Orientations - The magazine for collectors and connoisseurs of Asian art

Carole Davenport, BachmannEckenstein and BC Dentan are holding a group show of Japanese art, 'The Arts of Japan: Three Perspectives'. Davenport will show Negoro lacquer, wood sculpture, No masks and tea wares, ranging from the Kamakura to Edo periods. BachmannEckenstein will offer ink paintings and ceramics, with a focus on tea wares, kogo (incense holders) and mended ceramics that illustrate the Japanese preference for lacquer repair on pottery. BC Dentan will have a selection of pottery from the six ancient kilns of Japan, Muromachi period sculpture and No masks. (19 March-4 April; 5 East 82nd Street)

Having previously also shown their antiquities at PaceWildenstein, Giuseppe and Daniel Eskenazi this year forged ahead with their own plans to be in the Ukrainian Institute with 'Trees, Rocks, Mist and Mountains by Li Huayi' an exhibition of recent works by the artist. Inspired by monumental Northern Song landscapes, Li's imagined views and vistas are nevertheless firmly rooted in the mountainscapes of Jiangxi province. (25 March-3 April; 2 East 79th Street)

John Eskenazi will offer 'Recent Acquisitions' of Indian, Gandharan, Himalayan and Southeast Asian sculpture in his annual exhibition at Adam Williams Fine Art. Star pieces include a 4th/6th century terracotta head of a man from the Termez region in southern Uzbekistan or Afghanistan. (15-28 March; 24 East 80th Street)

Marcus Flacks' spring exhibition 'Zitan' comprises 19 small table-top works and scholar's objects assembled over a period of 4-5 years. (20-26 March; 32 East 57th Street)

In their gallery exhibition, Flying Cranes will present a group of Yokohama silver pieces in all configurations and sizes, created by noted smiths of the period. They will also have a wide variety of bamboo ikebana baskets by masters of this art. (22-26 March; 1050 2nd Avenue)

Kang Collection explores the layers of meaning depicted in late Joseon period decorative paintings and folding screens in its exhibition 'Harmony and Nature: Auspicious Symbols in Korean Art'. Drawing from the court and folk-painting traditions, the show looks at the symbolism and societal roles of painting genres including 'flowers and birds' and 'lotus and carp' (20-28 March; 9 East 82nd Street)

'Chinese Ceramics in Black and White' at J. J. Lally explores the use of white and black clays, clear glazes and iron-based black and brown glazes in vessels for ritual, display and use, dating from the Neolithic period to the 18th century. (20 March-10 April; 41 East 57th Street)

London Gallery of Tokyo will be exhibiting 26 examples of Korean celadon wares in 'Celadons of the Koryo Court' at Sebastian Izzard's gallery. The works, which come from two old collections, one European and the other Japanese, date from the apogee of Koryo ceramic art in the 12th/13th century (20-27 March; 17 East 76th Street)

Robyn Turner and Orientations Gallery return to The Helmsley Carlton House for their annual joint exhibition. Turner's show comprises small jade seals from two collections and a pair of spinach-green jade circular screens. Orientations will show traditional Japanese works by Meiji imperial court artists. (20-30 March; 680 Madison Avenue)

Ronin Gallery celebrate their 35th anniversary with the exhibition 'Hiroshige: The 36 Views of Fuji'. 'The 36 Views' was the artist's final work. (425 Madison Avenue)

Cynthia Volk's first show in her new space at Iliad Gallery is 'Precious Objects: Chinese Ceramics in Context'. A series of vignettes, each inspired by a period painting, will show how ceramics and porcelains have been displayed over the ages by different cultures, allowing the viewer to experience the works in a complimentary setting. (19 March-19 April; 212 East 57th Street)

Joe-Hynn Yang, previously Senior Vice-President and Head of Chinese Works of Art, Christie's New York, launches his independent advisory service and by-appointment dealership Courage & Joy this March. His inaugural exhibition will showcase a selection from his range of Chinese works of art. (20-28 March; 3 East 66th Street)

JADA

JADA will present two joint exhibitions at the Ukrainian Institute/Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion (20-23 March). In 'JADA 2010: An Exhibition by the Japanese Art Dealers Association' Leighton R. Longhi will show a complete set of Edo period armour once in the possession of the Hosokawa family, one of Japan's ruling clans. (By appointment after the exhibition at 1115 Fifth Avenue; tel: 212 722 5745). The second exhibition, 'Humor in Japanese Art' explores the subtlety, ribaldry and playfulness of the subject. Sebastian Izzard will be showing works by some of the great masters of ukiyo-e, such as Utagawa Kuniyoshi's colour woodblock triptych print Kabuki Actors as Turtles. In keeping with the theme, Boston-based Judith Dowling has selected Fox in Priest's Clothing.

