CHINA: Chinese imperial 'peach' bowls fetch world auction record at Christie's Hong Kong spring auction

Record ID: 613288

  • Title: CHINA: Chinese imperial 'peach' bowls fetch world auction record at Christie's Hong Kong spring auction
  • Date: 1st June 2007
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF THE PAIR OF YONGZHENG PEACH BOWLS PHOTOGRAPHERS (SOUNDBITE)(English) POLA ANTEBI, CHRISTIE'S SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT SAYING: "These are perfect pair of 'peach' bowls, perfectly matched pair and excellent condition with wonderful provenance and they've sold at 50 million Hong Kong dollars, a record breaking price and more than five times the price they sold for last time in 1997 when they were offered in auction." ANTEBI LISTENING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE)(English) POLA ANTEBI, CHRISTIE'S SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT SAYING: SOUNDBITE (English) ANTEBI SAYING: "As the economy grows in mainland China, in Taiwan and in Hong Kong, the appetite for Chinese antiquity has grown as well. And in last few years, we've seen growing numbers of new buyers attend the auction; we've seen lots of wealth in the region."
  • Embargoed: 16th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVAF12O7AR0OMJYABFCYX78J9E2J
  • Story Text: It was a record-breaking day for Chinese art as hundreds of lots went on sale in Hong Kong on Tuesday (May 29).
    A pair of Yongzheng 'peach' bowls was sold for 50.72 million Hong Kong dollars (6.59 million US dollars) to Eskenazi Ltd., a London art dealer.
    Explaining the sky-high price, Paula Antebi, senior vice president at Christie's, said it is the only known pair of Yongzheng (1723-1735) 'peach' bowls available on the market in recent years.
    "These are perfect pair of 'peach' bowls, perfectly matched pair and excellent condition with wonderful provenance and they've sold at 50 million Hong Kong dollars, a record breaking price and more than five times the price they sold for last time in 1997 when they were offered in auction." said Antebi.
    The bowls rank among the masterpieces of the overglaze enamelled porcelain from the Chinese Imperial kilns.
    Each bowl is skilfully decorated with luscious peaches growing on branches that extend from the exterior, rising from just above the foot ring the branches emerge over the mouth rim and grow into the interior cavetto.
    "As the economy grows in mainland China, in Taiwan and in Hong Kong, the appetite for Chinese antiquity has grown as well. And in last few years, we've seen growing numbers of new buyers attend the auction, we've seen lots of wealth in the region." said Antebi.
    Another record-breaker was the sale of an imperial throne which went for 13.76 million Hong Kong dollars (1.76 million US dollars) at the auction, the highest ever bid in that art category, according to Christie's.
    It was bought by the king of Macau's gambling industry, Stanley Ho. Christie's said Ho would put the ornate chair in his new casino in Macau.
    Some of the luxury casino resorts in Las Vegas, including the Bellagio and the Wynn, which recently opened a casino in Macau, boast galleries with expensive original art on display.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register