Forty-eight bidders from Hong Kong, China, Canada, and the United States competed for Painting of Antlers, signed Qianlong Emperor, which sold for $118,750, surpassing its estimate ten-fold.

The three-session online sale, entitled Asian, Ancient and Ethnographic Works of Art, Parts I, II, and III of rare works of Asian art presented by Lark Mason Associates, on iGavelAuctions.com, concluded on November 3rd, and rang up $932,045.00 in sales including buyer’s premium.

“The series of sales exceeded expectations and showed the market to be remarkably resilient, boding well for the 2023 spring sales of Asian art in March,” says Lark Mason. “It included nearly 500 lots with a mix of works ranging from ancient works of art to furniture, resulting in a significant number of bidders pursuing works across a variety of categories.” According to Mason the strong response was due to the variety of material and reasonable estimates, and took into consideration the costs incurred by bidders who were incurring packing and shipping costs, in addition to the hammer price at auction.

In addition to the painting of antlers signed by Emperor Qianlong, other lots that surpassed their original estimates were a Chinese Peking Amber Glass Octagonal Bottle Vase, eagerly pursued by 38 bidders and snapped up for $17,500; an ink-on-silk Korean Four Panel Ink Screen by Kim K-Chang (1913-2001) sold for $18,125, exceeding its estimate three-fold, with 26 bids. A pair of Chinese Faux Cloisonne Porcelain Jardinieres, mid-Qing Dynasty sold for $25,000, twice its estimate; a Chinese Brown Jade Huang Form Dragon Pendant sold for $25,000; a pair of Chinese Porcelain Magpie and Prunus Vases, 20th Century far exceeded its $1,200-1500 estimate and garnered $20,625; and a 19th century Carved Beige Stone Gourd Form Snuff bottle rang up $8,125.