Erik Thomsen's exhibition 'Japanese Paintings and Works of Art' will feature 30 screens, scrolls, baskets and gold lacquer works. One of the highlights will be a pair of early Edo period six-fold screens with a design of roosters and chickens among bamboo painted in ink, mineral colours and gold on gold leaf. (20 March- 30 April; 44 East 74th Street)

One of the highlighted works in Koichi Yanagi's 'Kokon Biannual: Spring, 2010' exhibition is a pair of Edo period six-panel screens by Kano Tanshin Morimasa. Painted on the front of the screens is the subject of Ide no Tamagawa or 'Jewel River at Ide' while on the back are young bamboo plants growing along a bare shoreline. (16 March-15 April; 17 East 71st Street)

Mika's exhibition 'Early Japanese Art' will introduce more than sixty works including pots and dogu figures from the Middle and Final Jomon periods and haniwa figures made in the Kanto region during the Kofun period. (2-27 March; 8th floor, 41 East 57th Street)

AADNY

Art of the Past's exhibition 'Iksita - Behold: Masterworks from South and Southeast Asia' features works embodying the idea of visual transcendence. (19 March-15 April; 1242 Madison Avenue)

Ralph M. Chait celebrates its centenary with the exhibition '"The Hundred Antiques" - One Hundred Years of Dealing in Chinese Art' (20-26 March; 724 Fifth Avenue)

'Embodiments of Wisdom' at China 2000 is a thematic exhibition of Chinese paintings, calligraphy and scholar's objects. (18-27 March; 434A East 75th Street)

The Chinese Porcelain Company will present 'Natural Forms in Chinese Ink Painting' with eight new works by three contemporary Chinese artists: Liu Dan, Zeng Xiaojun, and Chun-yi Lee. (20-27 March; 475 Park Avenue)

Leiko Coyle will show Himalayan antiquities in the exhibition 'Gilded Divine'. Each work in the collection, from Tibetan gilt bronzes to Nepalese sculptures in wood, depicts the divine, whether in wrathful or benevolent form, as the embodiment of dynamism, wisdom and radiance. (18-27 March; 311 East 72nd Street)

Carlo Cristi will be at AFP Galleries in the Fuller Building with 'Arts of Tibet and Asian Textiles'. Representing his selection of 13th-15th century Tibetan paintings is a 15th century image from West Tibet depicting Bhaisajyaguru (the Medicine Buddha) flanked by the bodhisattvas Manjushri and Maitreya, and surrounded by Tantric deities. (20-28 March; 41 East 57th Street)

Dalton Somaré will be exhibiting 'Ancient Art of Asia' at PaceWildenstein. Among the works on show will be a mottled pink sandstone four-faced image of Shiva of the Mathura School of Uttar Pradesh, dating to the 1st century (Kushan period), a rare surviving example of this iconography. (20-28 March; 32 East 57th Street)

Selecting the fifteen pieces for his exhibition 'Treasures from Ancient China II' at Galerie Friedman-Vallois 'represents a fantastic challenge,' says Christian Deydier. Among these works is a bronze hu with a cover in the shape of a duck's head from the Shang dynasty. (20-27 March; 27 East 57th Street)

Oliver Forge & Brendan Lynch's exhibition 'Indian Court Painting, 1590-1850' comprises some thirty paintings, including both Mughal and Rajput miniatures. (20-27 March; Suite 1A, 9 East 82nd Street)

In his exhibition 'Chinese Works of Art including Snuff Bottles' Michael Hughes will cover a wide range of categories including Qing period ivory, soapstone carvings, sculpture, porcelain, snuff bottles and Qing and Ming period metalwork and lacquerware. Viewing is by appointment only from Monday to Friday. (20-27 March; 23 East 67th Street; tel: 212 933 4124)

A group of early Chinese ceramics and works of art from private American collections will be on show at Andrew Kahane. His exhibition is particularly strong in works from the Song period. (20-27 March; 42 East 76th Street)

