Oriental Art Sale at Sworders on May 17
The top piece is a rare Tang/Liao Dynasty (9th – 10th century) Chinese silver jar and cover of lobed melon form, which is expected to sell for £20,000-30,000/ RMB 198,000 – 298,000 (lot 351). Standing 17.5cm high, the body is finely chased with birds, leaping tigers, gazelles and rams amongst flowers and foliage, while a pair of silver kylins holds the swing handle.
The jar has been analysed at the Oxford Materials Characterisation Service by Dr. Peter Northover (Ref. R3359). Tests reveal that the silver is of high purity (99.7%), which is consistent in quality with other silver of the period.
Rare in form is a porcelain brushwasher from the Qianlong period, which will be offered at an estimate of £600-800/ RMB 5900- 7900) (lot 308). This brushwasher is a clever conceit: the brightly coloured and finely detailed fish would appear to swim through the water, which would become ever more clouded as the brushes were washed.
It is an example of the highly refined taste of 18th century China, which filtered down from court. No country in the world can challenge China’s 2000 years of unchanged written characters, nor its system of exams based entirely on texts. Ancient written scrolls are valued highly as paintings, and the objects needed by the scholar to write are greatly prized. The literati were eclectic in their tastes: some objects were highly refined, some appeared crude, but often had humorous or literary references.
Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers is the largest auction rooms in the east of England. It holds six Fine Art auctions per year, which may include pictures, furniture, ceramics, glass, metalware, silver, jewellery, books and garden and architectural items. Sworders also offers insurance valuations to the highest standard.
Information
- ·Christie's Auction of Chinese Ceramics, Works of art and Textiles Took Place
- ·Oriental Art Sale at Sworders on May 17
- ·Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Sold at Sotheby's
