On December 20th, Clars Auctions will present an exceptionally rare Qing Yongzheng Robin’s Egg Glazed hu-form Vase at its annual Fine Asian Art Auction. This exquisite piece is not only a stunning ancient artifact but also carries a touching story that spans more than half a century.

The story of this vase is as compelling as the piece itself. According to the consignor, the vase originally belonged to his mother-in-law, who lived in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1970s. She was of Swedish immigrant descent, sent to an orphanage at the age of six after her mother’s passing, and later adopted by a kind family. As an adult, she married a man who worked for Nestlé and had two sons. After her husband’s death, she returned to Brooklyn, where she lived with her family and was beloved for her involvement in church activities, playing the piano, and teaching Sunday school.

In the 1970s, she bought the vase from a street vendor’s stall in Brooklyn for a small amount. She treasured it and often displayed it on her piano, filled with dried leaves. In 1986, she moved to California to live with her son, bringing the vase along. However, the vase was forgotten for decades, stored in a shoebox in a closet. It was only a few weeks ago that Clars Auction rediscovered the vase, unveiling a story that had been hidden for years.

The consignor expressed, “Such a beautiful and historically significant vase should not be hidden away in a closet; it deserves to be admired by many.” Now, the Qing Yongzheng Robin’s egg glazed hu-form vase is set to take center stage at the auction, capturing the attention of collectors worldwide.

The “Lujun Glaze” porcelain, also known as Robin’s Egg glaze, originated during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, crafted at the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln under the supervision of Tang Ying. It was named for its resemblance to the low-temperature Jun wares of the Song Dynasty. The glaze combines techniques from both Jun ware and Yixing drip-glaze, resulting in unique flowing shades of red, blue, and purple. The surface is smooth and silky, with colors that change dynamically under natural light, evoking the beauty of nature.

As recorded in the Record of Ceramics Completion Stele, the Lujun glaze “resembles the Eastern Kiln and Yixing drip-glaze,” with distinctive fluid patterns and colors. It represents Tang Ying’s innovative fusion of traditional styles and highlights the Qing Dynasty’s dedication to ceramic artistry and aesthetic perfection. Due to its complex production process, surviving pieces are rare and mostly palace ware, making them highly valuable collectibles and a pinnacle of Qing porcelain craftsmanship.

The Chinese Robin’s egg glazed hu-form vase featured by Clars has an elegant and dignified form, showcasing a flared mouth, short neck, elongated curved body, and wide splayed foot, standing at approximately 19 centimeters tall. The mouth, neck, and belly of the vase are adorned with three string patterns, which are simple yet graceful, adding a three-dimensional effect and enhancing the visual appeal of the piece. This design reflects the refined and majestic style typical of Yongzheng porcelain. The base is engraved with a two-line, four-character mark: “Yongzheng Nian Zhi,” further indicating its imperial provenance and outstanding craftsmanship.

For jewelry lovers, this auction is an extraordinary opportunity to acquire rare and exquisite pieces.

The Fine Jade & Holiday Jewelry Auction is a standout feature, showcasing a captivating collection of jade jewelry, ranging from intricately carved pendants and bracelets to elegant earrings and rings. Highlights of the sale include a pair of A-grade jadeite and platinum earrings, estimated at $20,000–$40,000, and a magnificent jadeite bead necklace, estimated at $25,000–$35,000.

In addition to the jade offerings, the sale also presents a stunning array of fine jewelry featuring diamonds, pearls, and colored gemstones. For watch collectors, Clars is offering two exceptional timepieces: a Rolex stainless steel Explorer II wristwatch, estimated at $7,000–$10,000, and a highly coveted Patek Philippe stainless steel Nautilus wristwatch, estimated at $80,000–$100,000. This selection is a must for those seeking to add to their collection or to find a special gift for the season.