Kaikodo's Asia Week exhibition 'Honored Guests' features Chinese ceramics, bronze, silver, jade and lacquer, Japanese ceramics and Chinese and Japanese paintings from the 15th century to the present. Many of the items on show have been exhibited or published before or are from well-known collections. (18 March-8 April; 74 East 79th Street)

As they celebrate their 35th anniversary, Kapoor Galleries will show 35 works of from India, Nepal and Tibet in the exhibition 'Adoration of the Divine'. Paintings illustrating ancient Indian and Himalayan epic poems will be on view. (17 March-17 April; 1015 Madison Avenue)

A lacquered wood standing figure of a bodhisattva from the late 17th/early 18th century is one of the centrepieces of KooNew York's Asia Week exhibition 'Commemoration & Compassion: Korean Court & Buddhist Treasures'. (19-28 March; 55 East 80th Street)

Arnold H. Liebermann is holding a special exhibition of his collection highlights, as well as new acquisitions from the Himalayas, South Asia and China in 'Manifestations of the Cosmos'. Notable works include a South Indian 12th century seated female deity in black basalt. (18-28 March; 311 East 72nd Street)

Theresa McCullough's exhibition 'Recent Acquisitions' includes Indian miniature paintings. The late 18th century work, An Illustration to the Ramayana India, in opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, shows Rama returning to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile, atop a colourfully caparisoned elephant. (18-31 March; 311 East 72nd Street)

Joan B. Mirviss will present 'Liquid Porcelain: The Sculptural Art of Nagae Shigekazu'. Nagae has experimented for decades to adapt the traditional method of slip-casting to create his elegant white sculptures. (20 March- 20 April; 39 East 78th Street)

Sydney L. Moss will launch their centenary celebrations with their Asia Week exhibition at Alexandre Gallery. In addition to the sixty paintings and calligraphic works on view will be the first few copies of their 25kg-plus 'magnum opus', This Single Feather of Auspicious Light. Five-and-a-half years in the making, the volume depicts painstakingly selected early Chinese paintings and calligraphy. (17-26 March; 13th floor, 41 East 57th Street)

Sue Ollemans will be exhibiting at Zabriskie Gallery for the second time. This year, her collection includes 17th-19th century Mughal jewels, such as a diamond-and-emerald necklace from the Deccan and a spinel-and-diamond sarpesh from the Maharajah of Patiala. (20-29 March; 4th floor, 41 East 57th Street)

'Indian and Southeast Asian Art: Selections from the Robert and Bernice Dickes Collection' is the inaugural exhibition at Carlton Rochell's new gallery space. The collection of twenty works from India, Tibet, Nepal and Cambodia, ranging in date from the 2nd to the 19th century, was assembled mainly during the 1960s and '70s from dealers and auctions in New York. (18-26 March; 44 East 74th Street)

To coincide with the AADNY open house weekend on 21 March, Scholten will present 'Sacred Symbols in Profane Japan' in collaboration with Ryo Iida Asian Art. (20-27 March; 145 West 58th Street)

Martha Sutherland's 'Modern Calligraphy Masterworks' showcasing recent works by Taiwan calligraphers Huang I-ming and Hso Kuo-huang. (15 March-30 April; 55 East 80th Street)

Doris Wiener's exhibition 'Ancient Indian and Khmer Works of Art, and Jain Paintings and Sculptures' includes two Chola period bronzes that were recently on show at Asia Society Museum with other images from the Rockefeller collection. (20-28 March; 1001 Fifth Avenue)

Celebrating her move to the 10th floor of The Ansonia on the West Side, Nancy Wiener's exhibition 'Classical Sculpture, Silver & Gold from India and Southeast Asia' features a 3rd century standing bodhisattva from Gandhara. (18-27 March; 2109 Broadway)

Hiroshi Yanagi will be exhibiting at Berry-Hill Galleries again, and will feature Japanese Buddhist sculptures, screens and scroll paintings, as well as 19th century ceramics from Kyoto. (19-25 March; 11 East 70th Street)

Eric Zetterquist's exhibition 'Chinese Ceramics' spans the Tang to the Yuan periods, with a focus on Song and Yuan blue celadon-glazed qingbai ware. Some of the pieces are from the collection of Alfred W. Barr. (20 March-1 April; 3 East 66th Street)

