To learn more about all the sales highlights, click here.
RECENT ASIA WEEK NEW YORK AUCTIONS
Discover Asia Week at Bonhams, featuring a slate of eight auctions celebrating expertly crafted works of art from across Asia, including four live sales – Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art including the Bernard and Francine Wald Collection of Snuff Bottles, Part I; Classical and Modern Chinese Paintings; Indian and Himalayan Art; and Fine Japanese and Korean Art.
Browse a wide array of rare works and celebrated collections, including Chinese ceramics from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, fine snuff bottles from the Francine and Bernard Wald Collection, and Japanese art from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection, among other displays of exceptional craftsmanship.
Explore the full auction schedule below, and stay informed on the latest Asian Art sales held year-round across the Bonhams network in New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong and Sydney, celebrating the rich artistic traditions of Asia.
A Rare and Important Blue and White and Copper-Red ‘Dragon’ Vase, Tianqiuping, Qianlong six-character seal mark and of the period, 22 1/16in (56cm) high; 4 13/16in (12.3cm) diam of mouth; 6 3/4in (17.1cm) diam of foot; 29 1/8in (74cm) high including wood stand
Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art including the Francine and Bernard Wald Collection of Fine Snuff Bottles, Part I
Auction: March 17, 2025 at 9am EDT
Viewing: March 12–16, 10am-5pm
A rare and important blue and white copper-red ‘dragon’ tianqiuping vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period (1736-1795), is the highlight of the Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art sale on March 17. Estimated at US$400,000 – 600,000, this celestial sphere vase with a slightly compressed body and long straight neck represents the antiquarian movement in the early Qing dynasty, paying homage to the high style and technological achievement of the 15th century Ming dynasty imperial porcelains. The painterly ‘dragon and cloud’ motif was derived from the Song dynasty (960-1279) ink paintings in the Qing Court Collection. A true masterpiece of its type, the only known comparable work is in the collection of the Beijing Palace Museum.
The sale will also feature a curated selection of huanghuali furniture from private collections, as well as an outstanding selection of ceramics from the Tang to the Qing dynasties. The standout from the private Connecticut collection is an 18th century huanghuali square table, estimated at US$60,000 – 80,000. The highlights from an important private collection include a rare Kangxi imperial Falangcai bowl, decorated with stylized flowers and leafy foliage over a yellow ground, estimated at US$120,000 – 180,000 and a magnificent set of eight famille rose Buddhist emblems, estimated at US$350,000 – 500,000.
Contact:
Michael C. Hughes
(646) 988 1723
[email protected]
Classical and Modern Chinese Paintings
Auction: March 18, 2025 at 9am EDT
Viewing: March 12–17, 10am-5pm
This sale will explore the dynamic history of this great tradition with paintings and calligraphy that span centuries. One highlight of the sale is Portrait of an Imperial Guard painted circa 1760 attributed to Ai Qimeng (Ignaz Sichelbart, 1708-1780) and Jin Tingbiao (Active 1757-1767), a European and Chinese court artist working collaboratively in the Qianlong Imperial atelier, estimated at US$400,000 – 600,000. Depicted on silk, the subject of the painting was one of a hundred brave warriors and exemplary officials whose portraits once lined the walls of Ziguang Ge (Hall of Purple Brightness), the Qianlong Emperor’s military hall of valor in the Zhongnanhai compound in Beijing.
Accompanying the Imperial Guard, several other lots dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) further explore the evolution of portraiture in Chinese painting. From a rare pair of Ming dynasty ancestor portraits of a Military officer and his wife, estimated at US$25,000 – 40,000, to a Portrait of Seated Manchu Confucian Scholar Leisurely Reading from the 17th/18th century, estimated at US$25,000 – 40,000, the paintings not only carefully capture the sitters’ visage, but the rich tapestry of material culture and fineries of the day that surround them. Additionally, Portrait of a Distinguished Feline attributed to the Ming Dynasty master Qiu Ying (1494-1552), estimated at US$10,000 – 15,000, illustrates humanity’s perpetual fondness for animal friends.
Contact:
Bruce Maclaren
(917) 206 1677
[email protected]
A Gilt Copper Alloy Figure of Mahachakravajrapani, central Tibet, 15th century, Height: 15 1/4 in. (37.6 cm)
Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art
Auction: March 19, 2025 at 10am EDT
Viewing: March 14–18, 10am-5pm
A 15th century gilt copper alloy figure of Mahachakra Vajrapani will lead an impressive group of statues and thangkas depicting deities and teachers of Tibetan Buddhism which will be offered in the Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art sale on March 19. This three-faced, six-armed depiction of Mahachakra Vajrapani embracing his consort gained prominence in 15th-century Central Tibet, a period marked by a heightened interest in more erotic and fierce representations of tantric deities. As the largest known sculptural example of its kind, it serves as a significant testament to the evolution of tantric Buddhism in Tibet. The figure is estimated at US$500,000 – 700,000.
Contact:
Mark Rasmussen
(917) 206 1688
[email protected]
Charles W. Bartlett (1860-1940), Taisho era (1912-1926), circa 1921, An ōban yoko-e print titled Surf Riders, Honolulu, sealed CWB and signed in red pencil in the lower margin Charles W. Bartlett, published by Watanabe Shōzaburō, 10 7/8 x 15 1/4in (27.6 x 38.7cm)
Fine Japanese and Korean Art, including Japanese Art from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection
Auction: March 20, 2025 at 9am EDT
Viewing: March 12–18, 10am-5pm; March 19, 10am-3pm
Closing out the week, the Fine Japanese and Korean Art sale will offer a range of works from rare pottery to a fine selection woodblock prints as well as a group of outstanding inrō (medicine case) from the collection of Alan and Simone Hartman. The sale also features works from the modern era with a fine assortment of contemporary ceramics by forerunners in the field such as Kakurezaki Ryuichi (b. 1950) and Kato Yasukage (1964-2012). The top lot in the sale is a large Joseon-dynasty white porcelain jar painted with landscape roundels in cobalt blue, estimated at US$200,000 – 300,000.
Contact:
Philip Hafferty
(212) 461 6523
[email protected]
ONLINE SALES
Arts of India, Southeast Asia and The Himalayas Online
Online Auction: March 14–21, 2025 starting at 12pm EDT
Details forthcoming.
Contact:
Allison Rabinowitz
(212) 644 9033
[email protected]
Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Online
Online Auction: March 16–26, 2025 starting at 12pm EDT
Details forthcoming.
Contact:
Michael C. Hughes
(646) 988 1723
[email protected]
Chinese Paintings and Hardstone Seals Online
Online Auction: March 17–27, 2025 starting at 12pm EDT
Details forthcoming.
Contact:
Bruce Maclaren
(917) 206 1677
[email protected]
The Arts of the Samurai
Online Auction: Ending April 9, 2025, 12pm EDT
The Samurai have arrived! Featuring more than 120 examples of Samurai armor, swords, and sword fittings at a range of price points, the sale is certain to offer something for everyone interested in this unique field.
Contact:
Jeff Olsen
(212) 461 6516
[email protected]