12月20日，Clars拍卖公司将在其年度亚洲精品艺术拍卖会上重磅推出一件极为罕见的清雍正炉钧釉弦纹尊，这不仅是一件精美绝伦的古代艺术品，更是承载着跨越半个世纪的动人故事。

Clars的这件炉钧釉弦纹尊造型端庄雅致，采用撇口、短颈、长弧腹、外撇高圈足的设计，整体高约19厘米。器身的口、颈、腹部分别装饰有三道弦纹，线条简洁而流畅，增添了器物的立体感和美学效果，体现了雍正时期瓷器典雅庄重的风格。 足内阴刻有“雍正年制”双行四字款，进一步彰显了其为宫廷御用器物的身份和精湛工艺。

这件重器的釉面呈现出红、蓝、紫三色交织的独特效果，其中尤以“高梁红”釉色最为珍贵。这种红中泛紫的釉色为雍正时期炉钧釉瓷器的特色，极其稀有，几乎在乾隆以后便不再见于烧制。清《南窑笔记》中曾记载：“炉钧一种，乃炉中所烧，颜色流淌中有红点者为佳，青点次之。” 此外，据《清宫造办处活计清档》记载，雍正十年，皇帝曾命为炉钧釉梅瓶配制紫檀木座，可见炉钧釉瓷器多为皇室赏玩或宫廷陈设之用，地位非凡。类似形制的雍正时期的器物现多为博物馆藏品，如北京故宫博物院收藏的清雍正窑变釉弦纹撇口瓶.

炉钧釉烧制工艺复杂，对温度和调釉要求极高，成品率极低，雍正时期的存世精品极为稀少。Clars 的这件炉钧釉弦纹尊，品相完好，造型和釉面呈现出雍正时期自然流动、古朴雅致的风格。相比乾隆时期华丽精致的审美，此器更具雍正的含蓄韵味，艺术与历史价值极高。

当代油画佳作《观云汇集》同台亮相

此外，Clars还将推出当代画家刘玖通的油画作品《观云汇集》。此作鲜明地展现了画家对抽象艺术的独特理解，巧妙融合了西方绘画的材料与技法，并注入了东方艺术特有的气韵与精神，形成了其独树一帜的风格。画面结合了细腻与粗犷的笔触，让人联想到苏轼诗句“黑云翻墨未遮山，白雨跳珠乱入船”。这幅布面油画创作于2011年，画作尺寸为高110厘米、宽280厘米，并带有中文签名，现任藏家从香港搬到加利福尼亚之前直接从艺术家那里获得。

此次拍卖还将呈现其他多件珍贵的亚洲艺术作品，如民国瓷绘大家张志汤于1939年所做的洋彩山水人物大瓷板及民国青花大家王步的青花瓷瓶， 清代山水白玉雕，中国缂丝绣龙枕套。

与此同时，Clars拍卖行将于太平洋时间2024年12月20日，重点推出一系列融合亚洲美学的精美翡翠珠宝。亮点作品包括一对天然翡翠及钻石铂金耳环、一条天然翡翠及14K黄金颈链、一条天然翡翠及14K黄金颈链，还有一条哥伦比亚祖母绿珍珠钻石及18K黄金项链，这些作品巧妙融入亚洲传统元素和工艺。这些珍贵的珠宝作品不仅展现了自然宝石与卓越工艺的完美结合，还体现了亚洲艺术的独特魅力。

我们期待12月20日与您在Clars Auctions的亚洲精品拍卖上相见。

Two of our modern and contemporary highlights this November come from American artists who draw inspiration from their surroundings in very different ways.

First is Jim Dine (American, b. 1935), an Ohio-born multimedia artist who has been associated over the years with Neo-Dada, Pop Art, and Abstract Expressionism. Dine has often utilized found objects in his work, including sculptures influenced by classical Greece and a well-known collection of Pinocchio statues, and continued to take inspiration from the everyday in his two-dimensional pieces. Dine’s 1962 exhibition at the Pasadena Art Museum, titled New Painting of Common Objects, celebrated the ordinary with depictions of neckties, tools, and hats, displayed not as they so commonly were as background objects, but front and center, the star of the painting.

During this period, Dine landed on bathrobes while searching for a way to reinvent the self-portrait. Dine sought to depict the self without a face, and thus adopted an object most intimate and familiar with which to experiment, using different styles and methods to manipulate the mundane robe. The piece in this month’s auction is titled Kindergarten Robes and dated to 1983. This large-scale woodcut print shows two coarsely rendered robes, tied at the waist with sleeves positioned toward the hips, in large swaths of yellow, blue, red, and green. The absence of a body within the robes is notable, but their well-worn wrinkles imply that it does have a history, and its positioning (which is the most frequently seen in Dine’s robes) imbues the empty articles with their own personality. Kindergarten Robes is being offered with an estimate of $6,000–$9,000.