Among the Batak wood sculpture being shown by Anthony Smith at Susan Aberbach Fine Art are two tongkat panaluan, or shamanic magic staffs, from northern Sumatra. He will also have Laotian textiles and works of art from Southeast Asia, as well as contemporary artworks by You Chen Yung and Attasit Pokpong. (From 20 March; 14th floor, 41 East 57th Street)

A group of Qing period scrolls collected by a French diplomat in Beijing in the 1880s and a scholar of Chinese and Tibetan art in the 1920s will be on view in Alan Kennedy's show at James Goodman Gallery. (20-28 March; 8th floor, 41 East 57th Street)

Enthusiasts of samurai arts will not want to miss Shakudo's show, focusing on samurai armour, also at James Goodman. (20-28 March; 8th floor, 41 East 57th Street)

'Ancient Treasures' at TK Asian Antiquities will include a pair of heavy gold diadem adornments lavishly covered with gold granulation and set with dozens of deep red garnet cabochons from the late 4th century. They were purportedly found in Mongolia although comparable pieces are thought to be Ostrogoth in origin. (20-26 March; 11th floor, 41 East 57th Street)

Since its inception in 1995, the New York Arts of Pacific Asia Show has become one of the cornerstones of New York's Asia Week, especially after the cancellation of the International Asian Art Fair in 2009. For the second year running, the fair will be held in The Market Suites at 7W New York, opposite the Empire State Building, and will open from 25 to 28 March, with an evening preview on 24 March. Sixty exhibitors have signed up, down from 78 in 2009. Many dealers believe that the fact that last year's show ended before the start of the auctions, which included the Sackler collection, adversely affected their business as buyers held onto their money to spend at these sales. This year, the show will run concurrently with the auctions. Together with a stabilization of the US financial markets this will, it is hoped, bring better results.

Knapton Rasti will showcase highlights from the Philip Cardeiro collection, including a set of three Qianlong mark-and-period white jade stacking boxes. These are decorated with stylized phoenix heads with open beaks on an intricate ground of key-frets and T-patterns, a design that draws on earlier periods.

The focus of Flying Cranes' 'The World of the Samurai' display will be Japanese arms and armour in what Jean and Clifford Schaefer describe as 'a show within a show'. A mid-Edo period matching set of saddle and stirrups bearing the crest of the noted daimyo Osagawara is lacquered overall in flat and high-relief gold maki-e, depicting fans, scholar's desks and raging waters over rockwork.

In addition to scholar's objects and Buddhist sculptures, Maria Kiang will for the first time be offering archaic bronzes, including a Han period ox. Kiang looks forward to returning to New York and interacting with American collectors, whose sophisticated tastes she says she values highly.

Collectors of Tang period mingqi will be particularly interested in visiting Cynthia Volk's stand. On display will be a prancing horse in earthenware with pigments which was previously in the collections of Arthur B. Michael and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

A pair of circa 17th century Nepalese repoussé architectural panels, one depicting a male and the other a female angel offering garlands, promises to be one of the highlights of Soo Tze's exhibit.

Works of art and porcelain dating from the Song to the Qing period will be on view at David Baker (www.asianartlondon.com). This year, jade carvings of animals from private collections will include an early Ming period figure of a camel.

In tune with the concurrent Asia Society exhibition, Chinalai Tribal Antiques will present drawings, paintings, figures and furnishings in the Buddhist tradition. In addition to the antique hill tribe silver jewellery and Chinese beads shown by Chinalai Modern is the work of Thai artist Somporn, who reinterprets traditional tribal and village clothing designs.

Asiantiques will feature a large selection of Qing period glass, including a pair of large and finely carved opaque yellow glass vases dating to the 19th century. Previously exhibited in Florida, the vases were published in the catalogue of the Ina and Sandford Gadient collection.

London dealer Jeremy Knowles will bring a wide range of Indian works of art, from early sculpture to Company paintings of the 18th and 19th century. Spanning the different regions of India, works on show include the head of a northeastern Pala period Buddha, acquired from a European collector.

Orientations Gallery looks forward to welcoming the many new collectors it forged relationships with last year. The exhibition of metalwork objects features shakudo and shibuichi alloys, notably a multi-metalwork incense burner made by Jomi Eisuke of Kyoto in the early 20th century.

