OAKLAND – Clars Auction Gallery hosted an important Asian art and antiques as part of their Fine Art, Decorative Art, Furniture, Jewelry/Timepieces and Asian Art Auction on June 18. This sale was expected to draw strong national and international bidding on the exceptional single works and collections that were offered, but in the end, this sale exceeded all predictions realizing over $5 million and shattering presale estimates not only in the Asian offerings but across the board in all categories. Absentee and Internet live bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
The star of this special sale was a group of eight scrolls (above) by Chinese artist Zhang Daqian (Chang Dai-chien, 1899-1983). This collection of eight scrolls included landscape paintings, ink and color on paper and one executed with colophon to celebrate Shaoyun [Ma Hongkui] General’s birthday. All were signed and sealed Zhang Daqian and were offered as one lot with an estimate of $200,000 to $400,000. Open to phone and floor bidders only, it was clear from the start that this was going to be an exciting lot to watch as heated bidding quickly drove this lot higher and higher to finally land at it’s final selling price of $2,919,000.
Astonishing prices on Asian art and antiques continued through the sale. Next, in porcelain, a celadon glazed porcelain zhadou (below) with a lobed hexagonal body rising to a trumpet neck and bearing the Yonzheng mark was offered for $20,000 to $40,000. Once again, tremendous bidding drove this lot higher and higher to its final sale price of $169,400.
Following this, a Himalayan gilt bronze of Vaisravana, the base marked with a double vajra, was expected to achieve $4,000 to $6,000. The bidding opened at $2,000 but was quickly left in the dust as this lot came to rest at $57,475. Earning the same strong price was a Chinese bamboo vase with trumpet neck.
Then came the extensive collection of Chinese huanghuali furniture, which also performed well beyond expectations. Topping this collection was a pair of tall cabinets that commanded the impressive price of $102,850 (below). Next, and flying past high estimate, was an altar table that sold for $66,500. A Chinese large desk also surpassed its high estimate selling for $51,475, and more than doubling its high estimate was another smaller Chinese desk that sold for $48,400. Clars has developed an international reputation for obtaining outstanding prices on Chinese huanghuali furniture.
In all, the 124 lots of exceptional Asian art and antiques were offered realized just over $4 million.
A collection of 19th and 20th century U.S. gold and silver coins plus territorial gold and bulk silver coin sots performed exceptionally well and was the highlight of this category. This important collection in 46 loty earned $134,200 in total with the top lot being a slabbed 1909 O $5 MS62 gold U.S. coin NGC Certified, which sold for $45,375. Taking second place was a lot of two 2012 U.S. Mint bullion silver dollar cases unopened, 500 coins per case that earned $20,570.
Fine Art had an impressive sale on June 18 as well with several works surpassing their estimates. The top seller in this category was an oil on canvas by Nikolai Fechin (Russina, 1881-1955). Titled Portrait of a Boy, this work sold for $30,250.
Selling for well over high estimate was Kerrville (Texas), 1952, an oil on canvas by Robert Wood (American, 1889-1979). Expected to achieve $20,000, this painting commanded $29,040.
A nice surprise was also had on an oil on board by Joaquin Sorolla Y Bastida (American/Spanish, 1863-1923). Titled La Playa de Valencia, 1918, this work (below) was offered for $1,500-$2,500 but furious bidding drove the final price to an impressive $26,620.
Rolex took the lead in the jewelry and timepieces category. A Rolex Yacht Master II diamond and 18k yellow gold wristwatch, post 2010, was estimated to sell for $8,000 to $10,000, but went well beyond that selling for $19,360.
For more information, email info@clars.com.
[av_button label=’View the fully illustrated catalog with prices realized.’ link=’manually,http://bit.ly/2rDzbV3′ link_target=’_blank’ size=’medium’ position=’center’ icon_select=’no’ icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ color=’theme-color’ custom_bg=’#444444′ custom_font=’#ffffff’ admin_preview_bg=” av_uid=’av-msngm5′]
