2022 Asian Art In Review

Asian Art
Stories & News

2022 saw wonderful auction results at Clars, with outstanding Asian Art sales throughout the year.

Winter Highlights

Starting off the year strong, Clars’ Asian Art department sold a pair of Chinese doucai enameled globular vases for $87,500 in January. Each vase is painted on the exterior with eight bats amidst stylized lotus petals all between ornate scrolling lotus and vine patterns.

Another highlight from the January sale is represented by the Chinese huanghuali corner leg table, which sold for $93,750. With small supply of wood, the availability of furniture made from it is limited. The highly figured, honey-hued wood has long been appreciated for its mountain peak and ghost face patterns. Huanghuali furniture can be incorporated into any type of decor to create a more traditional Chinese style in your home, or you can choose to mix and match with more contemporary decor.

Spring Highlights

A finely molded Dingyao bowl, featuring lotus and other aquatic plants, headlined Clars’ April Asian Art Auction. The beautiful piece did not disappoint, selling for $100,000. The Song dynasty bowl was acquired from the late Chingwah Lee Collection of San Francisco and sold at Sotheby’s Los Angeles Fine Oriental Art Sale on June 8th, 1981.

Chinese molded Dingyao bowl. Provenance: Sotheby’s Parke Bernet Los Angeles, The Late Chingwah Lee Collection, June 8, 1981, lot 263, from San Francisco collection formed over five decades.
**Sold: $100,000**

The furniture portion of the April sale was highlighted by a pair of 18th century huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs. The armchairs feature decorative carved panels on the backs with auspicious floral groupings and mythical creatures. The armchairs were a sought after piece and ended up being the top lot of the sale, selling at $200,000.

Pair of Chinese huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs.Sold: $200,000 — Pair of Chinese huanghuali horseshoe-back armchairs.
**Sold: $200,000**

Summer Highlights

Dozens of telephone bidders vyed for two Chinese imperial bronze ‘dragon’ vases. These vases soared well above estimate to realize a price of $245,000. Each features five-clawed dragons in pursuit of flaming pearls amid scrolling clouds in low relief. The precision and intricacy of the molding indicates the imperial origin, while the patina on the surface demonstrates the age.

Asian Art Dragon Vases — **Left:** Chinese imperial bronze ‘dragon’ vase, Mark and Period of Qianlong. **Right:** Chinese imperial bronze ‘dragon’ vase, mark and period of Jiaqing.
**Sold: $245,000**

Fall Highlights

A strong San Francisco Bay Area collection of archer’s rings led the Asian Art portion of Clars’ Fine Collectors Auction on November 20th. The sale included nearly 40 lots of imperial quality white jade, celadon jade, jadeite, agate, glass, enamel, and various organic material archer’s rings. The collector acquired this impressive collection throughout 1970s to 1990s from various important dealers and estates in the Bay Area, including Ching Wah Lee, Herb Newman, and Sandra Sakata, among others.

(lot of 2) Chinese enameled silver openwork archer’s rings.
**Sold: $8,450**

November Asian Art Highlights

Asian Art
Auction

Clars Auction Gallery gladly presents a fine Asian art auction on Sunday, November 20th, offering an exquisite selection of various paintings and calligraphy, archer’s rings, fine porcelains, and other categories of Asian works of art.

Wu Changshuo (Chinese, 1844–1927), *Pine and Lingzhi*, hanging scroll, ink and color on paper, titled, dated, signed and with two artist’s seals, 96.5″ x 48.5″. Provenance: Southern California estate.
**Estimate: $80,000–$120,000**

The paintings and calligraphy section will be led by a massive ink and color on paper hanging scroll by Wu Changshuo (1844–1927), titled Pine and Lingzhi, painted in 1921. As one of the world’s most acclaimed masters in Chinese painting and one of the leading masters of Shanghai School in the Republic period, Wu Changshuo is known for his style of merging calligraphy techniques into paintings, using the ink and brushstroke to demonstrate the conception rather than striving for realism, which greatly influenced the modern and contemporary Chinese art world. This massive piece at Clars presents a great example of Wu Changshuo’s iconic style of mixing traditional Chinese with Western sensibility to depict one of his favorite subject matters in his late years, pine trees.

The painting is from an important Southern California estate and will be offered with an estimate of $80,000–$120,000.

A fine selection of Chinese jade and hardstone archer’s rings hailing from a Piedmont, California private collection amassed over the past fifty years.
**(multiple lots) Estimate: $4,500–$7,000**

A strong San Francisco Bay Area collection of archer’s rings will lead the jade and miscellaneous section, presenting nearly 40 lots of imperial quality white jade, celadon jade, jadeite, agate, glass, enamel, and various organic material archer’s rings. The collector acquired this impressive collection throughout the 1970s to 1990s from various important dealers and estates in the San Francisco Bay Area, including Ching Wah Lee, Herb Newman, and Sandra Sakata, among others.

Dragon Vases Soar Above Estimates

Asian Art
Stories & News

Clars Auction Gallery had an excellent August sale with many highlights and strong prices in our Asian Art Department.

Dozens of telephone bidders were vying for two Chinese imperial bronze ‘dragon’ vases. These vases soared well above estimate to realize a price of $245,000.

Each features five-clawed dragons in pursuit of flaming pearls amid scrolling clouds in low relief. The precision and intricacy of the molding indicates the imperial origin, while the patina on the surface demonstrates the age. One statue has the inscription “Qianlong Nianzao of the Great Qing Dynasty” and the other has the book “Great Qing Jiaqing Nianzao,” both of which were purchased in Tokyo, Japan around 1949.