Brian Alfred is a contemporary artist and musician originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After earning a fine arts degrees from Penn State and Yale and attending an artist’s residency at the Skohegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Alfred held successful solo shows at galleries in Tokyo, London, and New York City. Alfred’s interest in blending mediums includes a career in music that overlaps with the visual arts, and many of his animation videos feature soundtracks from sonic collaborators.

Alfred’s paintings often depict stagnant cityscapes, skylines, and landscapes devoid of people. The precise, flat method with which Alfred applies color to canvas creates a surreal atmosphere in which the world around us is reduced to form atmosphere. The acrylic on canvas, titled Overpass, in our November sale depicts a large freeway overpass with gray bridges crisscrossing one another over a pale blue sky. Patches of grass are visible below, and tall signs hover on the right side, advertising gas, food, and lodging to the invisible passers-by. The starkness of the canvas is punctuated by the absence of even one car on the road, hovering in a place between peace and unease. Overpass will be offered with an estimate of $8,000–$12,000.

Highlights from our November 22nd Auction include beautiful timepieces from prestigious makers, Art Deco diamond and platinum brooches, Art Deco style furniture, Tiffany Studios glass, Flemish tapestries and a striking Chinese fresco fragment.

Fine Jewelry & Watches

Clars is thrilled to host the November Fine Watches and Jewelry Auction on Friday, November 22nd, starting at 9:30 AM PST. This sale features a captivating array of exquisite jewelry to suit every taste. Whether you’re seeking the classic elegance of lustrous pearls and brilliant diamonds, or unique statement pieces crafted from jade and gold, our auction offers something for everyone. Don’t miss the chance to bid on stunning, unmounted diamonds renowned for their exceptional cut and clarity—ideal for both collectors and connoisseurs.

Additionally, we will showcase beautiful timepieces from prestigious makers like Vacheron Constantin and Longines, each a testament to superior craftsmanship and style. Highlighting the event are exquisite Art Deco diamond and platinum brooches, sure to delight jewelry aficionados and watch enthusiasts alike. Mark your calendars for this sophisticated experience where elegance meets excitement!

Furniture & Decorative Arts

Our November gallery auction features remarkable highlights from the Bay Area, including Arts & Crafts designs from the Getty’s Temple of Wings in Berkeley and Joseph Minutoli’s cast stone sculpture maquettes for the Rotunda of the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Antique furniture highlights include Levantine inlaid pieces, Flemish tapestries, and sterling silver items.

The Decorative Arts section will present Tiffany Studios glass, Wedgwood fairyland luster, and 19th-century English ceramics and tiles. Modern and Contemporary design will showcase Paul Evans cabinets, custom-made furniture in the Art Deco style, and Studio glass and ceramics. Rounding out the sale are rugs and carpets, Pre-Columbian pottery, African tribal carvings, and other indigenous arts, ensuring a diverse and intriguing collection.

Asian Art

The Asian Art department will feature a striking Chinese fresco fragment depicting Buddhist figures, likely originating from a temple and dating back to the Yuan to early Ming dynasties. Another notable piece is a Tibetan parcel-gilt bronze figure of Vajrapani, regarded as one of the most important protectors and guides of Buddha. Completing this section is a group of four Chinese huanghuali fragments that once belonged to a mirror stand. These 17th/18th-century pieces are skillfully crafted with motifs of dragons and lingzhi, hinting at an imperial association.

The Warehouse Auction: November 23rd | 9:30 AM PST

The Warehouse auction offers a dynamic and diverse selection of art, prints, and photographs, with each month featuring a curated mix of paintings, sculptures, and works from across the globe, all with accessible estimates. The Asian Art section will showcase a thoughtfully curated array, including Japanese woodblock prints, ceramics, folding screens, and other fine decorative items. In the Jewelry department, we are thrilled to present a range of affordable pieces, from diamonds to silver and gold necklaces. Additionally, the Warehouse offers a well-priced collection of modern and antique furniture, décor, silver, porcelain, glass, fashion, rugs, books, collectibles, and indigenous art, ensuring there’s something for every collector.