Among a selection of jades from a Midwest collection that will be offered by The Jade Dragon is a Qianlong period icy-white nephrite plaque with a carved seal on the reverse. In addition, scholar's objects will be shown alongside ceramics dating from the Kangxi period.

Robyn Buntin's display will include a Showa period Kutani porcelain statue of the bodhisattva Kannon that was presented by Emperor Showa (Hirohito) to Dr Miguel Angel Araujo of El Salvador in the early 1930s. It is believed that only two such statues of Kannon were commissioned at the time; the other was presented to Puyi, the last emperor of China.

Sydney-based dealer Judith Rutherford will exhibit a variety of Chinese textiles ranging from a yellow chuba decorated with a woven phoenix design to a number of early 18th century roundels, such as one from the Yongzheng period with a dragon.

Cavin-Morris will juxtapose Japanese Art Brut drawings, sculptural ceramics and fibre art from Kyoto and Hiroshima. In line with the gallery's aim of developing interest in contemporary ceramics, it will show works such as Hideo Matsumoto's tea bowl.

In celebration of the year of the tiger, Oranda Jin will show a painting of the eponymous animal by 18th century artist Nagazawa Rosetsu alongside a work depicting the moon and bamboo by his friend Minagawa Kien.

J. R. Richards returns to the fair with a selection from his inventory of contemporary Chinese paintings and ancient pottery.

Helena Markus, who specializes in antique Japanese screens, will be showing highlights from her collection. The empty space in a pair of two-panel fusuma in ink and gold leaf attributed to Kusumi Morikage (c. 1620-90) offers the viewer a glimpse of the significance of emptiness in Japanese art.

Enthusiasts of samurai arts will not want to miss Shakudo's show, focusing on samurai armour, also at James Goodman. (20-28 March; 8th floor, 41 East 57th Street)

The European Fine Art Fair, Maastricht

The European Fine Art Fair, held from 12 to 21 March at the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre, continues to grow to encompass new exhibitors, collecting fields and special areas such as the 'TEFAF Showcase' project for up-and-coming galleries, which has this year invited Pékin Fine Arts. The contemporary Chinese art gallery from Beijing will bring works by Wang Guangyi, whose oil-on-canvas painting Enron juxtaposes revolutionary images with consumer logos.

Ben Janssens's stand will feature Chinese works of art, mostly sourced from private collections. Among the highlights is a pair of imperial Qianlong period jade table screens on their original zitan stands, decorated with carvings of figural scenes and engraved on the back with 120 'shou' ('longevity') characters, each written in a different manner.

After an absence of 10 years, Giséle Croës brings diversity to the fair and to her own exhibition schedule by choosing to do TEFAF rather than Asia Week in New York. She returns with an exhibition that includes works ranging from archaic bronzes to Tang period earthenware and later imperial cloisonné pieces.

Marcel Nies will present his selection in a booth inspired by the architecture of Asian temples. The collection covers different periods and regions, such as bronze objects dating from the Dong Son period and a standing Baphuon sandstone figure of a deva.

Littleton & Hennessy will bring about twenty works in Chinese lacquer dating from the Han period to the 18th century.

Among the textiles on show at Jacqueline Simcox's stand is a large, dark-blue Wanli period silk decorated with archaistic dragons, 'yin and yang' symbols and cranes in flight. It was conceived of as a canopy for Daoist use.

Robert Hall will be back at TEFAF for the 25th time with a collection of snuff bottles. Hall, who has seen the market for this category go through several cycles, believes that the snuff bottle is about to come into its own again.

Gregg Baker will take part in TEFAF on Paper' a section covering prints, photography, manuscripts and screens that is new to the fair this year. Among the works of art presented by the gallery are a Momoyama period two-fold paper screen depicting the Zen eccentrics Kanzan and Jittoku.

First-time TEFAF participant Tanakaya has selected works on paper by major Japanese artists from the mid-18th to the mid-20th century. The ukiyo-e category will include works by Kitagawa Utamaro, Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige.

A highlight among the early Chinese ceramics and works of art on view at Priestley & Ferraro is a Lushan phosphatic-glazed handled jar from the Tang period.

Vanderven & Vanderven's booth will feature Chinese porcelain. A Jiajing period blue-and-white vase from a French collection will be shown.

A brightly enamelled famille-rose wine ewer modelled after a European silver form from the Yongzheng/Qianlong period and made for the Portuguese market will be on view at Cohen & Cohen.

