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BOSTON, Mass. – December 8, 2011 – Skinner, Inc., one of the world’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art, reported its auction of Asian Works of Art held on Thursday, December 1st through Saturday, December 3rd brought $3,745,195.48, including buyer’s premium. Of the 1,600 works offered, many exceeded pre-sale high estimates, further proving that the demand for Asian art and antiques remains extremely strong.
Huanghuali furniture was especially sought after with two lots exceeding the $100,000 mark, both of Chinese origin. One of the auction’s top sellers, in fact, was a pair of low-back Huanghuali armchairs with rattan seats which sold for $118,500. A pair of 18th century Huanghuali stools with rattan tops and hoofed legs sold for $112,575.
Among other big-ticket items were a large, elaborate gilt and cloisonne Mt. Pengali Island with stylized tortoiseshell which sold for $118,500, a Zitan Kang table adorned with a carved archaic motif apron, which sold for $85,750 and a Chinese rhinoceros horn carving from the 1920s depicting the seated figure of Pu Tai surrounded by children which sold for $71,100.
Jade and ceramics also performed extremely well. More than 100 pieces of jade from the private collection of a New England gentleman realized $360,000, before buyer’s premium. A large porcelain vase from the K’ang Hsi period brought $16,590; and a large celadon vase from the Ming period, sold for $18,960.
“We saw uniformly strong results across all categories within the Asian department, demonstrating that demand for Asian material shows no signs of slowing,” said Stuart Slavid, Interim Director of Asian Works of Art at Skinner. “Furniture, painting, ceramics, jade, and decorative arts all performed very well, bolstered by active online and telephone bidding from China and Hong Kong.”
About Skinner
Skinner, Inc. is one of the world’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art and the only major auction house headquartered in New England. With expertise in over 20 specialty collecting areas, Skinner draws the interest of buyers from all over the world and its auctions regularly achieve world record prices. Skinner provides a broad range of auction and appraisal services, and it is widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the auction business. Skinner’s appraisal experts regularly appear on the PBS-TV series, Antiques Roadshow, and its specialty departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, American & European Paintings & Prints, European Furniture & Decorative Arts, 20th Century Design, Fine Ceramics, Fine Jewelry, Textiles & Couture, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Works of Art, Fine Wines, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Science & Technology, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographic Art, Fine Judaica, Antique Motor Vehicles, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, and Discovery. Skinner galleries are located in Boston and Marlborough, Mass. For more information on upcoming auctions and events, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com.
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Contacts
- Stuart Slavid, Interim Director, Asian Works of Art, 508-970-3278, sslavid@skinnerinc.com
- Kate de Bethune, Director of Marketing, 508-970-3231, kdebethune@skinnerinc.com
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