This November 21st starting 10 AM PST at our Fine Art Collectors Auction, we are thrilled to showcase an exceptional array of artwork, ranging from American folk art to modern abstract masterpieces.

Among our featured pieces are two paintings by renowned American folk artist, Charles Wysocki (American, 1928–2002). Born in Detroit, Wysocki was drafted into the Army, which led him to Los Angeles, where he met his wife, fellow artist Elizabeth G. Lawrence. Inspired by the rural lifestyles surrounding 1960s Los Angeles and the pastoral beauty of New England, Wysocki’s work reflects influences from prominent folk artists of the region. Notably, viewers will notice striking similarities between Wysocki’s landscapes and those of Anna Mary Robertson Moses, or Grandma Moses, known for her nostalgic depictions of New England. A deeper connection also exists with earlier artist Rufus Porter, whose whimsical yet precise portrayals of 19th-century Massachusetts and Connecticut resonate with Wysocki’s style.

In our November auction, we will feature two oil on canvas works titled Martha’s Vineyard and Quiltmakers. Martha’s Vineyard depicts a Massachusetts lighthouse and surrounding buildings in a late fall landscape, showcasing a palette of brown and red grass contrasted with patches of snow. Quiltmakers illustrates a quaint community quilt sale, featuring three vibrant, meticulously detailed quilts hanging on a clothesline. We estimate Martha’s Vineyard will sell for $10,000–$15,000 and Quiltmakers for $6,000–$9,000.

Another highlight of the auction is an oil on canvas painting by Quebec modernist, Paul-Emile Borduas (Canadian, 1905–1960). An artist from a young age, Borduas trained as a church restorer under self-taught artist, Ozias Leduc, and furthered his studies at the École des Beaux-Arts de Montréal. His time in Paris at the Ateliers d’Art Sacré helped him fuse his influences. Upon returning to Canada, Borduas became a pivotal figure in the Montreal art scene and founded the Automatistes, inspired by Surrealist André Breton’s ideas. His 1946 group exhibition was a landmark event in Canadian art history.

Later in his career, Borduas’ work took on a political dimension, as he advocated for the separation of church and state in Quebec, a stance that led to his dismissal from l’École du Meuble. Although he faced challenges during his lifetime, his influence became evident during the Quiet Revolution, culminating in the posthumous success of his painting Figures Schématiques, which sold for $3.6 million CAD in 2018. The untitled painting in our November auction exemplifies Borduas’ style, featuring textured impasto, stark black-and-white contrasts, and abstract forms that invite interpretation of his political and personal themes. This piece is estimated at $25,000–$35,000.

Other highlights this month include a painting by San Francisco Bay Area modernist Ruth Armer (American, 1896–1977), an oil by Texas landscape painter William Slaughter (American, 1923–2003), ceramics by Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973), a selection of vintage French advertising posters, and much more.

We are also pleased to present two hyperrealist sculptures by Danish artist, Kurt Trampedach (Danish, 1943–2013). Known for his dark, evocative paintings influenced by Rembrandt and late 19th-century Symbolists, Trampedach often explored his mental states through figurative art. His sculptures, while less abundant, retain the emotional intensity of his paintings. The two pieces in our auction, Annette and Jonas, depict Trampedach’s wife and son, created in the early 1970s from plaster on steel frames. These lifelike figures convey a sense of solemn contemplation. Annette is estimated at $8,000–$12,000, while Jonas is estimated at $4,000–$6,000.

Clars in collaboration with exhibited.at is honored to host the discussion: Craftsmanship in the Realm of Analog and Digital on November 20th, which takes a closer look at the works of contemporary artists featured in our Artists to Watch Auction, Katie McCann and Carolina de Bartolo.

This event will take place on November 20th and run from 1–1:40 PM PST with Q&A to follow. The engaging panel, celebrating the Artists to Watch Auction on November 21st, brings together artists Katie McCann and Carolina de Bartolo, whose artworks featuring botanicals blend both tradition with innovation. Through contrasting approaches — McCann’s intricate, hand-cut collage work and de Bartolo’s AI-assisted compositions — the artists reveal how nature can be interpreted and reimagined within both analog and digital realms. The discussion will delve into the unique process of each artist as they walk us through their art, illuminating the varied landscapes of craftsmanship, creativity, and nature.