Bonhams and Bonhams & Butterfields Autumn 2009 Auctions

The 'Fine Asian Works of Art' sale at Bonhams & Butterfields in San Francisco on 15 December 2009 achieved a total of US$4,074,104, with 255 of the 359 lots offered selling (71.03 percent sold by lot; 84.71 percent by value). Japanese woodblock prints sold consistently.

The top lot was the Korean jar from the collection of Mrs Fiske Warren of Boston, Massachusetts. The jar had been offered in the same rooms on 9 December 2008, when bidding reached US$4.184 million, breaking the existing auction record price for a Korean blue-and-white porcelain jar (see Orientations, March 2009, p. 121). However, the buyer had defaulted on payment and the Joseon period (c. 1800) jar with figural decoration had remained in the possession of the auction house since the previous sale. This time it fetched US$1.162 million (lot 8060; estimate US$1/2 million).

South Asian, Southeast Asian and Himalayan art was not in great demand, and the lot with the highest estimate in these categories, an andesite figure of a Buddha dated to the 9th century from Central Java was withdrawn amid questions about its authenticity (lot 8080; estimate US$200/300,000).

The participation of international buyers, mostly from mainland China, ensured particularly lively competition for jades, furniture, snuff bottles and imperial porcelain. Some prices were unexpectedly high. A white jade marriage bowl dated 18th century in the catalogue, but re-dated to the late Qing/early Republican period, nonetheless sold for US$338,000 (lot 8100; estimate US$20/30,000).

Among the Chinese paintings, those by recognized modern ink painters had strong results, but the top price, US$30,500, was for an erotic album by an anonymous 19th century artist. The twelve-leaf album is in ink and colour with pasted satin and pith paper on silk (lot 8338, estimate US$1/1,500).

The 'Fine Chinese Works of Art and Paintings' sale at Bonhams Hong Kong on 28 November 2009 was the most successful to date, making a total of HK$61,651,200. Presented in a separate catalogue, the first eight of the ten Lin Fengmian paintings came from the collection of Mary and George Bloch, and brought in HK$18.48 million.

In the ceramics section, a Qianlong mark-and-period blue- and-white brushpot from the Cheung collection in San Francisco sold to Hong Kong dealer William Chak for HK$5.92 million, far exceeding its HK$120/150,000 estimate (lot 317). Chak originally purchased it in 1985 for HK$50,000 and sold it in 1987 at Sotheby's Hong Kong for a hammer price of HK$100,000.

Christie's Autumn 2009 Auctions in Hong Kong

After a weak showing in spring 2009, both classical and modern Chinese paintings posted strong results in Christie's autumn 2009 sales, with a total of HK$349.09 million, a considerable leap from the HK$97.53 million in spring. Mainland Chinese collectors and dealers now constitute the majority of the buyers, accounting for 77.5 per cent of the total sales in the two categories, up from 42 per cent in autumn 2008 and 52.53 per cent in spring 2009.

The first sale of the season on 29 November was 'Fine Chinese Modern Paintings'. Of the 245 lots offered, 205 lots sold, for a total of HK$208,063,250 (84 per cent sold by lot; 90 per cent by value). The various-owners sale included works by renowned 19th and 20th century masters Xu Beihong, Qi Baishi, Zhang Daqian, Lin Fengmian, Pu Ru and Fu Baoshi, among others, encompassing a broad spectrum of styles and schools.

After a weak result in the spring 2009 sale (HK$28,611,250), where just over half of the lots sold, Christie's could have had cause for trepidation before the 'Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy' sale that followed. However, boosted by several works of impressive provenance and considerable art-historical value, some of which sold for eight-figure sums, the sale yielded a total of HK$141.027 million, with 53 of the 70 lots offered selling (76 per cent sold by lot; 95 per cent sold by value). All but one of the top ten lots went to Chinese/Asian buyers, mostly private collectors.

While many of the lots that sold did justice to or exceeded the estimates, it is not always possible to predict buyer interest, even for work with good provenance.

Collectors flocked to Christie's 'Asian Contemporary Art & Chinese 20th Century Art Evening Sale' on 29 November 2009. The room was buzzing, if not crowded, and the mood cautiously upbeat. In the event, 32 of 40 lots found buyers (80 per cent sold by lot; 93 per cent by value), totalling HK$261.89 million.