Huanghuali Highlights

Asian Art
Auction

First rising in popularity during the Ming Dynasty, Huanghuali (Dalbergia odorifera), has been desired and sought after since. Huanghuali means “yellow flower pear,” a slow-growing, small-to-medium-sized tree.

With small supply of wood, the availability of furniture made from it is limited. The highly figured, honey-hued wood has long been appreciated for its mountain peak and ghost face patterns. Huanghuali furniture can be incorporated into any type of decor to create a more traditional Chinese style in your home, or you can choose to mix and match with more contemporary decor.

Chinese huanghuali tapered cabinet. Provenance: Acquired in Hong Kong, 1989. Sold: $25,000 — Chinese huanghuali tapered cabinet. Provenance: Acquired in Hong Kong, 1989.
**Sold: $25,000**

五月拍卖精品一览
Featured May Highlights

Asian Art
Auction
Fine Jewelry & Timepieces

Clars拍卖行将于5月19日10时举办春季精品珠宝名表拍卖。此次精选跨越百年呈现一系列钻石宝石首饰、品牌设计珠宝以及精致名表，汇集了卡地亚、蒂凡尼、梵克雅宝、Seaman Schepps、法贝热等名家风采。详情敬请点击这里浏览完整图录，欢迎通过以下联系方式垂询。Lauren Della Croce：[email protected] Yao Jiang 江湛瑶：[email protected] 微信：yaoj423

Clars will hold its Spring Fine Jewelry & Timepiece Sale on May 19th, 10AM PST. The collection includes a wide selection of diamond, colored gemstone and signed jewelry spanning over a century. Maker’s such as Cartier, Tiffany & Co, Van Cleef & Arpels, Seaman Schepps, Fabergé, Rolex and more are represented in the dynamic collection. To view the full catalog, please visit here. For inquiries, please reach out to Lauren Della Croce at [email protected] and Yao Jiang at [email protected] or WeChat yaoj423.

Clars拍卖行5月22日（星期日）拍卖会将呈现多件精品亚洲艺术品，拍品将包括瓷器，玉石，家具，书画，绣品，金属制品，以及各类杂项。点击这里浏览完整图录。拍卖垂询Harry Huang 黄曦 [email protected] 及Megan Ma 马艺铭 [email protected] (微信mayiming0723)。

The May 22nd sale at Clars will offer numerous highlights from the Asian Art Department include porcelains, jade and stones, furniture, paintings, embroideries, metalwork, among others. To view the full catalog, please visit here. For inquiries, please reach out to Harry Huang at [email protected] and Megan Ma at [email protected] or WeChat mayiming0723.

2.03克拉混合长方形阶梯切割彩蓝VVS钻石
A 2.03 Carats Fancy Blue VVS2 Modified Rectangular Step Cut Diamond.

景泰蓝双联山水花鸟长颈抱
Chinese cloisonné enamel conjoined moon flask vase.

A 7.67 carats Colombian emerald and diamond. — 7.67克拉哥伦比亚祖母绿及钻石戒指
A 7.67 carats Colombian emerald and diamond ring.

清代白玉梅花珮饰
Chinese white jade pendant plaque.

初代劳力士小表冠潜航者腕表，型号6205
An early Rolex small crown Submariner wristwatch, ref 6205.

仿古玉牌
Chinese archaistic russet jade plaque.

劳力士迪通拿宇宙型计时腕表，型号6263
A Rolex Daytona chronograph wristwatch, ref. 6263.

白玉雕桃型小笔洗
Chinese white jade brush washer.

红宝石及钻石18K白金胸针
A ruby, diamond and eighteen karat white gold brooch.

粉彩鱼缸一对
Pair of Chinese famille rose fish bowls.

蓝宝石18K黄金“猎豹”戒指，卡地亚设计
A sapphire and eighteen karat gold ring, Cartier.

蓝底龙纹绣袍
Chinese embroidered blue-ground ‘dragon’ robe.

一对蓝宝石及钻石铂金耳坠
A pair of sapphire, diamond and platinum earrings.

川濑巴水，木刻版画，《东京二十景 – 芝增上寺》
Kawase Hasui, woodblock print, Zojo-ji Temple in Shiba.

18K黄金项链，Seaman Schepps 设计
An eighteen karat gold necklace, Seaman Schepps.

青玉水盂
Chinese celadon jade footed water coupe.

一对红宝石及钻石耳坠
A pair of ruby and diamond earrings.

白玉浮雕葫芦牌（一组三个）
Set of three Chinese white jade scepter plaques.

装饰艺术时期钻石及黑玉髓胸针
Art Deco diamond and black chalcedony brooch.

亚洲艺术高光精品一览
Featured Asian Art Highlights

Asian Art
Auction

Clars拍卖公司4月24日（星期日）拍卖会将由各类精品亚洲艺术品领衔，拍品将涵盖各代瓷器，家具，书画，玉石，鼻烟壶，以及各类杂项。点击这里浏览完整图录。拍卖垂询Harry Huang 黄曦 [email protected] 及Megan Ma 马艺铭 [email protected] (微信mayiming0723)。

The April 24th sale at Clars will be led by the Asian art department with numerous highlights from porcelains, to furniture, paintings, jade and snuff bottles, among others. To view the full catalog, please visit here. For inquiries, please reach out to Harry Huang at [email protected] and Megan Ma at [email protected] or WeChat mayiming0723.