The discussion will be moderated by Rodania Leong, founder exhibited.at The Artists to Watch section (lots 2980–2993) will lead the Fine Art Collectors Auction on November 21st, starting at 10 AM PST.

Katie McCann is an English artist currently living in Berkeley, California who works primarily in collage and mixed media. Her work has been exhibited and sold across the USA, Europe and Asia and she has illustrated book and album covers. McCann’s artwork is also a part of the 60 Box Public Art Project in the City of Berkeley and she recently designed two labels for La Cidrerie du Condroz. McCann is one of 50 female collage artists to appear in the book Collage by Women: 50 Essential Contemporary Artists (Promopress Editions, 2019).

McCann creates intricate, hand cut collages which reflect her Victorian obsession with faeries, flora and fauna. From her extensive collection of books, prints and pages that are antique, forgotten and foxed with age, she cuts out images, categorizes them and then eventually pieces them together like a complex paper jigsaw puzzle. McCann’s collages are places where beauty is strange, creatures are curious and a sense of wonder prevails. At times they can be like tiny cabinets of curiosity reflecting the variety of the natural world and its peculiar beauty or they can become a wallpaper pattern, lush and dense, with hidden meanings and metaphors.

McCann shares, “Frost Flowers are a rare winter phenomenon where frozen air causes ice formations to bloom from plant stems, each unique and fleeting. Inspired by their delicate beauty and Giuseppe Arcimboldo’s floral portraits, I created a collage reflecting nature’s secrets.” The portrait is made of hundreds of hand-cut pieces of paper, featuring a headpiece of pearls, jewels, and flowers in shades of grey and white. Her face is crafted from tiny flowers, her dress from paper beads, and she wears a botanical sash, evoking a regal figure from an icy, magical realm. This piece celebrates the connection between humanity and the extraordinary occurrences in nature.

For California-based visual artist Carolina de Bartolo, generative AI is both a tool and an object of investigation. In her artistic practice, de Bartolo fuses old media and styles with new technologies to ask whether image-generating software is merely an extension of the collective memory, or can it truly create novel art? Central to her work are notions of remix and iteration influenced by her decades of experience in the fields of graphic design and typography. With the belief that images with universality better encourage spectator imagination and participation, de Bartolo seeks to create artworks that evoke familiarity over uncanniness as she explores intersections of human and machine creativity by considering the aesthetics of the past through contemporary contexts. In addition to her sought after expertise on AI art, Carolina de Bartolo is the author of the acclaimed book, Explorations in Typography and she was formerly the Creative Director at Art Blocks and taught at Academy of Art for over 20 years.

The piece in our November auction highlights a recurring motif in de Bartolo’s artwork—dandelions! These delicate flowers, often disdained as mere weeds, symbolize resilience, transformation, and the ephemeral nature of life. A gaggle of dandelions, bathed in the warm glow of a fiery vermillion sunrise, are presented in a style that blurs the lines between drawing and photography. Exhibited at the Sausalito Public Library in early 2024, this piece is presented as a hanging scroll, printed on archival paper and hung with wooden rods top and bottom. Both the central image of the dandelions and the surrounding “fabric” pattern are AI-generated, reflecting the artist’s ongoing exploration of the fusion between traditional artistic practices and cutting-edge technology.

The creation process begins with a prompt that defines the composition, color palette, and style, drawing inspiration from historical traditions and references to vintage artworks. These prompts are then iteratively refined and processed through various AI models, including image-to-image models, which are used to refine details, adjust lighting, color balance, and optimize the overall visual quality.

Founded by former Christie’s specialist Rodania Leong, exhibited.at focuses on art, community and innovation — empowering artists, curators, and galleries with the ability to archive their rich exhibition history while providing guidance on diverse art initiatives. Together with Clars — the exceptional art appraisers and auctioneers who have over fifty years of expertise in hosting Bay Area auctions — this collaboration harnesses the expertise of both exhibited.at and Clars.

Join us in celebrating the featured artists’ innovation and enduring impact! For more information or any questions, please reach out to [email protected] and [email protected].