The cover lot, Sanyu's Potted Flowers In A Blue and White Jardinière, was expected to do well after the artist's Lotus et Poissons Rouges had made headlines at Sotheby's Hong Kong sales in October. The striking blue-and-pink composition in oil on masonite drew throngs of visitors at the pre-sale viewing and finally sold for HK$35 million, against an estimate of HK$8/12 million (lot 1009).

Bidding was relatively slow but steady at the 'Southeast Asian Modern and Contemporary Art' sale the following day, resulting in a total of HK$33.5 million, with 76 of 97 lots offered sold (78 per cent sold by lot; 95 per cent by value). Since the steep rise in prices for contemporary Indonesian art at auction began in May 2007, modern and contemporary Southeast Asian painting has leapt from a local to a regional stage.

The 'Chinese 20th Century Art Day Sale' that took place the same afternoon was faster-paced than the morning session had been. The sale total of HK$72,191,750 was considerably lower than the equivalent at Sotheby's in October 2009 although it comprised more lots; this was not the result of a low sell-through rate but of having placed the highest-value works in the evening sale. In fact, of the 90 lots offered, 83 per cent were sold by lot, and 97 per cent by value.

The 'Asian Contemporary Art Day Sale' made a total of HK$54,485,250, with 125 of 183 lots sold, and an average sold-lot price of HK$435,882 (68 per cent sold by lot; 85 per cent by value). One of two record-breaking bids in this sale was for Li Chen's Pure Land: HK$2.9 million, although at the time of going to print, it appears that the work did not actually sell until after the auction (lot 1616; estimate HK$300/600,000).

Christie's 'Important Chinese Lacquer from the Lee Family Collection, Part II' sale on 1 December 2009 had been greatly anticipated. It followed the first part of the auction of the family's collection, which took place in December 2008 and made HK$93.024 million (see Orientations, March 2009, p. 119). Part II of the collection did not disappoint: it brought in HK$90,038,750, with 87 per cent sold by lot and 95 per cent sold by value. The cover lot, a large square Hongwu period cinnabar lacquer tray carved with a scene depicting two scholar officials arriving at a country retreat, sold to Richard Littleton of Littleton & Hennessy for HK$25.3 million against telephone bidders (lot 1818; estimate HK$10/15 million).

The 'Important Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art' sale that followed made HK$281,054,500 (of 183 lots offered, 63 per cent sold by lot; 87 per cent by value), with a strong performance from the porcelain section. The number of buyers from mainland China who purchased pieces in this sale increased by 53 per cent from the autumn 2008 auctions, with more than 80 per cent of the sold lots going to buyers from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

The top lot, a Hongwu period underglaze-blue pear-shaped vase in excellent condition made HK$20.82 million (lot 1868; unpublished estimate HK$18/25 million). The buyer of the vase was a collector surnamed Liu from Dongguan, China who owns the private Forum Art Museum Dongguan and the Pullman Dongguan Forum hotel.

A large white-jade water buffalo from the Qianlong period sold for HK$20.82 million to the collector from Dongguan who had also purchased the yuhuchunping (lot 2009; unpublished estimate HK$15/22 million). Exhibited at the Stedelijk Museum and Rijksmuseum while in the collection of Dutch industrialist and collector Hugo Tutein Nolthenius and acquired by his nephew upon his death in 1944, the underside of the buffalo is carved to resemble a triangular piece of fabric, possibly representing a ceremonial back cloth.

Autumn 2009 Auctions in Beijing

While Council and Forever International Auction's limited collections preformed moderately well, Beijing's three other domestic auction giants, Hanhai, China Guardian and Poly International each managed to take in over a billion yuan (approximately USD$150 million) this season, with the latter two houses attaining RMB1.53 billion and RMB1.57 billion respectively. These colossal figures stand in stark contrast to last year's autumn results, which were approximately five times less across the board. Apparently, this season's trend to pare down contemporary works and increase the number of sale items was a successful strategy, as buyers eagerly snatched up important traditional Chinese works of art, paintings in particular.

The highest price achieved among all the works at auction this season was for a rare handscroll by the renowned Ming period scholar and painter Wu Bin, entitled Eighteen Arhats (lot 5125; estimate RMB20/30 million; sold RMB169.12 million). This work set a new world record for the highest price ever paid at auction for a Chinese painting, and was included in the second part of a special offering of paintings and calligraphy at Poly during this autumn's 'Important Chinese Painting and Calligraphy from the Guy and Myriam Ullens Collection' evening sale on 22 November (16 lots; total RMB288.92 million; 87.5 per cent sold by lot).

