Chinese vase fetches record $69 million in UK auction

[CardSharp]

(Reuters) - A Chinese vase discovered during a routine house clearance in a London suburb sold for 43 million pounds ($69 million) Thursday, 40 times its estimate and an auction record for any work of art from Asia, the auctioneer that sold it said.

"It's a world record for a piece of Asian art," Helen Porter of West London auction house Bainbridges told Reuters.

"It's part of the end of Asian Art week, so there were a lot (of buyers) over for that and the room was absolutely full of Chinese people bidding against each other," she added.

The hammer price did not include 20 percent in fees and taxes.

"It (the bidding) went on for half an hour. We don't know exactly who the buyer is. I believe they're buying on behalf of someone, but I believe they're Chinese," she added.

The sale highlights the intense and growing competition among wealthy Chinese buyers for rare pieces of their heritage, and anything associated with imperial China appears to be particularly attractive.

According to the auctioneer, the vase dates from the 1740s from the Qianlong period, would have resided "no doubt" in the Chinese Royal Palace and was fired in the imperial kilns.

The auctioneer said it was a mystery how the 16-inch high piece ended up in London. Its provenance was described simply as belonging to an English family collection, probably acquired during the 1930s.

"It is a masterpiece," the auction house wrote in its blog before the sale. "If only it could talk!!"

Earlier Thursday, a white jade dragon seal which belonged to the Chinese Qianlong Emperor (1711-1799), sold for 2.7 million pounds at auction house Bonhams.

The four centimeter-square seal, which was expected to fetch 1.5-2.0 million pounds, was bought by an unidentified Chinese buyer from Beijing.

In October, auction house Sotheby's sold a Chinese Qing dynasty vase for $32.4 million and their Asian auction series of art, jewelry, wine and watches in Hong Kong raised $400 million

I was a bit pissed off until I heard that it was Chinese bidders bidding against other Chinese bidders. I hope this trend will continue and more Chinese will put their money into buying back our heritage pieces

 

[Martian2]

The auctioneer said it was a mystery how the 16-inch high piece ended up in London. Its provenance was described simply as belonging to an English family collection, probably acquired during the 1930s.

There is no mystery. The British stole it and probably during 1860. (See http://www.defence.pk/forums/china-defence/77267-chinas-summer-palace-mark-looting-anniversary.html)

Most British, French, and other Europeans lack legitimate title to cultural treasures stolen from China during the invasions of the colonial period. Unless the current possessor can show "provenance," the artifact should be presumed stolen and having only a "color of title."

All Chinese should refuse to pay for cultural treasures that were stolen. China should continue to place pressure on Western governments and demand the return of all stolen Chinese cultural treasures.

Color of Title legal definition of Color of Title. Color of Title synonyms by the Free Online Law Dictionary.

"color of title n. the appearance of having title to personal or real property by some evidence, but in reality there is either no title or a vital defect in the title. One might show a title document to real property, but in reality he/she may have deeded the property to another; a patent to an invention may have passed to the inventor's widow, who sells the rights to one party and then, using the original patent documents, sells the patent to a second party based on this 'color of title.'"

Provenance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Works of art and antiques

The provenance of works of fine art, antiques and antiquities often assumes great importance. Documented evidence of provenance for an object can help to establish that it has not been altered and is not a forgery, a reproduction, stolen or looted art. Knowledge of provenance can help to assign the work to a known artist, and a documented history can be of use in helping to prove ownership. An example is the case of the Arnolfini portrait.

The quality of provenance of an important work of art can make a considerable difference to its selling price in the market; this is affected by the degree of certainty of the provenance, the status of past owners as collectors, and in many cases by the strength of evidence that an object has not been illegally excavated or exported from another country. The provenance of a work of art may be recorded in various forms depending on context or the amount that is known, from a single name to an entry in a full scholarly catalogue several thousand words long.

Certificates by recognized experts play an important role in art, sometimes making a difference in price that may amount to several millions of dollars or euros.

Certificates can be tricky as well as can be seen from the case of Jacques van Meegeren who forged the work of his father Han van Meegeren (who in his turn had forged the work of Vermeer). Jacques sometimes produced a certificate with his forgeries stating that that particular work of art had been created by his father Han van Meegeren. See Jacques van Meegeren."

 

[CardSharp]

There is no mystery. The British stole it and probably during 1860. (See http://www.defence.pk/forums/china-defence/77267-chinas-summer-palace-mark-looting-anniversary.html)

Most British, French, and other Europeans lack legitimate title to cultural treasures stolen from China during the invasions of the colonial period. Unless the current possessor can show "provenance," the artifact should be presumed stolen and having only a "color of title."

All Chinese should refuse to pay for cultural treasures that were stolen. China should continue to place pressure on Western governments and demand the return of all stolen Chinese cultural treasures.

Color of Title legal definition of Color of Title. Color of Title synonyms by the Free Online Law Dictionary.

"color of title n. the appearance of having title to personal or real property by some evidence, but in reality there is either no title or a vital defect in the title. One might show a title document to real property, but in reality he/she may have deeded the property to another; a patent to an invention may have passed to the inventor's widow, who sells the rights to one party and then, using the original patent documents, sells the patent to a second party based on this 'color of title.'"

Provenance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Works of art and antiques

The provenance of works of fine art, antiques and antiquities often assumes great importance. Documented evidence of provenance for an object can help to establish that it has not been altered and is not a forgery, a reproduction, stolen or looted art. Knowledge of provenance can help to assign the work to a known artist, and a documented history can be of use in helping to prove ownership. An example is the case of the Arnolfini portrait.

The quality of provenance of an important work of art can make a considerable difference to its selling price in the market; this is affected by the degree of certainty of the provenance, the status of past owners as collectors, and in many cases by the strength of evidence that an object has not been illegally excavated or exported from another country. The provenance of a work of art may be recorded in various forms depending on context or the amount that is known, from a single name to an entry in a full scholarly catalogue several thousand words long.

Certificates by recognized experts play an important role in art, sometimes making a difference in price that may amount to several millions of dollars or euros.

Certificates can be tricky as well as can be seen from the case of Jacques van Meegeren who forged the work of his father Han van Meegeren (who in his turn had forged the work of Vermeer). Jacques sometimes produced a certificate with his forgeries stating that that particular work of art had been created by his father Han van Meegeren. See Jacques van Meegeren."

So true there is no way that Imperial vases would be traded. This was loot taken from China. Whatever your opinion about Mao, he ended Chinese military impotency.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

There is no mystery. The British stole it and probably during 1860. (See http://www.defence.pk/forums/china-defence/77267-chinas-summer-palace-mark-looting-anniversary.html)

Most British, French, and other Europeans lack legitimate title to cultural treasures stolen from China during the invasions of the colonial period. Unless the current possessor can show "provenance," the artifact should be presumed stolen and having only a "color of title."

Exactly right, Martian.

I don't know why we are paying SO much money... just to get our OWN things back.

 

[Hafizzz]

Rich Chinese encourage thieves to steal and loot more Chinese Treasures and then the Rich Chinese will buy them back to please the current Chinese Government.

 

[CardSharp]

Rich Chinese encourage thieves to steal and loot more Chinese Treasures and then the Rich Chinese will buy them back to please the current Chinese Government.

You have no idea what you are talking about.