A centuries-old Chinese vase – spotted on a glass cabinet – has sold for a staggering £40,000 at Hansons, much to the delight of our vendor.
The owner had no idea the item, which had been in the family since the 1880s, was exceptionally valuable. But phone and internet bidders battled to own lot 135, a Chinese blue and white nine-dragon bottle vase.
It bore a Jiaqing mark from the period 1796-1820 making it around 200 years old. It entered our October Derbyshire Fine Art sale with a guide price of £10,000-£15,000 but soared to a hammer price of £40,000. The total paid with buyer’s premium was £55,595. It’s now heading back to China.
The strong price was achieved despite damage. There was a 5cm by 8cm semi-circular section of the rim that had been broken and re-glued, plus a long, arcing 27cm crack running across it. Nevertheless, it was still sought after. Chinese porcelain with pedigree attracts wealthy Chinese bidders keen to repatriate these important antiques.
They are part of China’s rich porcelain heritage. The Jiaqing Emperor (1760-1820), personal name Yongyan, was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China from 1796 to 1820. He was the 15th son of the Qianlong Emperor.
Entries Invited for Hansons’ Next Fine Art Auction | E: [email protected]
The vase featured rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to a tapering cylindrical neck. It was painted with six dragons chasing a flaming pearl among trailing clouds and flame scrolls. This has its roots in imperial designs of the earlier Qianlong period (1736-1795) and similar examples exit in The Palace Museum, Beijing. A similar vase sold at auction at Bonhams London, in May 2013 for £15,000. Less than a decade later that price has more than tripled.
If you have an Oriental treasure at home, it’s important to have it valued. It could be worth a life-changing amount. If it’s no longer required, an auction will bring it to the attention of a worldwide audience of bidders.
The team at Hansons were delighted by its success. However, it was far from the only item to excel in our Fine Art Auction. Sales are stronger than ever despite the ongoing effects of Covid and rocky global economy.
The sale of lot 162, a first edition hardback of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – which belonged to a man named Harry Potter – made a hammer price of £22,000 despite being in poor condition. It also made news all over the world including Russia and the USA. The 1997 copy, one of only 500 in the first ever Potter print run, was sold to a UK buyer for a total price, with buyer’s premium, of £27,500.
A rich array of prints and paintings also delivered strong results. Lot 187, a signed oil on canvas of Place de la Republique du Crepuscule by Edouard Leon Cortes (French, 1882-1969) made £15,000.
Three signed LS Lowry prints made the sale top 10 too. We are consistently seeing signed prints by this famous British artist (1887-19760 excel. For example, lot 246, an Industrial Panorama coloured print, made £5,800. Lot 239, The Fever Van, coloured print, reached £5,000 and lot 245, Two Brothers, sold for £3,800.
More painting to excel included lot 226, First Match (cricket), oil on board by modern impressionist Sherree Valentine Daines. This original piece made £5,400. Her popularity came to the fore again in Lot 225, a signed oil painting entitled The New Bicycle which reached £3,400.
And French flair emerged in lot 199, a signed watercolour and gouache painting entitled Sur les Boulevards by Eugene Galien Laloue (1854-1941). It made £5,000.
Fine Art auctions are eclectic. They feature the very best of our finds – everything from jewellery, furniture and watches to ceramics and glassware as well as art. They also include silver. Lot 9 was an attractive Arts and Crafts silver and enamel bowl and cover – a gift of love in exquisite silver form. Its inscription read: ‘A love gift to Mrs H W Orchard from friends at S. Mary Le Park, Battersea, 1909’. Hallmarked by Omar Ramsden & Alwyn Charles Ellison Carr, London, 1909, it achieved £3,600 from an estimate of £1,400-£1,800.
Entries are invited until November 12 for Hansons’ December 1 Decorative Arts Auction and December 12 Fine Art sales. To arrange a free valuation, email Isabel Murtough: [email protected].