Aside from classical paintings, Chinese calligraphy works also realized sky-high prices this season. In Guardian's 'Calligraphy from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties' sale on 23 November (83 lots; total RMB248.2 million; 91.2 per cent sold by lot), a collection of calligraphic works by seven Song and Yuan period masters, including Zhu Xi and Zhang Jingxiu, sold for RMB100.8 million, almost sixty times its starting price (lot 1451; estimate RMB1.6/3.5 million).

Early modern Chinese painting also did tremendously well this season. Hanhai set the pace in early November with its 'Early Modern Paintings (Parts I and II)' sales (439 lots; total RMB130 million; average 75.5 per cent sold by lot).

Notable contemporary ink painter Wu Guanzhong also saw a new auction record for his work this autumn, though not for an ink painting. In Poly's 'Modern & Contemporary Chinese Art Evening Sale' (45 lots; RMB151.23 million; 91 per cent sold by lot), the 1975 oil-on-canvas work The Great Falls of Tanzania sold to a Hong Kong collector for RMB30.8 million after a long drawn-out bidding battle (lot 741; estimate RMB13.8/18 million).

Also in painting, the limited collection of Forever International Auctions, a Christie's joint venture, was sold on 13 December in their 'Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy' sale. The sale did moderately, with most items falling towards the lower end of already-low estimates (278 lots; total RMB22.6 million; 63 per cent sold by lot). Performance was even slower in Forever's 'Fine Chinese Works of Art' sale the same day, with many items going unsold and few works exceeding RMB100,000 (209 lots; total RMB11.8 million; 43 per cent sold by lot).

Like the sound of a sword being drawn, the market for antique musical instruments was also heard loud and clear this fall. In Guardian's 'Treasures from Imperial Qing Court' sale (22 lots; total RMB97.88 million; 81.81 per cent sold by lot), a Ming period 'yue lu zhi yin' lacquered qin (zither) with box sold for RMB21.84 million, setting a new record for antique qin at auction (lot 2116; estimate RMB4.8/6.8 million). Council also had a dedicated collection of three instruments in its '"Chamber of Desolate Sound and Instrument Charm" Collection of Ancient Qin' sale (3 lots; total RMB38.86 million; 100 per cent sold by lot).

A calabash-shaped blue-and-white vase with a red dragon was sold in Hanhai's 'Art of the Qing Court' sale for RMB83.44 million (lot 3312; unpublished estimate), promptly setting a new world auction record for Chinese porcelain. Poly'sYongzheng period famille-rose altar vase also sold for an impressive RMB67.76 million (lot 2046; unpublished estimate) in its 'Fine Imperial Art from the Ming and Qing Period' sale (78 lots; total RMB147.1 million; 78.2 per cent sold by lot).

Finally, in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, every major domestic auction house included a sale or special collection of 'red' art this season, featuring patriotic works of calligraphy, oil painting, prints and sculpture. For example, Poly's 'Red Classical Oil Paintings and Contemporary Art' sale on 22 November was well attended (152 lots; RMB32.37 million; 65.78 per cent sold by lot). Offering a smaller selection, but perhaps more successful, Guardian's 'Important Arts of New China' sale included nearly fifty early works (48 lots; total RMB138.1 million; 72.91 per cent sold by lot).

The International Antiques & Art Expo 2009, Dongguan

The International Antiques & Art Expo 2009, organized by Chak's Investment and Asia Zenith Expo, was held at the trade and exhibition centre in Dongguan, China from 4 to 7 December 2009. Based on their track record of successful fairs in Hong Kong and the new Shanxi fair in June, dealers flocked to sign up. Exhibitors from the US and Europe were interspersed with those from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan, making this a truly international event and a rare opportunity for mainland Chinese buyers to attend a vetted art fair of a high standard. However, even with free admission, the Dongguan fair failed to draw as many visitors as that in Shanxi had. The fair closed early on the last day, whereas the opening hours had been extended by popular demand in Shanxi. Despite this poor showing, sales at Dongguan were reportedly much higher, and many additional deals were made after the close of the expo. Orientations speaks to William Chak about fairs in China and the state of the Chinese art market.