Among collectors, Sotheby’s spring auction in Hong Kong is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year. This year was particularly significant because it was the first time Western contemporary art was offered at the evening sale, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The five-day event raked in a grand total of HK$3.17 billion.
Sotheby’s President and CEO Tad Smith said of the auction’s success: “Outstanding results in our traditional categories of Chinese ceramics and paintings were joined by records across a range of collecting fields including western contemporary art and jewellery, affirming Hong Kong as an anchor of the global art market.”
Here are some of the most remarkable items sold at the spring auction.
Mao by Andy Warhol
Mao is an iconic painting of an iconic leader, rendered by an equally iconic artist in his own right – American pop art pioneer Andy Warhol. It’s little wonder, then, that all eyes were on Mao at the spring auction. A private Asian collector bought the piece for HK$98.5 million, setting a record for any Western contemporary artwork ever sold at auction in Asia. The painting was expected to fetch HK$115 million.
The painting was created in 1973, a year after the historic moment when US President Nixon visited China and Chairman Mao.
Lush Mountains in Misty Gleam by Zhang Daqian
In the Fine Chinese Paintings category, Lush Mountains in Misty Gleam by late Chinese artist Zhang Daqian was the top seller, going for more than HK$31 million. Painted in 1967, the medium is splashed ink and colour on gold paper. The artist’s distinctive splashed-colour style (pocai) can be partly attributed to eye problems he experienced later in his career when his eyesight started deteriorating.
Fancy intense blue diamond ring
Another record setter in its respective category, this fancy intense blue diamond ring was snapped up for HK$37.2 million. The ring, set in white gold, boasts an emerald-cut, 3.13-carat blue diamond flanked by two step-cut diamonds and an oval band encrusted with circular-cut diamonds.
Dry-Lacquer Head of Avalokitesvara, Tang Dynasty
This sculpture of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, an important Buddhist figure, went for HK$21.7 million. This extremely rare item was made using a dry-lacquer technique during the High Tang period, likely during the reign of Emperor Xuanzang (712-756). This particular piece is in near-pristine condition.
Explosion 64-1, Shimamoto Shozo
This colourfully chaotic oil on canvas painting by late Japanese artist Shimamoto Shozo sold for HK$20.5 million. The painting was created in 1964 using the artist’s signature ‘bottle crash’ method, in which glass bottles filled with paint are hurled at large canvases. As said best by the artist himself: “Even if my method seems shocking and violent – crushing bottles and shooting cannons at the canvas … I’m just working on creating beauty.”
Xuande Fish Pond lobed bowl
This fine china set a new auction record for early Ming porcelain when it sold for HK$229 million. It’s safe to bet that the buyer probably won’t be using it to serve up fried noodles. The tranquil scene depicts four fish swimming past lotus flowers: a carp, mandarin fish and two kinds of bream, all set in a beautiful cobalt blue.
The Macallan in Lalique – The Legacy Collection
For whisky collectors, The Lalique Legacy Collection is highly coveted. The collection features a set of six crystal decanters filled with The Macallan’s rarest single malts, aged 50 to 65 years old, plus six rare miniature bottles and six pairs of Lalique Macallan glasses. This exclusive, limited edition collection went for HK$7.7 million, setting a record for any lot of whisky ever sold at auction.
Text: Emily Petsko
hello there and thank you for your information – I have certainly picked up something new from right here.
I did however expertise several technical issues using this website, since I experienced
to reload the site a lot of times previous to I could get it to load
correctly. I had been wondering if your hosting is
OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will
very frequently affect your placement in google and could damage
your high-quality score if ads and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I’m adding this
RSS to my email and can look out for much more of your respective interesting content.
Ensure that you update this again soon.. Lista escape roomów
You have remarked very interesting details!
ps decent web site.!
It’s hard to find well-informed people about this subject, however, you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Pretty! This has been an incredibly wonderful article. Many thanks for providing these details.
I used to be able to find good advice from your blog posts.
Next time I read a blog, Hopefully it does not disappoint me just as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read through, nonetheless I actually thought you would have something useful to say. All I hear is a bunch of crying about something you could possibly fix if you were not too busy looking for attention.
Having read this I believed it was extremely enlightening. I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this short article together. I once again find myself spending a lot of time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worthwhile!
You are so interesting! I do not believe I’ve truly read through a single thing like that before. So nice to find someone with a few original thoughts on this subject. Seriously.. many thanks for starting this up. This website is one thing that’s needed on the internet, someone with a bit of originality.
Having read this I believed it was rather informative. I appreciate you spending some time and effort to put this informative article together. I once again find myself spending way too much time both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worthwhile.
This website was… how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something which helped me. Appreciate it!
There’s certainly a great deal to learn about this topic. I like all the points you’ve made.
This website certainly has all of the information I wanted about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
After I originally commented I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I receive four emails with the exact same comment. Is there an easy method you are able to remove me from that service? Thanks a lot.
I could not refrain from commenting. Very well written!
I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning this blog. I really hope to see the same high-grade content from you in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own website now 😉
I must thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning this website. I’m hoping to view the same high-grade content by you later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own blog now 😉
I’m amazed, I have to admit. Rarely do I encounter a blog that’s both equally educative and engaging, and without a doubt, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The issue is something which not enough men and women are speaking intelligently about. I am very happy that I came across this during my search for something regarding this.